A method executed by a circuit for counting electrons in storage cells in an array of at least two storage cells is provided. The method includes providing a storage array of at least two storage cells, and each of said at least two storage cells containing an unknown amount of electrons. A receiving array of at least two receiving cells is provided, where said at least two receiving cells initially contain no electrons. Then, extracting a layer of said electrons from said storage array of cells and inserting said layer into corresponding locations in said receiving array. The method then repeats said steps of extracting and inserting while at least one of said at least two storage cells is not empty. The method counts, for each said storage cell in said storage array, a productive-extraction amount.