A low-noise wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor with low and high temperatures resistance

Koichi Mizobuchi; Satoru Adachi; Jose Tejada; Hiromichi Oshikubo; Nana Akahane; Shigetoshi Sugawa

doi:10.1117/12.765871

29 February 2008 A low-noise wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor with low and high temperatures resistance

Koichi Mizobuchi, Satoru Adachi, Jose Tejada, Hiromichi Oshikubo, Nana Akahane, Shigetoshi Sugawa

Proceedings Volume 6816, Sensors, Cameras, and Systems for Industrial/Scientific Applications IX; 681604 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.765871
Event: Electronic Imaging, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

A temperature-resistant 1/3 inch SVGA (800×600 pixels) 5.6 μm pixel pitch wide-dynamic-range (WDR) CMOS image sensor has been developed using a lateral-over-flow-integration-capacitor (LOFIC) in a pixel. The sensor chips are fabricated through 0.18 μm 2P3M process with totally optimized front-end-of-line (FEOL) & back-end-of-line (BEOL) for a lower dark current. By implementing a low electrical field potential design for photodiodes, reducing damages, recovering crystal defects and terminating interface states in the FEOL+BEOL, the dark current is improved to 12 e^- /pixel-sec at 60 deg.C with 50% reduction from the previous very-low-dark-current (VLDC) FEOL and its contribution to the temporal noise is improved. Furthermore, design optimizations of the readout circuits, especially a signal-and noise-hold circuit and a programmable-gain-amplifier (PGA) are also implemented. The measured temporal noise is 2.4 e^-rms at 60 fps (:36 MHz operation). The dynamic-range (DR) is extended to 100 dB with 237 ke^- full well capacity. In order to secure the temperature-resistance, the sensor chip also receives both an inorganic cap onto micro lens and a metal hermetic seal package assembly. Image samples at low & high temperatures show significant improvement in image qualities.

Citation Download Citation

Koichi Mizobuchi, Satoru Adachi, Jose Tejada, Hiromichi Oshikubo, Nana Akahane, and Shigetoshi Sugawa "A low-noise wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor with low and high temperatures resistance", Proc. SPIE 6816, Sensors, Cameras, and Systems for Industrial/Scientific Applications IX, 681604 (29 February 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.765871

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