Compact Cmos Analog Counter For Spad Pixel Arrays

• doi: 10.1109/TCSII.2014.2312094
• title: Compact CMOS Analog Counter for SPAD Pixel Arrays
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn:
• issn: 1558-3791
• rank: 1962
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Journals
• abstract: In this brief, the design and experimental characterization of a compact analog readout circuit for photon counting is presented. A test chip, including a 20 × 20 counter array, has been manufactured in a standard 0.35-μm CMOS technology. The circuit delivers an output voltage proportional to the input pulse count, with a programmable voltage step. The counting resolution can be set to 7 or 8 bits with a readout noise of 0.15 and 0.3 electrons, respectively, and an output nonuniformity of 4% across the array, which brings a factor 3 improvement with respect to previous analog designs. A worst case integral nonlinearity of ±0.6 and ±1 LSB and a differential nonlinearity of ±0.3 and ±0.6 LSB were measured over the whole array of counters at 7- and 8-bit resolution, respectively. The area occupation of this analog implementation (230 μm2) is a factor 10 smaller than a digital counter of the same resolution. Due to the compactness and the lower counter power consumption with regard to the former designs, the proposed circuit can be exploited for signal processing in high-spatial resolution single-photon-avalanche-diode-based image sensors.
• article_number: 6784510
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6784510
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6784510/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6784510/
• publication_title: IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs
• conference_location:
• conference_dates:
• publication_number: 8920
• is_number: 6798683
• publication_year: 2014
• publication_date: April 2014
• start_page: 214
• end_page: 218
• citing_paper_count: 23
• citing_patent_count: 1
• download_count: 2070
• insert_date: 20140408
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Radiation detectors
    • Transistors
    • CMOS integrated circuits
    • Photonics
    • Noise
    • Power demand
    • CMOS technology
  • author_terms:
    • Analog counter
    • CMOS
    • image sensor
    • single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs)
    • Analog counter
    • CMOS
    • image sensor
    • single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs)
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Pixel Array
    • Single-photon Avalanche Diode
    • Power Consumption
    • Image Sensor
    • Camera Sensor
    • Low Power Consumption
    • Photon Counting
    • Circuit Design
    • Voltage Step
    • Extent Of Occurrence
    • Area Of Occupancy
    • CMOS Technology
    • Electron Counting
    • Digital Counting
    • Readout Circuit
    • Readout Noise
    • Simulation Results
    • Step Size
    • Inverter
    • Good Linearity
    • Fill Factor
    • Output Node
    • Parasitic Capacitance
    • Good Uniformity
    • Pixel Pitch
    • High Dynamic Range
    • Capacitance Ratio
    • Circuit Characteristics
    • Circuit Features
    • Array Design
• authors:
  • Author Name: Ekaterina Panina
    Affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37086630573
    ID: 37086630573
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
  • Author Name: Lucio Pancheri
    Affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37282907500
    ID: 37282907500
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
  • Author Name: Gian-Franco Dalla Betta
    Affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37424346700
    ID: 37424346700
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
  • Author Name: Nicola Massari
    Affiliation: Smart Optical Sensors and Interfaces, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37273438300
    ID: 37273438300
    Order: 4
    Author Affiliations:
    • Smart Optical Sensors and Interfaces, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
  • Author Name: David Stoppa
    Affiliation: Smart Optical Sensors and Interfaces, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37268553400
    ID: 37268553400
    Order: 5
    Author Affiliations:
    • Smart Optical Sensors and Interfaces, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• dynamic_range: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• pixel_size: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• dark_current: Unknown (not specified in the text)

Optical Data

• focal_length: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• aperture: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• field_of_view: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• distortion: Unknown (not specified in the text)

Performance Metrics

• frame_rate: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• signal_to_noise_ratio: Up to 28.5 dB
• sensitivity: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• shutter_speed: Unknown (not specified in the text)
• power_consumption: 190 nW per counter
• noise: Noise below 1 mV

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: Compatible with various applications requiring high sensitivity and subnanosecond timing resolution such as fluorescence lifetime imaging, positron emission tomography, and 3-D imaging.
• benefits: Improved compactness per pixel in SPAD-based arrays, better fill factor, lower power consumption compared to digital approaches, and enhanced sensitivity.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: Fondazione Bruno Kessler, University of Trento

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: April 2014

Relevancy Score

• score: 9
• missing_fields:
  • pixel_size
  • dynamic_range
  • resolution
  • dark_current
  • frame_rate
  • focal_length
  • aperture
  • field_of_view
  • distortion
  • sensitivity
  • shutter_speed

Processed JSON Filename

request_af4ba242-f510-41e9-9972-7360fa313f8f-compact_cmos_analog_counter_for_spad_pixel_arrays.json