The present disclosure relates to transmission electron microscopy for evaluation of biological matter. According to an embodiment, the present disclosure further relates to an apparatus for determining the structure and/or elemental composition of a sample using 4D STEM, comprising a direct bombardment detector operating with global shutter readout, processing circuitry configured to acquire images of bright-field disks using either a contiguous array or non-contiguous array of detector pixel elements, correct distortions in the images, align each image of the images based on a centroid of the bright-field disk, calculate a radial profile of the images, normalize the radial profiles by a scaling factor, calculate the rotationally-averaged edge profile of the bright-field disk, and determine elemental composition within the specimen based on the characteristics of the edge profile of the bright-field disk corresponding to each specimen location.

A signal processing apparatus that processes image data output from a photoelectric conversion unit including a light-receiving region and a light-blocking region is provided. The apparatus comprises a control data generation unit that outputs control data used to generate correction data for correcting the image data using a trained model generated through machine learning, and a signal processing unit that generates the correction data on the basis of light-blocked image data and the control data, the light-blocked image data being image data, among the image data, that is from the light-blocking region, and corrects light-received image data in accordance with the correction data without applying the trained model, the light-received image data being image data, among the image data, that is from the light-receiving region.

A system is provided for generating a ramping signal. The system includes a plurality of storage circuits each including an input and an output. The output of a previous storage circuit is connected to the input of a next storage circuit. The storage circuits are configured to propagate a first enable signal based on a first control signal. The system also includes a plurality of first current generating circuits. Each first current generating circuit is coupled to the output of a corresponding storage circuit to receive the propagated first enable signal. The first current generating circuits are configured to generate a first current signal based on the propagated first enable signal.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel unit that outputs a pixel signal corresponding to an amount of incident light; an A/D converter that performs A/D conversion on the pixel signal; and a D/A conversion circuit that generates a reference signal to be used by the A/D converter. The D/A conversion circuit includes a first buffer circuit that outputs a base voltage VTOP for generating the reference signal, and the first buffer circuit includes a differential pair circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, and a suppression circuit that suppresses a variation in the base voltage by canceling out a characteristic difference between the first transistor and the second transistor.

A streaking correction circuit of the present disclosure includes a correction signal generation section and a correction process section. The correction signal generation section generates a correction signal on the basis of signals of light-shielded pixels of light-shielded portions provided at edge portions of a pixel array section having pixels, each including a light reception section, arranged in a matrix pattern. The correction process section performs a correction process on signals of effective pixels of the pixel array section by using the correction signal generated by the correction signal generation section. Then, the correction signal generation section divides a captured image into a plurality of regions relative to a position of a singular point in the captured image and generates a correction signal for each divided region by using signals of the light-shielded pixels. The correction process section performs the correction process by using the correction signal generated for each divided region.

A readout circuit that allows on-chip bias calibration of a microbolometer focal plane array (FPA). The readout circuit includes a memory for storing one or more biasing values for a plurality of pixels within the FPA, the plurality of pixels being arranged in one or more columns and one or more rows within the FPA. The readout circuit further includes a column readout connected to the memory and configured to search for the one or more biasing values and to apply a bias adjustment based on the one or more biasing values to a signal received from the FPA. The readout circuit further includes a column multiplexer connected to the column readout and configured to perform dynamic column selection for one or more columns of pixels within the FPA.

An image sensor with improved reference level accuracy for event detection and event detection precision is disclosed. In one example, an image sensor includes a photoreception section, an event detection section, a retention section, a readout section, and a reset section. The photoreception section acquires an electric signal proportional to an amount of light received as a photoreception signal. The event detection section detects a change in the amount of light received as an event by finding a difference between a reference level, and a current photoreception signal level. The retention section retains a detection signal that is based upon detection of the event. The readout section reads out the detection signal as an event signal. The reset section resets the reference level to the readout of the event signal by the readout section.

An imaging apparatus includes a first pixel, a second pixel, a controller, and a correction circuit. The first pixel has a first photoelectric conversion portion. The second pixel has a second photoelectric conversion portion. The controller controls to output a first signal based on reset release of the first pixel and a second signal based on reset release of the second pixel in a first period, and to output a third signal based on photoelectric conversion of the first pixel and a fourth signal based on reset release of the second pixel in a second period. The correction circuit corrects a difference between the third signal and the first signal, using a difference between the fourth signal and the second signal.

An imaging element, an imaging device, and an information processing method are disclosed. In one example, an imaging element includes pixel output units configured for independently setting incident angle directivity for incident light incident through both of an imaging lens and a pinhole. The pixel output units include image restoration pixel output units arranged in a matrix, at least some of the pixel output units having the incident angle directivity both in a row direction and in a column direction of the matrix, and a unidirectional pixel output unit having the incident angle directivity only in the row direction of the matrix or only in the column direction of the matrix.

The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for producing an image in light deficient environments and correction of white balance and/or fixed pattern noise at startup or at any other time during a procedure.