低照度CMOS图像传感器设计与实现

设计了一种基于电容反馈跨阻放大器型（Capacitive Trans-impedance Amplifier,CTIA）像元电路与双采样（Delta Double Sampling,DDS）的低照度CMOS图像传感器系统。采用CTIA像元电路提供稳定的光电二极管偏置电压以及高注入效率,完成在低照度情况下对微弱信号的读取;同时采用数字DDS结构,通过在片外实现像元积分信号与复位信号的量化结果在数字域的减法,达到抑制CMOS图像传感器中固定图案噪声的目的,进一步提高低照度CIS的成像质量。基于0.35 m标准CMOS工艺对此基于CTIA像元电路的CMOS图像传感器芯片进行流片,像元阵列为256256,像元尺寸为16 m16 m。测试结果表明该低照度CMOS图像传感器系统可探测到0.05 lx光照条件下的信号。     

采用电流镜放大读出电路的CMOS高灵敏度图像传感器

介绍一种采用电流镜放大读出电路的CMOS图像传感器.该读出电路能向光敏二极管提供恒定的接近于零的偏压,使二极管暗电流和暗噪声减小;它的输入阻抗低,注入效率高,动态范围大;光电流放大10倍后再去积分、输出,使器件灵敏度大大提高.采用2 μm CMOS工艺研制出64位线阵样品,得到比较满意的实验结果.     

高帧频高灵敏度线列PIN-CMOS图像传感器研究

设计了一款高帧频高灵敏度双通道16元线列PIN-CMOS图像传感器。相对于传统的pn结光电二极管,PIN光电二极管具有结电容小和量子效率高的优点,可以降低CTIA像素电路的噪声,提高信噪比;同时采用一种新型的相关双采样电路结构,可以在边积分边读出的模式下实现相关双采样,抑制像素复位带来的KTC噪声。基于0.35μm PIN-CMOS工艺进行了线列CMOS图像传感器流片,并对器件的光电性能进行了测试。测试结果表明:在像元尺寸为90μm×90μm,700nm波长下,器件灵敏度达3000V/(lx·s),量子效率为96%;在40kHz高帧频、0.05lx光照条件下器件信噪比为7,适于弱信号下的高速探测。     

红外探测器高性能读出电路的研究

设计了一种高性能电容反馈跨阻放大器(CTIA)与相关双采样电路(CDS)相结合的红外探测器读出电路。该电路采用CTIA电路实现对微弱电流信号的高精度读出,并通过CDS电路抑制CTIA引入的固定模式噪声(FPN),最后采用失调校正技术减小CDS引入的失调,从而减小了噪声对电路的影响,提高了读出电路的精度。采用特许半导体(Chartered)0.35μm标准CMOS工艺对电路进行流片,测试结果表明:在20pA～10nA范围内该电路功能良好,读出精度可达10bit以上,线性度达97%,达到了设计要求。该读出电路可用于长线列及面阵结构红外探测系统。     

长线列CMOS图像传感器的性能优化设计

设计了一种基于电容反馈跨阻放大器(CTIA)的长线列CMOS图像传感器。为减小器件功耗和面积,采用基于单端四管共源共栅运算放大器。为提高信号读出速率,采用没有体效应的PMOS源跟随器,同时减小PMOS管的宽长比,有效减小了输出总线寄生电容的影响。在版图设计上,采用顶层金属走线,降低寄生电阻和电容,提高了长线列CMOS图像传感器的读出速率和输出线性范围。采用0.35μm 3.3V标准CMOS工艺对传感器进行流片,得到器件像元阵列为5×1 030,像元尺寸为20μm×20μm。测试结果表明:该传感器在积分时间为1ms、读出速率为4MHz的情况下工作稳定,其线性度达到98%,线性动态范围为76dB。     

微光CMOS图像传感器读出电路研究

高性能的信号读出电路是微光CMOS图像传感器的重要组成部分,如何降低读出电路噪声,提高读出电路输出信号的信噪比成为读出电路设计的重点。本文设计了一种高增益低噪声的电容反馈跨阻放大器CTIA（Capacitive Trans impedanceAmplifier）与相关双采样电路CDS （Correlated Double Sampling）相结合的微光探测器读出电路。在CTIA电路中,采用T网络电容实现fF级的积分电容,并通过增益开关控制,来达到对微弱光信号的高增益低噪声读出。采用CSMC公司的0.5μm标准CMOS工艺库对电路进行流片,测试结果表明：在光电流信号为20~300 pA范围内,积分时间为20μs,该电路功能良好,信噪比（SNR）达到10,能应用于微光CMOS图像传感器。     

一种高性能X射线CMOS图像传感器的研究

研制了一种采用电流镜积分读出电路和相关双采样电路的X射线CMOS图像传感器(NEW-X-IS),传感器像元由采用CMOS工艺的光电二极管实现,光电二极管产生的光电流通过电流镜放大后在像元外的电容上积分,经相关双采样电路抑制噪声后,由CMOS移位寄存器和多路开关电路输出视频信号.对采用2 μm CMOS工艺研制的64位实验线阵进行参数测试,结果表明NEW-X-IS具有较小的非均匀性、较低的暗噪声、较大的单位面积响应度、较高的输出电压和较宽的动态范围.将其应用于一个实验系统中,得到了不同密度、不同尺寸材料的视频信号波形.     

2×8低噪声InGaAs/InP APD读出电路设计

对In0.53Ga0.47As/InP雪崩光电二极管(APD)探测器进行了特性分析.以大阵列研究为基础,结合器件特性设计了一个2×8低噪声读出电路(ROIC),电路主要由电容反馈互阻放大器(CTIA)和相关双采样(CDS)电路单元构成,并对读出电路的时序、积分电容等进行了设计.电路采用0.6 μm CMOS工艺流片,芯片面积为2 mm×2 mm,电荷存储能力为5×107个,功耗小,噪声低,设计达到预期要求.     

用于生物荧光检测的高灵敏CMOS双结深光电传感器设计

基于标准CMOS工艺,可实现单结深光电二极管传感器(p+/n-well、n-well/p-sub和n+/p-sub)和双结深光电二极管传感器(p+/n-well/p-sub)。建立了双结深光电二极管传感器的光电响应数学模型,仿真了四种结构的光敏响应。采用上华0.5μm CMOS工艺实现了p+/nwell和p+/n-well/p-sub两种结构,传感面积为100μm×100μm。p+/n-well型结构在400nm波长,60lux光强下光电流为1.55nA,暗电流为13pA,p+/n-well/p-sub型结构在同等条件下光电流为2.15nA,暗电流为11pA。测试表明,设计的双结深光电传感器具有更高的灵敏度,可用于微弱的生物荧光信号检测。     

基于时间域读出的大动态范围CMOS图像传感器

设计了一款基于时间域读出的大动态范围CMOS图像传感器。传感器基于一种新型的结构,其可在时间域下探测高输入光强,在模拟域下探测低输入光强。该设计在传统电容反馈式跨阻放大器(CTIA)的基础上,新增了时间域测量电路,在不改变原有积分过程的同时可实现连续的大动态范围。基于0.35μm,5V-CMOS工艺进行了256×1线列CMOS图像传感器流片,光电二极管面积为22.5μm×22.5μm,并对器件的光电特性进行了后仿真验证。仿真测试结果表明,基于时间域读出的图像传感器可实现96dB的大动态范围,且时间域和模拟域的两路输出信号可同步输出,功耗为7.98mW。     

Operation Principles of 0.18-$muhboxm$Four-Transistor CMOS Image Pixels With a Nonfully Depleted Pinned Photodiode

The operation principles of the four-transistor (4-TR) pixel CMOS image sensor, fabricated by 0.18-mum technology, were investigated by pixel-level characterization utilizing a single-pixel test pattern. It was found that the pixel's dark current level is strongly influenced by the gate bias (V_TX(on)) of the transfer (TX) transistor at a fixed supply voltage (V_DD). The largest dark current occurred at a conventional bias condition of V_TX(on)=V_DD=2.5V, but the dark current level was reduced by less than one-third at V_TX(on)=2.1V without degrading the pixel's charge transfer capabilities. Attributed to the dark current reduction, the fixed-pattern noise (FPN) of pixel was also decreased by up to 13.3 dB. These improvements can be explained by the more effective reset of pinned photodiode (PPD) at V_TX(on)=2.1V, especially in the pixel with V_DD of 2.5 V or lower in which the full depletion of PPD becomes more and more difficult. In this bias condition, namely nonfully depletion PPD condition, the TX transistor was proven to operate in the "deepest depletion" mode by effectively suppressing the electron injection from floating diffusion node to channel. Moreover, various driving signals to the TX transistor were applied to do more detailed physical analysis of the pixel operation. Since the dark current and FPN are main bottlenecks in most CMOS image sensors, the proposed method is expected to efficiently improve the performance of 4-TR CMOS image pixels under 2.5 V or lower operational voltages     

Design and evaluation of current-mode image sensors in CMOS-technology

Three different current-mode-output CMOS image sensor structures comprising of a pixel cell and an appropriate readout circuit have been analyzed and compared with regard to their noise behavior, fixed-pattern noise (FPN), and the dynamic range. First, a standard integrating pixel cell with a readout circuit containing a voltage-to-current converter is proposed. Second, a pixel cell based on a switched current cell is analyzed. The third sensor cell uses a feedback loop to control the reverse bias voltage of the photodiode to reduce the settling time of the pixel cell and the influence of the photodiodes's dark current. The necessary amplifier is partly located in the pixel cell and partly in the readout circuit. In all sensors, correlated double sampling is used to suppress the FPN.     

A sensitivity and linearity improvement of a 100-dB dynamic range CMOS image sensor using a lateral overflow integration capacitor

In a CMOS image sensor featuring a lateral overflow integration capacitor in a pixel, which integrates the overflowed charges from a fully depleted photodiode during the same exposure, the sensitivity in nonsaturated signal and the linearity in saturated overflow signal have been improved by introducing a new pixel circuit and its operation. The floating diffusion capacitance of the CMOS image sensor is as small as that of a four transistors type CMOS image sensor because the lateral overflow integration capacitor is located next to the reset switch. A 1/3-inch VGA format (640/sup H//spl times/480/sup V/ pixels), 7.5/spl times/7.5 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ pixel color CMOS image sensor fabricated through 0.35-/spl mu/m two-poly three-metal CMOS process results in a 100 dB dynamic range characteristic, with improved sensitivity and linearity.     

8.9-Megapixel Video Image Sensor With 14-b Column-Parallel SA-ADC

An 8.9-megapixel 60-frames/s video image sensor with a 14-b column-parallel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) has been developed. A gain amplifier, a 14-b successive approximation ADC (SA-ADC), and a new column digital processor are employed in each column. The SA-ADC has sufficient operation speed to convert the pixel reset and the pixel signal into digital data in a row operation cycle. The column digital processor receives bit serial data from the SA-ADC output and performs subtraction of the reset data from the signal data in order to reduce column fixed pattern noise (FPN). Column FPN is successfully reduced to 0.36 e_rms ^- by this digital-domain column FPN correction. Low-voltage low-power serial video interface and noise decoupling on pixel drive voltages contribute to row-temporal-noise reduction to 0.31 e_rms ^-. Both column FPN and row temporal noise are not visible in spite of a low readout noise floor of 2.8 e_rms ^-.     

CMOS数字像素传感器噪声研究

在研究CMOS数字像素传感器(DPS)噪声特性的基础上,利用脉冲宽度调制(PWM)原理建立了关于PWM DPS完善的系统噪声数学模型。相比于传统CMOS图像传感器噪声研究,该模型考虑了系统中各像素单元积分时间不同和像素级模数转换的特点,推导出总噪声表达式。研究表明,低照度时噪声由暗电流散粒噪声主导,光强大时主要来源为光电二极管散粒噪声。模型中光电二极管散粒噪声与光照无关、暗电流散粒噪声与光照有关。研究结果表明针对PWM DPS系统,适当增大节点电容和比较器参考电压、改善比较器失配可有效降低噪声。     

一种具有高填充因数和动态数字双采样技术的CMOS图像传感器

介绍了基于0.35μm工艺设计的单片CMOS图像传感器芯片.该芯片采用有源像素结构,像素单元填充因数可达到43%,高于通常APS结构像素单元30%的指标.此外还设计了一种数字动态双采样技术,相对于传统的双采样技术(固定模式噪声约为0.5%),数字动态双采样技术具有更简洁的电路结构和更好抑制FPN噪声的效果.传感器芯片通过MPW计划采用Chartered 0.35μm数模混合工艺实现.实验结果表明芯片工作良好,图像固定模式噪声约为0.17%.     

High speed SOI CMOS image sensor with pinned photodiode on handle wafer

We have fabricated SOI CMOS active pixel image sensor with pinned photodiode on handle wafer. The structure of one pixel is a four-transistor type active pixel image sensor, which consists of a reset and a source follower transistor on seed wafer, and is comprised of a photodiode, a transfer gate, and a floating diffusion on handle wafer. The photodiode could be optimized for better quantum efficiency and low dark currents because the process of a photodiode on handle wafer is independent of that of transistors on seed wafer. Most of the wavelengths are absorbed within the visible range, because the optimized photodiode is located on the handle wafer. The response time of SOI CMOS active pixel sensor was about 2 times faster than that of bulk CMOS active pixel image sensor.     

Noise in a CMOS digital pixel sensor

Based on the study of noise performance in CMOS digital pixel sensor(DPS),a mathematical model of noise is established with the pulse-width-modulation(PWM) principle.Compared with traditional CMOS image sensors,the integration time is different and A/D conversion is implemented in each PWM DPS pixel.Then,the quantitative calculating formula of system noise is derived.It is found that dark current shot noise is the dominant noise source in low light region while photodiode shot noise becomes significantly important in the bright region. In this model,photodiode shot noise does not vary with luminance,but dark current shot noise does.According to increasing photodiode capacitance and the comparator’s reference voltage or optimizing the mismatch in the comparator,the total noise can be reduced.These results serve as a guideline for the design of PWM DPS.