Sensitivity Of Cmos Based Imagers And Scaling Perspectives

• doi: 10.1109/16.877173
• title: Sensitivity of CMOS based imagers and scaling perspectives
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn:
• issn: 1557-9646
• rank: 3519
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Journals
• abstract: CMOS based imagers are beginning to compete against CCDs in many areas of the consumer market because of their system-on-a-chip capability. Sensitivity, however, is a main weakness of CMOS imagers and enhancements and deviations from standard CMOS processes are necessary to keep up sensitivity with downscaled process generations. In the introductory section several definitions for the sensitivity of image sensors are reviewed with regard to their potential to allow meaningful comparison of different detector structures. In the main section, the standard CMOS sensor architecture is compared to detector structures designed to improve the sensitivity, namely the photogate (PG), the pinned photodiode (PPD) and the thin film on ASIC (TFA) approach. The latter uses a vertical integration of the photodiode on top of the pixel transistors. A careful analysis of the relevant electrical, optical and technological parameters and many previously published experimental data for different imagers reveals that only the PPD and the TFA enhancements provide satisfactory sensitivity and withstand scaling down to 0.18 /spl mu/ processes. Due to the higher fill factor and the higher quantum efficiency TFA provides significantly better values than PPD. The radiometric sensitivity of a 5 /spl mu/m/spl times/5 /spl mu/m TFA pixel is found to amount to 11.9 V/(/spl mu//cm/sup 2/) for a 0.25 /spl mu/m process and 27.5 V/(/spl mu/J/cm/sup 2/) for a 0.18 /spl mu/m process.
• article_number: 877173
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=877173
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/877173/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/877173/
• publication_title: IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
• conference_location:
• conference_dates:
• publication_number: 16
• is_number: 18988
• publication_year: 2000
• publication_date: Nov. 2000
• start_page: 2110
• end_page: 2122
• citing_paper_count: 128
• citing_patent_count: 5
• download_count: 1476
• insert_date: 20020806
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Application specific integrated circuits
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Quantum Efficiency
    • Downscaling
    • Image Sensor
    • Camera Sensor
    • Fill Factor
    • Technological Parameters
    • Engineering Parameters
    • CMOS Process
    • Standard CMOS
    • PIN Photodiode
    • Pixel Size
    • Reflection Coefficient
    • Reflection Loss
    • Pixel Area
    • Loss Of Sensitivity
    • Depletion Region
    • Space Charge Region
    • Depletion Layer
    • Depletion Zone
    • Current Sensor
    • Parasitic Capacitance
    • Blue Channel
    • Doping Level
    • High Dynamic Range
    • Dark Current
    • Amorphous Silicon
    • Silicon Thin Film
    • Conversion Gain
    • Silicide
    • Si Photodiode
    • Lateral Diffusion
    • Small Pixel
    • CMOS Technology
    • Complete Transfer
    • Potential Well
    • Thin-film Solar Cells
    • Thin-film Solar
    • Thin-film Cells
• authors:
  • Author Name: T. Lule
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37352114200
    ID: 37352114200
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: S. Benthien
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37426914300
    ID: 37426914300
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: H. Keller
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37434267200
    ID: 37434267200
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: F. Mutze
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37087548402
    ID: 37087548402
    Order: 4
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: P. Rieve
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37370209500
    ID: 37370209500
    Order: 5
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: K. Seibel
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37426701600
    ID: 37426701600
    Order: 6
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: M. Sommer
    Affiliation: Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37563941800
    ID: 37563941800
    Order: 7
    Author Affiliations:
    • Silicon Vision GmbH, Siegen, Germany
  • Author Name: M. Bohm
    Affiliation:
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37319627000
    ID: 37319627000
    Order: 8
    

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: 5.5µm pixel size
• dynamic_range: Not specified
• pixel_size: 5.5µm
• dark_current: Comparable to a-Si at room temperature, typically amounts to 10^-12 A/cm²

Optical Data

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

Performance Metrics

• frame_rate: 14 Mpix/s readout speed
• signal_to_noise_ratio: 10 for first acceptable image, 40 for excellent image
• sensitivity: ISO 80 and 200 with and without color filters respectively
• power_consumption: Low power consumption and possibly lower cost compared to CCDs
• noise: Includes fixed pattern noise and temporal noise components

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: Applications in consumer markets, automotive vision, and medical devices
• benefits: System-on-chip capability, compact design, low power consumption

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: Silicon Vision GmbH, University of Siegen, various semiconductor companies involved in CMOS technology

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: Nov. 2000

Relevancy Score

• score: 10

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