Single-image signal-to-noise ratio estimation

A method for estimating the signal-to-noise ratio from a single image is presented in this paper. The autocorrelation-based technique requires that image details be correlated over distances of a few pixels, while the noise is assumed to be uncorrelated from pixel to pixel. The latter is shown to be a good approximation in the case of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images provided that the video signal is not band limited. The noise component is derived from the difference between the image autocorrelation at zero offset and an estimate of the corresponding noise-free autocorrelation. Nonlinear effects introduced by intensity saturation and their implications on the image signal-to-noise ratio are also discussed.