Photon count identification system, photon count identification method, and photon count identification processing program

A photon number resolving method comprising:

• deriving a provisional value of a photon number in each of a plurality of pixels based on digital values corresponding to the plurality of pixels output from a two-dimensional image sensor including the plurality of pixels;
• and
• deriving a confirmed value of the photon number in a target pixel which is one of the plurality of pixels based on a first probability and a second probability,
• wherein the deriving of the confirmed value includes
• calculating an observation probability for each photoelectron number in the target pixel based on a probability distribution of the photon number as the first probability, and
• calculating an observation probability for each photoelectron number at the provisional value of the target pixel as the second probability based on a probability distribution of the photoelectron number accompanying the reading noise of the target pixel,
• wherein the probability distribution of the photon number is derived based on the digital value when light is input to a reference pixel which is at least one of the plurality of pixels,
• wherein the deriving of the provisional value of photon number includes deriving the provisional value of photon number from the digital value based on threshold value data, and
• wherein the deriving of the confirmed value includes calculating a probability for each photoelectron number when the target pixel indicates the provisional value by calculating a product of the first probability and the second probability and determining the confirmed value based on the calculated probability.

A photon number resolving program, stored on a non-transitory storage medium, for causing a computer to perform a process of resolving a photon number based on digital values corresponding to a plurality of pixels output from a two-dimensional image sensor including the plurality of pixels, the program causing the computer to perform:

• a first deriving process of deriving a provisional value of a photon number in each of a plurality of pixels based on the digital values;
• and
• a second deriving process of deriving a confirmed value of the photon number in a target pixel which is one of the plurality of pixels based on a first probability and a second probability,
• wherein the first probability is an observation probability for each photoelectron number in the target pixel based on a probability distribution of the photon number,
• wherein the probability distribution of the photon number is derived based on the digital value when the light is input to a reference pixel which is at least one of the plurality of pixels, and
• wherein the second probability is an observation probability for each photoelectron number at the provisional value of the target pixel based on a probability distribution of a photoelectron number accompanying reading noise in the target pixel,
• wherein the first derivation process derives the provisional value of photon number from the digital value based on threshold value data, and
• wherein the second derivation process calculates a probability for each photoelectron number when the target pixel indicates the provisional value by calculating a product of the first probability and the second probability and determines the confirmed value of photon number based on the calculated probability.