Radiation Effects In Quanta Image Sensors

• doi: 10.1109/TNS.2025.3531409
• title: Radiation Effects in Quanta Image Sensors
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn:
• issn: 1558-1578
• rank: 3361
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Journals
• abstract: The quanta image sensor (QIS) is a promising emerging technology for ultralow-light imaging (<10 photons $/$ s per pixel per frame) due to its extremely low dark current and deep subelectron read noise, thus enabling single photoelectron resolution. These characteristics are further coupled with the benefits of CMOS technology processing, such as low power consumption and array sizes on the order of megapixels exhibiting good pixel uniformity. With growing interest in the use of these sensors for space missions, the vulnerability of QIS pixels to radiation is still an open question. To this end, we explore the effects of proton and neutron irradiation on a commercially available QIS camera up to a fluence of $2 \times 10^{11}~\text {particles}/\text {cm}^{2}$ . Results show that dark current changes in the QIS are similar to those in conventional, nonphotoelectron-resolving CMOS image sensors (CISs) under nonionizing radiation. The continued applicability of the universal damage factor (UDF) for displacement damage in silicon to this new technology, as well as to subzero temperatures and at various annealing times, is demonstrated. An extension of the empirical model on dark current increase and random telegraph signal (RTS) amplitudes to low temperatures is also investigated. Total-ionizing dose (TID) effects related to the sensor noise are also observed in the cameras irradiated with protons: column noise and fixed pattern noise (FPN) are found to increase with proton fluence. We present histograms of the quantization of signal in dark and light conditions, demonstrating the QIS’ continued ability to count photons after the highest fluence. However, radiation-induced increases in noise will contribute to the mistaking of dark electrons as photons. Provided that the integration time is small enough to limit the collection of carriers generated by bulk defects in the photodiode (PD), TID effects in the readout circuitry are the main obstacles to accurate photon counting.
• article_number: 10845858
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10845858
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10845858/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10845858/
• publication_title: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
• conference_location:
• conference_dates:
• publication_number: 23
• is_number: 10971733
• publication_year: 2025
• publication_date: April 2025
• start_page: 1198
• end_page: 1207
• citing_paper_count: 0
• citing_patent_count: 0
• download_count: 79
• insert_date: 20250120
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Radiation effects
    • Sensors
    • Noise
    • Cameras
    • Temperature sensors
    • Photonics
    • Protons
    • Dark current
    • Temperature measurement
    • Histograms
  • author_terms:
    • Active pixel sensor (APS)
    • CMOS image sensor (CIS)
    • dark current distribution model
    • displacement damage dose (DDD)
    • quanta image sensor (QIS)
    • single-photon imaging
    • subelectron read noise
    • total-ionizing dose (TID)
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Image Sensor
    • Camera Sensor
    • Quanta Image Sensor
    • Integration Time
    • Photon Counting
    • Dose Concentration
    • Absorbed Dose
    • Total Ionizing Dose
    • Dark Current
    • Increase In Noise
    • Carrier Generation
    • Multiple Exciton Generation
    • Carrier Multiplication
    • Random Signal
    • Sub-zero Temperatures
    • Neutron Irradiation
    • Neutron Radiation
    • Bulk Defects
    • Low Dark Current
    • Low Signal
    • High Gain
    • Quantum Efficiency
    • Noise Sources
    • Low Noise
    • Shot Noise
    • Poisson Noise
    • Thermal Power Plants
    • Thermal Generation
    • Thermal Plants
    • Single-photon Avalanche Diode
    • Dark Signal
    • Peripheral Circuits
    • Conversion Gain
    • Readout Noise
    • PIN Photodiode
    • Exponential Tail
    • Readout Circuit
    • Dark Noise
    • Proton Beam
• authors:
  • Author Name: Joanna Krynski
    Affiliation: ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/258491544915457
    ID: 258491544915457
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse, France
    • CNES, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Alexandre Neyret
    Affiliation: ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/847397733870793
    ID: 847397733870793
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Vivian Bernard
    Affiliation: CNES, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/894678848122208
    ID: 894678848122208
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • CNES, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Valérian Lalucaa
    Affiliation: CNES, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37073092600
    ID: 37073092600
    Order: 4
    Author Affiliations:
    • CNES, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Alexandre Le Roch
    Affiliation: ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
    Author URL:
    ID:
    Order: 5
    Author Affiliations:
    • ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Alex Materne
    Affiliation: CNES, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37085490601
    ID: 37085490601
    Order: 6
    Author Affiliations:
    • CNES, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Cédric Virmontois
    Affiliation: CNES, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38327725000
    ID: 38327725000
    Order: 7
    Author Affiliations:
    • CNES, Toulouse, France
  • Author Name: Vincent Goiffon
    Affiliation: ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37593862700
    ID: 37593862700
    Order: 8
    Author Affiliations:
    • ISAE-SUPAERO, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: Megapixel (exact number not mentioned)
• dynamic_range: Not specified
• pixel_size: 4.6 µm pitch
• dark_current: 0.0016 fA (equivalent to 0.001 e-/s) at -20°C (pre-irradiation) and increases after irradiation (by 236-, 345-, and 576-fold for Proton1, Proton2, and Neutron1 respectively)

Optical Data

• focal_length: Not specified
• aperture: Not specified
• field_of_view: Not specified
• distortion: Not specified

Performance Metrics

• signal_to_noise_ratio: Not specified (but <0.3 e- rms required for reliable photoelectron resolution)
• noise: Read noise 0.27 e- rms before irradiation; increase in mean read noise post-irradiation

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: Capable of ultralow-light imaging for applications like deep space observation, exoplanet detection, or spectroscopy.
• benefits: Single photoelectron sensitivity and very low dark current, making it suitable for highly sensitive imaging applications.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: ISAE-SUPAERO, CNES, and BAE Systems

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: April 2025

Relevancy Score

• score: 10
• missing_fields:
  • focal_length
  • aperture
  • field_of_view
  • distortion
  • frame_rate
  • signal_to_noise_ratio
  • sensitivity
  • shutter_speed
  • power_consumption

Processed JSON Filename

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