Charge Transfer Speed Analysis In Pinned Photodiode Cmos Image Sensors Based On A Pulsed Storagegate Method

• doi: 10.1109/ESSDERC.2015.7324737
• title: Charge transfer speed analysis in pinned photodiode CMOS image sensors based on a pulsed storage-gate method
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn: 978-1-4673-7134-6
• issn: 2378-6558
• rank: 1928
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Conferences
• abstract: Driven by low noise applications, Pinned Photodiode (PPD) [1]-[3] CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) have recently become the main image sensors technology for both commercial and scientific applications. The PPD (schematized in Fig. 1a) consists in a buried photodiode, where the surface p+ implant, also referred to as pinning-implant, pins the surface at the substrate potential. This peculiar structure not only reduces the dark current (by isolating the PPD from the charges generated at the SiO2-Si interface), but also limits the maximum PPD potential, often referred to as pinning voltage [4], which corresponds to the full depletion condition. The presence of this “potential floor” enables true charge transfer from the PPD to the collection node (or to another buried channel), whereas in standard photodiodes only charge sharing between two capacitances is possible. The combination of these unique features has led in the last decade to the development of several PPD-based detectors for high speed applications, such as Time of Flight (ToF) applications [5]-[8], which require high speed readout of small packets of photo-charges. One of the main challenges involved in PPD-based high speed detectors is to reach the best temporal resolution by maximizing the charge transfer speed from the photo-generation site to the collection node. The transfer speed becomes even more critical for applications, such as space imaging applications, which require pixel pitches of several tens of μm (for example for optics-related constraints [9]). In the last decade much effort has been put into improving charge transfer speed by introducing a drift field in the PPD by modulating the PPD local potential [5], [7], [10]-[13]. However the existing solutions often involve design and/or geometrical constraints, can require the use of a custom technology, or might not be implementable for large pixel pitches (where only a small drift field can be induced, as the maximum potential variation which can be generated within the PPD is equal to the pinning voltage [14], which is often of the order of 1V, or lower, to ensure optimum charge transfer toward the floating diffusion (FD)).
• article_number: 7324737
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7324737
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7324737/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7324737/
• publication_title: 2015 45th European Solid State Device Research Conference (ESSDERC)
• conference_location: Graz, Austria
• conference_dates: 14-18 Sept. 2015
• publication_number: 7300344
• is_number: 7324696
• publication_year: 2015
• publication_date: 14-18 Sept. 2015
• start_page: 156
• end_page: 159
• citing_paper_count: 10
• citing_patent_count: 0
• download_count: 847
• insert_date: 20151112
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Charge transfer
    • Photodiodes
    • Electric potential
    • Logic gates
    • CMOS image sensors
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Image Sensor
    • Camera Sensor
    • Transfer Speed
    • PIN Photodiode
    • High Speed
    • Time-of-flight
    • Distinct Structures
    • Peculiar Structure
    • Scientific Applications
    • Geometric Constraints
    • Pixel Pitch
    • Main Sensor
    • Large Pitch
    • Diffusion Coefficient
    • Charge Density
    • Charge Distribution
    • Integration Time
    • Diffusion Equation
    • Transfer Time
    • Charge Injection
• isbn_formats:
  • format: USB ISBN, value: 978-1-4673-7134-6, isbnType: New-2005
  • format: Print ISBN, value: 978-1-4673-7133-9, isbnType: New-2005
  • format: Electronic ISBN, value: 978-1-4673-7135-3, isbnType: New-2005
• authors:
  • Author Name: Alice Pelamatti
    Affiliation: Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37070209300
    ID: 37070209300
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Vincent Goiffon
    Affiliation: Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37593862700
    ID: 37593862700
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Aziouz Chabane
    Affiliation: Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37085629759
    ID: 37085629759
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Pierre Magnan
    Affiliation: Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37400751600
    ID: 37400751600
    Order: 4
    Author Affiliations:
    • Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, Image Sensor Research Team, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Cédric Virmontois
    Affiliation: Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38327725000
    ID: 38327725000
    Order: 5
    Author Affiliations:
    • Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Olivier Saint-Pé
    Affiliation: Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38274783700
    ID: 38274783700
    Order: 6
    Author Affiliations:
    • Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Michel Breart de Boisanger
    Affiliation: Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37085757052
    ID: 37085757052
    Order: 7
    Author Affiliations:
    • Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Toulouse, France

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: not specified
• dynamic_range: not specified
• pixel_size: 5μm (PPD width 5μm, PPD lengths up to 32μm)
• dark_current: reduced by design due to structure limitations (exact value not provided in text)

Optical Data

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

Performance Metrics

• noise: temporal noise, fixed-pattern noise as potential sources affecting image quality

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: associated with Pinned Photodiode for low noise applications in image sensors
• benefits: reduced dark current, high speed charge transfer, suitability for high-speed applications such as Time of Flight imaging.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: CNES, Airbus Defence and Space

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: 14-18 Sept. 2015

Relevancy Score

• score: 9
• missing_fields:
  • resolution
  • dynamic_range
  • focal_length
  • aperture
  • field_of_view
  • distortion
  • frame_rate
  • signal_to_noise_ratio
  • sensitivity
  • shutter_speed
  • power_consumption

Processed JSON Filename

request_165b44aa-148f-4b6e-83e3-c3ee9c65abb9-charge_transfer_speed_analysis_in_pinned_photodiode_cmos_image_sensors_based_on_a_pulsed_storagegate_method.json