scholarly journals Simulations and Design of a Single-Photon CMOS Imaging Pixel Using Multiple Non-Destructive Signal Sampling

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 2031
Author(s):  
Konstantin D. Stefanov ◽  
Martin J. Prest ◽  
Mark Downing ◽  
Elizabeth George ◽  
Naidu Bezawada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Photon ◽  
Sampling Rate ◽  
Cmos Image Sensor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Single Photons ◽  
Noise Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Non Destructive ◽  
Multiple Charge ◽  
Pinned Photodiode

A single-photon CMOS image sensor (CIS) design based on pinned photodiode (PPD) with multiple charge transfers and sampling is described. In the proposed pixel architecture, the photogenerated signal is sampled non-destructively multiple times and the results are averaged. Each signal measurement is statistically independent and by averaging, the electronic readout noise is reduced to a level where single photons can be distinguished reliably. A pixel design using this method was simulated in TCAD and several layouts were generated for a 180-nm CMOS image sensor process. Using simulations, the noise performance of the pixel was determined as a function of the number of samples, sense node capacitance, sampling rate and transistor characteristics. The strengths and limitations of the proposed design are discussed in detail, including the trade-off between noise performance and readout rate and the impact of charge transfer inefficiency (CTI). The projected performance of our first prototype device indicates that single-photon imaging is within reach and could enable ground-breaking performances in many scientific and industrial imaging applications.

scholarly journals 14-Bit Fully Differential SAR ADC with PGA Used in Readout Circuit of CMOS Image Sensor

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Xiaowei Zhang ◽  
Wei Fan ◽  
Jianxiong Xi ◽  
Lenian He
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Rate ◽  
Cmos Image Sensor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Sar Adc ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Cmos Process ◽  
Readout Circuit ◽  
Fully Differential ◽  
Total Power Consumption ◽  
The Impact

This paper proposes a 14-bit fully differential Successive Approximation Register (SAR) Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) with a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) used in the readout circuit of CMOS image sensor (CIS). SAR ADC adopts two-step scaled-reference voltages to realize 14-bit conversion, aimed at reducing the scale of capacitor array and avoiding using calibration to mitigate the impact of offset and mismatch. However, the reference voltage self-calibration algorithm is applied on the design to guarantee the precision of reference voltages, which affects the results of conversion. The three-way PGA provides three types of gains: 3x, 4x, and 6x, and samples at the same time to get three columns of pixel signal and increase the system speed. The pixel array of the mentioned CIS is 1026 × 1024 , and the pixel pitch is 12.5   μ m × 12.5   μ m . The prototype chip is fabricated in the 180 nm CMOS process, and both digital and analog voltages are 3.3 V. The total area of the chip is 6.25 × 18.38  mm2. At 150 kS/s sampling rate, the SNR of SAR ADC is 71.72 dB and the SFDR is 82.91 dB. What is more, the single SAR ADC consumes 477.2 uW with the 4.8 V PP differential input signal and the total power consumption of the CIS is about 613 mW.

A Three-Dimensional Time-of-Flight CMOS Image Sensor With Pinned-Photodiode Pixel Structure

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seong-Jin Kim ◽  
Sang-Wook Han ◽  
Byongmin Kang ◽  
Keechang Lee ◽  
James D. K. Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Time Of Flight ◽  
Cmos Image Sensor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Pinned Photodiode

Rad Tolerant CMOS Image Sensor Based on Hole Collection 4T Pixel Pinned Photodiode

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 2888-2893 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Place ◽  
J-P Carrere ◽  
S. Allegret ◽  
P. Magnan ◽  
V. Goiffon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cmos Image Sensor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Pinned Photodiode

scholarly journals SINGLE PHOTON LIDAR IN MOBILE LASER SCANNING: THE SAMPLING RATE PROBLEM AND INITIAL SOLUTIONS VIA SPATIAL CORRELATIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-2/W18 ◽  
pp. 91-97
Author(s):  
V. V. Lehtola ◽  
H. Hyyti ◽  
P. Keränen ◽  
J. Kostamovaara
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Single Photon ◽  
Sampling Rate ◽  
The Other ◽  
Single Photons ◽  
Background Illumination ◽  
Spatial Correlations ◽  
Acquisition Rate ◽  
Single Target ◽  
State Form

Abstract. Single photon lidars (in solid state form) offer several benefits over pulsed lidars, such as independence of micro-mechanical moving parts or rotating joints, lower power consumption, faster acquisition rate, and reduced size. When mass produced, they will be cheaper and smaller and thus very attractive for mobile laser scanning applications. However, as these lidars operate by receiving single photons, they are very susceptible to background illumination such as sunlight. In other words, the observations contain a significant amount of noise, or to be specific, outliers. This causes trouble for measurements done in motion, as the sampling rate (i.e. the measurement frequency) should be low and high at the same time. It should be low enough so that target detection is robust, meaning that the targets can be distinguished from the single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) triggings caused by the background photons. On the other hand, the sampling rate should be high enough to allow for measurements to be done from motion. Quick sampling reduces the probability that a sample gathered during motion would contain data from more than a single target at a specific range. Here, we study the exploitation of spatial correlations that exist between the observations as a mean to overcome this sampling rate paradox. We propose computational methods for short and long range. Our results indicate that the spatial correlations do indeed allow for faster and more robust sampling of measurements, which makes single photon lidars more attractive in (daylight) mobile laser scanning.

scholarly journals Leakage Current Non-Uniformity and Random Telegraph Signals in CMOS Image Sensor Floating Diffusions Used for In-Pixel Charge Storage

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (24) ◽  
pp. 5550
Author(s):  
Alexandre Le Roch ◽  
Vincent Goiffon ◽  
Olivier Marcelot ◽  
Philippe Paillet ◽  
Federico Pace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Leakage Current ◽  
Cmos Image Sensor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Field Region ◽  
High Magnitude ◽  
Random Telegraph Signals ◽  
Tcad Simulations ◽  
Pinned Photodiode

The leakage current non-uniformity, as well as the leakage current random and discrete fluctuations sources, are investigated in pinned photodiode CMOS image sensor floating diffusions. Different bias configurations are studied to evaluate the electric field impacts on the FD leakage current. This study points out that high magnitude electric field regions could explain the high floating diffusion leakage current non-uniformity and its fluctuation with time called random telegraph signal. Experimental results are completed with TCAD simulations allowing us to further understand the role of the electric field in the FD leakage current and to locate a high magnitude electric field region in the overlap region between the floating diffusion implantation and the transfer gate spacer.

A CMOS Image Sensor with Non-Destructive High-Speed Imaging Mode and Its Applications

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 502-507
Author(s):  
Dwi Handoko ◽  
◽  
Shoji Kawahito ◽  
Minoru Kumahara ◽  
Nobuhiro Kawai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Video Compression ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Motion Vector ◽  
Cmos Image Sensor ◽  
Image Sensor ◽  
Moving Object ◽  
High Speed Imaging ◽  
Imaging Mode ◽  
Vector Estimation ◽  
Non Destructive

This paper describes a CMOS image sensor with non-destructive high-speed imaging mode. The proposed sensor reads out high-speed intermediate images without destroying accumulated signal charge and captures video-rate (30 frame/s) images with high SNR. The application of the sensor to a low power motion vector estimation for video compression and high-fidelity imaging of moving object with tracking are also presented. Motion vector estimation using the proposed sensor is possible to reduce computational power by a factor of 1/10 compared to the full search algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed image sensor with nondestructive high-speed imaging mode is useful for moving object imaging with less shape distortion.

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