A 3 Thz Cmos Image Sensor

• doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2024.3381595
• title: A 3 THz CMOS Image Sensor
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn:
• issn: 1558-173X
• rank: 391
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Journals
• abstract: This article presents a 3 THz CMOS image sensor (Tera-CIS). The sensor has a column-parallel readout (CPRO) architecture that integrates an antenna-coupled pixel array and CPRO circuit chains on a monolithic chip. The proposed compact two-transistor (2T) pixel adopts a step-covered patch antenna and a defected ground structure (DGS) to obtain sufficient sensitivity and bandwidth. The step-covered patch antenna model is developed to predict pixel performances precisely. The DGS structure suppresses mutual coupling among adjacent pixels and shrinks the pixel pitch. In the CPRO circuit chain, chopping and oversampling techniques are employed to reduce noise and flexibly balance the dynamic range (DR) characteristics with the imaging rate. A digital decimation filter (DDF) with a time-multiplexing fashion is adopted to alleviate resource pressure. A 16.4k-pixel Tera-CIS was fabricated with a standard $0.18~\mu \text{m}$ CMOS process. A 3 THz imaging platform with four different continuous-wave (CW) terahertz quantum cascade lasers was established. The pixel sensitivity was 753 V/W at 3.4 THz, with a measured detection bandwidth of 0.78 THz (from 3.08 to 3.86 THz). The DR in the voltage domain of the sensor reached 73 dB at 8 fps while the maximum DR in the power domain was 39.8 dB. Meanwhile, the sensor can operate up to 130 fps. The imaging system can achieve high-resolution imaging and clearly identify concealed objects.
• article_number: 10494846
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10494846
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10494846/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10494846/
• publication_title: IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits
• conference_location:
• conference_dates:
• publication_number: 4
• is_number: 10648889
• publication_year: 2024
• publication_date: Sept. 2024
• start_page: 2934
• end_page: 2947
• citing_paper_count: 0
• citing_patent_count: 0
• download_count: 1592
• insert_date: 20240410
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Terahertz communications
    • Patch antennas
    • Terahertz radiation
    • Imaging
    • Noise
    • Impedance
    • Bandwidth
  • author_terms:
    • Column-parallel readout (CPRO) architecture
    • CPRO circuit chain
    • defected ground structure (DGS)
    • digital decimation filter (DDF)
    • step-covered patch antenna
    • terahertz CMOS image sensor (Tera-CIS)
    • time-multiplexing
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Image Sensor
    • Camera Sensor
    • High-resolution Images
    • Dynamic Range
    • Adjacent Pixels
    • Mutual Coupling
    • Patch Antenna
    • Pixel Array
    • Pixel Pitch
    • Quantum Cascade Lasers
    • Defected Ground Structure
    • Image Quality
    • Frame Rate
    • Time Slot
    • Input Power
    • Ground Plane
    • Floor Plan
    • Thermal Noise
    • Current Noise
    • Minimum Power
    • Voltage Response
    • Gate Bias
    • Common-mode Voltage
    • Noise Equivalent Power
    • Low-noise Amplifier
    • Quantization Noise
    • Input Stage
    • Real-time Capability
    • Optimal Bias
    • Optimum Biasing
    • Readout System
    • Bolometer
    • Total Noise
• authors:
  • Author Name: Min Liu
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/814253341210253
    ID: 814253341210253
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    • College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronics Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • Author Name: Ziteng Cai
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37089214691
    ID: 37089214691
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    • College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronics Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • Author Name: Zhe Wang
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37090091472
    ID: 37090091472
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    • College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronics Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • Author Name: Shaohua Zhou
    Affiliation: Research Center for Intelligent Chips and Devices, Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37088820907
    ID: 37088820907
    Order: 4
    Author Affiliations:
    • Research Center for Intelligent Chips and Devices, Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou, China
  • Author Name: Man-Kay Law
    Affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST-ECE), Institute of Microelectronics (IME), University of Macau, Macau, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37072476800
    ID: 37072476800
    Order: 5
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST-ECE), Institute of Microelectronics (IME), University of Macau, Macau, China
  • Author Name: Jian Liu
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37085851169
    ID: 37085851169
    Order: 6
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    • College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronics Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • Author Name: Jianguo Ma
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37089774590
    ID: 37089774590
    Order: 7
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • Author Name: Nanjian Wu
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37286754000
    ID: 37286754000
    Order: 8
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    • College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronics Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
  • Author Name: Liyuan Liu
    Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37085745851
    ID: 37085745851
    Order: 9
    Author Affiliations:
    • State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
    • School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: 128x128 pixels
• dynamic_range: 73 dB
• pixel_size: 60 µm
• dark_current: not specified

Optical Data

• focal_length: not specified
• aperture: not specified
• field_of_view: not specified
• distortion: not specified

Performance Metrics

• frame_rate: 130 fps
• sensitivity: 753 V/W at 3.4 THz

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: Broadband imaging and high-resolution imaging of concealed objects with excellent sensitivity at terahertz frequencies.
• benefits: Enable high-speed imaging for security applications and biomedical sensing.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 61874107 and Grant 62075211.

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: Sept. 2024

Relevancy Score

• score: 10
• missing_fields:
  • fill factor
  • quantum efficiency
  • noise sources
  • microlenses
  • on-chip colour filters
  • global or rolling shutters
  • backside illumination

Processed JSON Filename

request_2f12520f-bd5d-4c1f-83ec-ac696cd7697f-a_3_thz_cmos_image_sensor.json