Signal to Noise Calculator
  • First select the CCD detector
  • Move mouse over QE plot area, left click to save selected QE value.
  • Enter horizontal and vertical binning values.
  • Enter exposure time and expected spherical photon flux.
  • Select CCD readout speed, amplifier mode and the amplifier gain.

Select detector

Exposure time, s

Pixels:

Select CCD readout speed

Pixel size µm:

Select amplifier mode

Binning hor:

Ver.

Select amplifier gain

Effective pixel area/binning µm2

Signal e-/eff.pixel

Single Pixel area µm2

Total dark charge e-/eff.pixel

CCD temp C°

Total noise e-/eff.pixel

Dark current e-/pixel/s

S/N Ratio

CCD readnoise e- rms

System gain e-/count

Spherical photon flux ph/µ2/s

Expected CCD counts*

QE %

@

Incident photons, ph/eff.pixel/s


Note: *The actual values may be 50-100 counts higher because of the Baseline Offset

See: The basic parameters involved in determining the experimental detection limit of CCDs.

Amplifier mode: Optimization of system performance for lowest noise or highest SNR.
Binning factor: The number of pixels to be combined on a CCD during binning.
Dark current: The charge accumulated within a well, in the absence of light.
Exposure time: The length of time that a CCD is accumulating charge.
Read noise: Unwanted signal or disturbance that is generated by the on-chip output amplifier
Signal-to-noise ratio: The ratio of the measured signal to the overall noise at that pixel.
Spherical photon flux: The number of photons  intercepted by a sphere per unit time.
System gain: Relationship between the number of detected electrons and the A/D units generated

Disclaimer:
all numbers presented in this calculator should be used purely for reference and comparison purposes only. We do not assume any liability for their inaccuracy.