Importance

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Abstract

An observation apparatus includes a CCD sensor which has, on a light-receiving surface, pixel lines each including a plurality of pixels, sequentially shifts charge signals of the pixels of each line, which are generated upon receiving light, to the adjacent line, and sequentially outputs the charge signals through the line at one end; an illuminating device for illuminating a moving observation target with a laser beam; an imaging device for focusing scattered light from the moving observation target to form an image on the light-receiving surface; and a driving circuit for driving the CCD such that the shift speed of the charge signals matches the moving speed of the image on the light-receiving means. In some cases, the CCD sensor and the driving circuit has a function of shifting the charge signals in a direction perpendicular to the shift direction. The CCD sensor has a shift register for receiving the charge signals of the pixels of the line at one end, shifting the charge signals to sequentially output each charge signal, and a dark current buffer for storing charge signals of a dark current output to the shift register through the line at one end, and outputs contents obtained by subtracting, from contents of the shift register, corresponding contents of the dark current buffer.

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First Claim