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。     

A CMOS smart pixel for active 3-D vision applications

A CMOS smart pixel aimed at three-dimensional vision applications is introduced. It is suitable for scannerless laser ranging systems which employ the indirect time-of-flight measuring technique to recover distance information. The pixel is operated with trains of light pulses generated by an external source to illuminate the scene and contains most of the processing electronics to perform signal accumulation and noise reduction operations. The smart pixel architecture includes an N-well photodiode plus a self-biasing voltage amplifier and a switched-capacitor fully differential stage. The pixel is fabricated in standard CMOS 0.6 /spl mu/m technology and measures 180/spl times/160 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ (including the photodiode) with a fill factor of 14%. Electrooptical test results confirm the smart pixel functionality in a range of distance from 3 m to 9 m, and the accuracy achieved for preliminary distance measurements is 15 cm. Both the accuracy and the extension of the range of distance are supposed to be improved by reducing setup and environmental noise contributions that limit the pixel performance.     

Pulse transformers

Pulse transformers capable of transmitting substantially rectangular voltage pulses, with durations of less than one microsecond, were developed for radar applications during World War II. Their primary functions were to match the impedances of high-power microwave radio-frequency electron-tube generators to electronic pulse generators and coaxial transmission cables, and to provide polarity reversal and impedance matching functions within pulse generator circuitry. The principle contributor to the development of satisfactory pulse transformers was the development of cores of thin-gauge magnetic materials having 1 μs pulse permeabilities in the range of 500 to 3500 for flux-density changes of 10 000 G. The development of void free dry-type insulation systems made it possible to produce dry-type pulse transformers for operation at pulse voltages below 12 kV. The pulse transformer development work was paralleled by analytical work which enabled pulse transformer designers to make designs to meet the requirements of the radar circuit designers. The analysis relates the three principle pulse transformer parameters, which are magnetizing inductance, leakage inductance, and effective distributed capacitance, in combination with the circuit parameters which are source resistance, effective load resistance, and load shunt capacitance, to the rise time, top ripple and droop, and fall time of the output pulse. Pulse transformers now cover a wide range of sizes and power levels and pulse widths. Small units in computer applications may deliver only a few volts at pulse widths less than 0.1 μs. Large units in linear accelerators, however, may deliver pulse powers of 70 MW at 270 kV with a pulse width of about 3 μs.     

Noise characteristics of stacked CMOS active pixel sensor for charged particles

The noise characteristics of a stacked CMOS active pixel sensor (SCAPS) for incident charged particles have been analyzed under 4.5 keV Si⁺ ion irradiation. The source of SCAPS dark current was found to change from thermal to electron leakage with decreasing device temperature. Leakage current at charge integration part in a pixel has been reduced to 0.1 electrons s⁻¹ at 77 K. The incident ion signals are computed by subtracting reset frame values from each frame using a non-destructive readout operation. With increase of irradiated ions, the dominant noise source changed from read noise, and shot noise from the incident ions, to signal frame fixed-pattern noise from variations in sensitivity between pixels. Pixel read noise is equivalent to ten incident ions. The charge of an incident ion is converted to 1.5 electrons in the pixel capacitor. Shot noise corresponds to the statistical fluctuation of incident ions. Signal frame fixed-pattern noise is 0.7% of the signal. By comparing full well conditions to noise floor, a dynamic range of 80 dB is achieved. SCPAS is useful as a two-dimensional detector for microanalyses such as stigmatic secondary ion mass spectrometry.     

Study of plasma charging-induced white pixel defect increase in CMOS active pixel sensor

Plasma process-induced “white pixel defect” (WPD) of CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) is studied for Si3N4 spacer etch back process by using a magnetically enhanced reactive ion etching (MERIE) system. WPD preferably takes place at the wafer edge region when the magnetized plasma is applied to Si3N4 etch. Plasma charging analysis reveals that the plasma charge-up characteristic is well matching the edge-intensive WPD generation, rather than the UV radiation. Plasma charging on APS transfer gate might lead to a gate leakage, which could play a role in generation of signal noise or WPD. In this article the WPD generation mechanism will be discussed from plasma charging point of view.     

Comparison of 24 GHz receiver front-ends using active and passive mixers in CMOS

This study compares the key parameters of two integrated receiver front-end architectures: low noise amplifier (LNA) with active mixer against LNA with passive mixer. The authors discuss the differences in the performance and their impact on system characteristics for radar applications. A low-IF down-conversion receiver implementation is considered. The results are compared in measurement for two 24 GHz receiver front-end chips realised in a 0.13 mm digital CMOS process. Both circuits have been characterised over automotive temperature range -40 to 125°C. The front-end with an active mixer offers lower LO power dependence and exhibits better temperature stability, whereas the front-end with a passive mixer has the advantage of better input-referred linearity and lower flicker noise.     

The geometry of regulating transformers

Ferroresonant, ballast, and current-limiting transformers are similar in geometxy. Optimization of weight, losses, or cost can result in different choices for the shape (core or shell) and proportions of the lamination. In the ferroresonant transformer, the problem of saturation losses, noise and stray flux can be alleviated by altering the geometry to produce a magnetic circuit with nonuniform flux density.     

Condition monitoring of power transformers

This article summarises some of the recent developments in devices and systems for monitoring the condition of power transformers as presented at an IEE Colloquium organised by Professional Group S2 (Materials Science and Technology) and held at Savoy Place, London, UK, on 19th June 1997     

Development of a new electronic personal neutron dosemeter using a CMOS active pixel sensor

A CMOS active pixel sensor, originally designed for the tracking of minimum ionising charged particles in high-energy physics, has been recently used for the detection of fast neutrons. Data were taken at the IRSN Cadarache facility with a (241)Am-Be ISO source and a polyethylene radiator. A high-intrinsic efficiency (1.2 x 10(-3)) has been obtained. It is in good agreement with both calculations and a MCNPX Monte Carlo simulation. This experiment paves the way for a fully electronic personal neutron dosemeter.     

Testing of ungrounded voltage transformers

Conclusions In the investigated ungrounded voltage transformers the error _c is negligible in comparison with the error due to the class of accuracy. Nevertheless, in acceptance tests of newly designed ungrounded transformers it is desirable to determine the error and specify it in technical documentation. This should be done for the reason that as the accuracy of ungrounded transformers increases the error become comparable with the error corresponding to the class of accuracy of the transformer. Moreover, the error may prove to be dominant in metrological certification by methods [3, 4].Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 1, pp. 55–57, January, 1980.     

Multilayer modal actuator-based piezoelectric transformers

An innovative, multilayer piezoelectric transformer equipped with a full modal filtering input electrode is reported herein. This modal-shaped electrode, based on the orthogonal property of structural vibration modes, is characterized by full modal filtering to ensure that only the desired vibration mode is excited during operation. The newly developed piezoelectric transformer is comprised of three layers: a multilayered input layer, an insulation layer, and a single output layer. The electrode shape of the input layer is derived from its structural vibration modal shape, which takes advantage of the orthogonal property of the vibration modes to achieve a full modal filtering effect. The insulation layer possesses two functions: first, to couple the mechanical vibration energy between the input and output, and second, to provide electrical insulation between the two layers. To meet the two functions, a low temperature, co-fired ceramic (LTCC) was used to provide the high mechanical rigidity and high electrical insulation. It can be shown that this newly developed piezoelectric transformer has the advantage of possessing a more efficient energy transfer and a wider optimal working frequency range when compared to traditional piezoelectric transformers. A multilayer piezoelectric, transformer-based inverter applicable for use in LCD monitors or portable displays is presented as well.     

Fractional Fourier transformers through reflection

We show that an arbitrary paraxial optical system, compounded with its reflection in an appropriately warped mirror, is a pure fractional Fourier transformer between coincident input and output planes. The geometric action of reflection on optical systems is introduced axiomatically and is developed in the paraxial regime. The correction of aberrations by warp of the mirror is briefly addressed.     

电流互感器标准装置分析

电流互感器在电力系统中应用较广，仅针对应用于电能计量中的电流互感器的检定校准过程进行分析。在明确与此相关的名词述语的基础上，分析检定电流互感器的原理方法，建立了测量电流互感器比值误差和相位误差的数学模型。以0.2S级电流互感器作为例子，对额定电流的1％、5％、20％、100％、120％下数据进行分析，得出了对应的不确定度。     

大尺寸余弦形超声变幅杆的设计

通过瑞利的近似理论假设,对大尺寸的余弦形变幅杆的纵向振动的共振频率进行了修正,得到了修正频率表达式。利用有限元软件ANSYS对一组大尺寸的余弦变幅杆进行模态分析。并发现当R1/L〉0.5时,振动时伴随有弯曲振动或扭转振动,振动较为复杂,此时瑞利理论不再适用。但需要指出的是,与一维理论相比,修正后的值适用范围更大,因此对大尺寸的余弦形超声变幅杆的工程计算具有一定的指导意义。