ACQUIRING DATA
iKon-L SECTION 5
Page 64
The horizontal and vertical Binning parameters determine the dimensions of any superpixels (see below for
description) you may choose to create.
The software presents a selection of five of the most common binning patterns:
• 1 x 1 pixels
• 2 x 2 pixels
• 4 x 4 pixels
• 8 x 8 pixels
• 16 x 16 pixels.
For example, if you enter 4 x 4 binning the CCD-chip is notionally divided into a matrix of superpixels which
each measure 4 x 4 pixels and provide a signal for readout.
There is also an option for you to define a Custom Binning Pattern. Tick the Custom radio button and enter
the dimensions of the superpixels (as a number of pixels vertically and horizontally) in the text boxes.
5.7.1 - Working with Superpixels
By a process of binning charge vertically into the shift register from several rows at a time (4 rows in the above
example, representing the height of your superpixels) and then binning charge horizontally from several
columns of the shift register at a time (4 columns in the example, representing the width of the superpixels),
the system is effectively reading out charge from a matrix of superpixels which each measure 4 x 4.
The result is a more coarsely defined image, but faster processing speed, lower storage requirements, and
potentially a better signal to noise ratio (since for each element or superpixel in the resultant image, the
combined charge from several pixels is being binned and read out, rather than the possibly weak charge from
an individual pixel).