Smear correction for frame transfer charge-coupled-device cameras.

A simple algorithm is described and demonstrated for the removal of smear from images obtained with a frame transfer CCD camera. The algorithm requires specification of only a single parameter, which is related to the ratio of the single-pixel charge-transfer time of the CCD and the image integration time. The smear parameter is determined experimentally by the requirement that smear-corrected images of a focused laser spot be symmetric.