Very Sensitive Lownoise Activereset Cmos Image Sensor With Inpixel Adc

• doi: 10.1109/TCSII.2016.2539058
• title: Very Sensitive Low-Noise Active-Reset CMOS Image Sensor With In-Pixel ADC
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn:
• issn: 1558-3791
• rank: 3960
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Journals
• abstract: Low light imaging is being researched intensively. The applications of increased sensitivity sensors expand to biomedicine, security, and communications providing low-cost and effective alternatives to common imaging techniques based on microscopes, intensifiers, etc. Lowering the inherent noise floor and achieving a higher sensitivity in a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor are found at the focus of the scientific society, and new solutions emerge quickly. Methods such as output averaging, active reset, and active column sensing lower the noise floor but fail to provide the sensitivity boost, which requires a substantial signal amplification. The already proposed solutions, combining high gain and noise suppression, still fall short of the sensitivity that would enable detecting a few electrons. This brief proposes a very sensitive pixel that is designed to capture an ultralow illumination using three stage amplifiers' configuration, which allows for an effective reset operation and in-pixel analog-to-digital conversion. The provided measurement results prove the functionality of the proposed pixel architecture, indicating a remarkable sensitivity of 355 V/lx*s and a detection limit of 3 electrons, achieved consuming only 6 μW per pixel.
• article_number: 7426781
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7426781
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7426781/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7426781/
• publication_title: IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs
• conference_location:
• conference_dates:
• publication_number: 8920
• is_number: 7574395
• publication_year: 2016
• publication_date: Oct. 2016
• start_page: 939
• end_page: 943
• citing_paper_count: 7
• citing_patent_count: 0
• download_count: 1427
• insert_date: 20160307
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Sensitivity
    • Sensors
    • Switches
    • Decoding
    • Partial discharges
    • CMOS image sensors
    • Capacitance
  • author_terms:
    • Active column sensor
    • active reset (AR)
    • analog-to-digital conversion (ADC)
    • complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)
    • fixed pattern noise (FPN)
    • image sensor
    • low noise
    • reset noise
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Image Sensor
    • Camera Sensor
    • Complementary Metal–oxide–semiconductor Image
    • Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Image
    • Illumination
    • Lighting
    • High Gain
    • Analog-to-digital Converter
    • Analog-to-digital
    • Digital-to-analog Converter
    • Noise Suppression
    • Active Noise Control
    • Noise-canceling
    • Noise Floor
    • Intensifier
    • Intension
    • Amplification Stage
    • Low-light Image
    • Substantial Decrease
    • Noise Sources
    • Figure Of Merit
    • Sufficient Resolution
    • Shot Noise
    • Poisson Noise
    • Operational Amplifier
    • Op-amp
    • Noise Analysis
    • Sensor Structure
    • Differential Amplifier
    • Single-photon Avalanche Diode
    • Readout Noise
    • Counter Value
    • PIN Photodiode
    • Output Pixel
    • Schematic Design
    • Integration Period
    • Digital Code
    • Sample Pixels
    • Picture Quality
    • Impression Of Quality
• authors:
  • Author Name: A. Spivak
    Affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38270880100
    ID: 38270880100
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • Author Name: A. Belenky
    Affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38276353100
    ID: 38276353100
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
  • Author Name: O. Yadid-Pecht
    Affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38298354100
    ID: 38298354100
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: 32x32 pixels
• dynamic_range: 58 dB
• pixel_size: 30 µm
• dark_current: Not specified in detail, but aims to achieve high sensitivity with low noise.

Optical Data

• focal_length: Not specified in the document
• aperture: Not specified in the document
• field_of_view: Not specified in the document
• distortion: Not specified in the document

Performance Metrics

• frame_rate: Not specified in the document
• signal_to_noise_ratio: Up to 355 V/lx*s
• sensitivity: 355 V/lx*s
• shutter_speed: Not specified in the document
• power_consumption: 6 µWp per pixel
• noise: 4 e-rms

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: The sensor is useful for biomedical applications and monitoring biological activity within live tissues, leveraging its low-light sensitivity.
• benefits: Offers advantages such as low power consumption, enhanced sensitivity, and compact design suitable for portable devices.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: University of Calgary, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: Oct. 2016

Relevancy Score

• score: 10
• missing_fields:
  • focal_length
  • aperture
  • field_of_view
  • distortion
  • frame_rate
  • shutter_speed

Processed JSON Filename

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