Low-Noise Signal Processing Chain for High Capacitance Sensors

A low-noise readout array is proposed for use with high capacitance detectors. The readout array is composed of a preamplifier/amplifier chain. The signal processing chain is designed for use with CdZnTe gamma ray detectors employed by NASA for radiation detection. This approach employs correlated double sampling and capacitive matching to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The readout array is custom designed to fit into one detector pixel. The preamplifier/amplifier chain is designed and fabricated in 0.13 $mu$m CMOS8RF IBM technology. The readout array results show that the SNR is significantly improved compared to previous work done in this field.      

Front-end receiver electronics for high-frequency monolithic CMUT-on-CMOS imaging arrays

This paper describes the design of CMOS receiver electronics for monolithic integration with capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays for highfrequency intravascular ultrasound imaging. A custom 8-inch (20-cm) wafer is fabricated in a 0.35-μm two-poly, four-metal CMOS process and then CMUT arrays are built on top of the application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) on the wafer. We discuss advantages of the single-chip CMUT-on-CMOS approach in terms of receive sensitivity and SNR. Low-noise and high-gain design of a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) optimized for a forward-looking volumetric-imaging CMUT array element is discussed as a challenging design example. Amplifier gain, bandwidth, dynamic range, and power consumption trade-offs are discussed in detail. With minimized parasitics provided by the CMUT-on-CMOS approach, the optimized TIA design achieves a 90 fA/√Hz input-referred current noise, which is less than the thermal-mechanical noise of the CMUT element. We show successful system operation with a pulseecho measurement. Transducer-noise-dominated detection in immersion is also demonstrated through output noise spectrum measurement of the integrated system at different CMUT bias voltages. A noise figure of 1.8 dB is obtained in the designed CMUT bandwidth of 10 to 20 MHz.     

Annular-ring CMUT arrays for forward-looking IVUS: transducer characterization and imaging

In this study, a 64-element, 1.15-mm diameter annular-ring capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array was characterized and used for forward-looking intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging tests. The array was manufactured using low-temperature processes suitable for CMOS electronics integration on a single chip. The measured radiation pattern of a 43 X 140-microm2 array element depicts a 40 degrees view angle for forward-looking imaging around a 15-MHz center frequency in agreement with theoretical models. Pulse-echo measurements show a -10-dB fractional bandwidth of 104% around 17 MHz for wire targets 2.5 mm away from the array in vegetable oil. For imaging and SNR measurements, RF A-scan data sets from various targets were collected using an interconnect scheme forming a 32-element array configuration. An experimental point spread function was obtained and compared with simulated and theoretical array responses, showing good agreement. Therefore, this study demonstrates that annular-ring CMUT arrays fabricated with CMOS-compatible processes are capable of forward-looking IVUS imaging, and the developed modeling tools can be used to design improved IVUS imaging arrays.     

CMOS 图像传感器的发展现状

目的　了解当前 CMOS图像传感器的发展状况 .方法　详细介绍了图像传感器的历史背景、发展现状、像素单元的结构、工作原理以及 CMOS图像传感器芯片的整体结构 ,并比较了 CMOS图像传感器和 CCD图像传感器的优、缺点 .结果　指出了 CMOS图像传感器发展趋势 .结论　 CMOS图像传感器具有美好的发展前途     

一种自动体偏置多阈值电压高温 SOI CMOS电路

提出了一种高温OICMOS电路设计方法－－自动体偏置多阈值电压SOICMOS（简称ABB－MT－SOICMOS：Auto-Bulk-BiasedMulti-ThresholdSOICMOS）电路。文中主要讨论了ABB－MT－SOICMOS电路的结构与工作原理,设计与布局等,给出了内部电路电压和电流的模拟结果,并简述了该电路的应用前景。     

On-chip deposition of carbon nanotubes using CMOS microhotplates

The direct deposition of carbon nanotubes on CMOS microhotplates is demonstrated in this paper. Tungsten microhotplates, fabricated on thin SOI membranes aside CMOS control circuitry, are used to locally grow carbon nanotubes by chemical vapour deposition. Unlike bulk heating of the entire chip, which could cause degradation to CMOS devices and interconnects due to high growth temperatures in excess of 500?°C, this novel technique allows carbon nanotubes to be grown on-chip in localized regions. The microfabricated heaters are thermally isolated from the rest of the CMOS chip as they are on the membranes. This allows carbon nanotubes to be grown alongside CMOS circuitry on the same wafer without any external heating, thus enabling new applications (e.g.?smart gas sensing) where the integration of CMOS and carbon nanotubes is required.     

CMOS图像传感器的消噪技术

目的　介绍 CMOS图像传感器的消噪技术 .方法　比较了 CMOS图像传感器与CCD图像传感器的优缺点 ,分析了 CMOS图像传感器消噪技术的方法 ,介绍了其研制现状及发展趋势 .结果　目前采用的消噪技术有效地降低了噪声 ,提高了信噪比 .结论　预见了CMOS图像传感器消噪技术的发展趋势 .     

Ion-sensitive field-effect transistors in standard CMOS fabricated by post processing

Highly integrated ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) microsystems require the monolithic implementation of ISFETs, CMOS electronics, and additional sensors on the same chip. This paper presents new ISFETs in standard CMOS, fabricated by post-processing of a standard CMOS VLSI chip. Unlike CMOS compatible ISFETs fabricated in a dedicated process, the new sensors are directly combined with state-of-the-art CMOS electronics and are subject to continuous technology upgrading. The ISFETs presented include an intermediate gate formed by one or more conducting layers placed between the gate oxide and the sensing layer. The combination of the highly isolating gate oxide of the MOS with a leaky or conducting sensing layer allows the use of low temperature materials that do not damage the CMOS chip. The operation of ISFETs with an intermediate gate and sensing layers fabricated at low temperature is modeled. ISFETs with a linear pH response and drift as low as 0.3 mV/h are reported.     

A novel logarithmic response CMOS image sensor with high output voltage swing and in-pixel fixed-pattern noise reduction

A novel logarithmic response CMOS image sensor fabricated by 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS logic process is proposed. The new cell has an output voltage swing of 1 V in the targeted illumination range, which makes it less susceptible to noises in the readout system. Furthermore, the proposed new cell with in-pixel CDS control drastically reduces the fixed pattern noise in logarithmic mode CMOS APS. Comparing with a conventional pixel, a reduction of 10 times in fixed-pattern noise is demonstrated in the new logarithmic response CMOS image sensor.     

Noise robustness of nonlinear filters for image recognition

We analyze the performance of the Fourier plane nonlinear filters in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We obtain a range of nonlinearities for which SNR is robust to the variations in input-noise bandwidth. This is shown both by analytical estimates of the SNR for nonlinear filters and by experimental simulations. Specifically, we analyze the SNR when Fourier plane nonlinearity is applied to the input signal. Using the Karhunen-Loève series expansion of the noise process, we obtain precise analytic expressions of the SNR for Fourier plane nonlinear filters in the presence of various types of additive-noise processes. We find a range of nonlinearities that need to be applied that keep the output SNR of the filter stable relative to changes in the noise bandwidth.     

Optimal signal-to-noise ratio for silicon nanowire biochemical sensors

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for silicon nanowire field-effect transistors operated in an electrolyte environment is an essential figure-of-merit to characterize and compare the detection limit of such devices when used in an exposed channel configuration as biochemical sensors. We employ low frequency noise measurements to determine the regime for optimal SNR. We find that SNR is not significantly affected by the electrolyte concentration, composition, or pH, leading us to conclude that the major contributions to the SNR come from the intrinsic device quality. The results presented here show that SNR is maximized at the peak transconductance.     

A stochastic analysis of an anharmonic sensor phase response

The probability density function (pdf) of a modulo 2/spl pi/ phase response slope of an intrinsic anharmonic sensor of a crystal oscillator is studied in detail. It is noted that without an external drive, the sensor is excited by the oscillator noise floor with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of around unity. The slope pdf is provided both in the rigorous integral form and in the T-distribution-based approximation. It is shown that the slope mean value is estimated to be zero with SNR =0. It then gradually tends toward actual value as SNR rises so that with SNR >2 the bias of slope estimates is almost negligible. With 0/spl les/ SNR <0.7, the slope variance stays at a maximum and then asymptotically diminishes toward zero as the SNR rises. The importance of these studies resides in a shown fact that, practically, having SNR <2 in anharmonic sensors may result in substantial bias and variance for phase response slope mod 2/spl pi/ estimates.     

Signal-to-noise analysis of task-based imaging systems with defocus

We analyze the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of arbitrary imaging systems in the presence of defocus. The modulation transfer function (MTF) and the mean SNR are combined to calculate the spatial-frequency spectrum of the SNR (the spectral SNR). Computational imaging methods are used for extending the depth of field (DOF) of the system. The DOF of a task-specific imaging system is defined as the range of defocus that causes the spectral SNR to drop below a minimum value within a band of spatial frequencies of interest. We introduce the polar-SNR plot as a tool for visualizing the spectral SNR of defocused imaging systems with asymmetric pupil functions. As an example, we perform the analysis of an imaging system used for biometric iris recognition.     

Noise properties of a quadrature phase tracker for interferometricoptical fiber sensors

The noise performance of an electronic quadrature phase-detection system for interferometric optical fiber sensors is presented. Three noise sources are discussed in this work, namely, synchronous detection-circuit noise, phase-perturbation noise; and additive amplitude noise. We determined the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) experimentally as a function of input phase power for each of the three noise sources. For uncorrelated synchronous detection-circuit noise the output SNR increases monotonically with input phase power. For correlated noise the output SNR has distinct peaks due to noise cancellation. System performance is limited by uncorrelated detection-circuit noise which exhibits a threshold behavior in output SNR at a phase shift of 25 mrad/Hz^½. The phase noise has a more conventional behavior in the sense that SNR gain occurs only at the expense of dynamic performance. Uncorrelated amplitude noise also displays noise cancellation at certain discrete values of input phase, as is the case for correlated synchronous detection-circuit noise. System insensitivity to correlated light-source amplitude noise is evident from the fact that the output SNR is more than 30 dB higher than the input SNR     

SPICE macromodel and CMOS emulator for memristors

In this paper, a new SPICE macromodel and CMOS emulator for memristors are proposed and verified to fit to the memristor's model equation very well in the entire range of memristor's resistance from the RESET state to the SET state. Compared with the memristor's model equation, average percentage errors in the new SPICE macromodel and in the 4-bit CMOS emulator are less than 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively. In addition, the CMOS emulator for memristors which can be implemented by a CMOS circuit will be very useful to design and verify various peripheral circuits for memristor applications particularly when the memristor fabrication process is not ready.     

Theoretical study of signal-to-noise ratio on near-field photochromic memory with fluorescence readout

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the fluorescence readout of a near-field photochromic memory was theoretically studied. Under various conditions the shot-noise-limited SNR was analyzed. SNR by bright spot recording (BSR) that was better than that by dark spot recording (DSR) was obtained under the condition of low writing power or wide bandwidth. Under the condition of bandwidth W = 1 MHz and P(write) = 10(-8) W only BSR can attain sufficiently high SNR, and the SNR was greater by as much as 30 dB than that of DSR. It was concluded that BSR is a promising method for high-density near-field photochromic memory with a fluorescence readout.     

Fault detection in CMOS circuits by consumption measurement

Some testing problems in CMOS circuits are presented, including stuck-open and stuck-on faults, bridging faults, and excessive leakage in dynamic CMOS circuits. It is shown that the current consumption of a faulty CMOS circuit is several orders of magnitude greater than that of the fault-free circuit: hence, consumption measurement may be a suitable way of testing. Test by consumption measurement provides improved controllability and observability of some faults in comparison with the logic test     

与CMOS兼容的MEMS气压传感器工艺实现与性能分析

采用CMOS标准工艺,同时采用三种典型MEMS后处理关键工艺,重点通过对牺牲层释放工艺进行研究,制作实现了一种新型CMOS兼容的电容式气压传感器．在该传感器结构中,作为牺牲层的是在CMOS工艺中形成的掺硼氧化硅．通过释放使电容上电极悬空从而感应气压变化．释放过程采用氢氟酸HF、氯化铵、甘油和水的混合溶液．由于释放孔大小和释放孔间距的设计十分关键,通过实验验证优化了4μm×4μm的释放孔更适用于此传感器结构,并对此结构进行了性能分析与实验测试．结果表明,该气压传感器结构合理,工艺成功,重点解决了MEMS后处理中的牺牲层释放工艺与CMOS标准工艺的兼容问题,为利用CMOS标准工艺进行MEMS传感器的研制做出了有益的尝试．     

Signal-to-noise ratio for astronomical imaging by deconvolution from wave-front sensing

One method for improving the quality of astronomical images measured through a atmospheric turbulence uses simultaneous short-exposure measurements of both an image and the output of a wave-front sensor exposed to an image of the telescope pupil. The wave-front sensor measurements are used to reconstruct an estimate of the instantaneous generalized pupil function of the telescope, which is used to compute an estimate of the instantaneous optical transfer function, which is then used in a deconvolution procedure. This imaging method has been called both deconvolution from wave-front sensor (DWFS) measurements and self-referenced speckle holography. We analyze the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) behavior of this imaging method in the spatial frequency domain. The analysis includes effects arising from differences in the correlation properties of the incident and the estimated pupil phases and the fact that the object-spectrum estimator is a randomly filtered doubly stochastic Poisson random process. SNR resultsobtained for the DWFS method are compared with the speckle-imaging powerspectrum SNR for equivalent seeing conditions and light levels. It is shown that for unresolved stars the power-spectrum SNR is superior to the DWFS SNR. However, for extended objects the power-spectrum SNR and the DWFS SNR are similar. Since speckle imaging uses a separate Fourier phasereconstruction process not required by the DWFS method, the DWFS method provides an alternative to speckle imaging that uses simple postprocessing at the cost of a wave-front sensor measurement but with no loss of SNR performance for extended objects.     

CMOS APS图像传感器的像质分析

使用标准CMOS制作工艺生产的有源像素传感器（APS）引起了广泛关注。为了确定CMOS APS成像系统设计的主要参数选择的正确性,以及能否满足要求或指标,需要对相机系统的像质进行分析。考虑到CMOS APS图像传感器与CCD的不同,在分析时计算了CMOS APS成像系统中的镜头、滤光片和焦平面的调制传递函数（MTF）,系统MTF曲线为各个部分MTF值之积。在系统截止频率范围内,利用MTF曲线所围面积的大小来评价系统的成像质量。在系统制造之前,用调制传递函数作为像质的评价方法,看其是否符合使用要求,是十分有价值的工作。