Signal and Noise Analysis of an Open-Circuit Voltage Pixel for Uncooled Infrared Image Sensors

An imaging pixel unit-cell topology leveraging a photodetector in the forward-bias region is proposed. Connecting the anode of the photodiode to the gate of a NMOS device operating in the subthreshold region provides the basis for a new open-circuit voltage pixel (VocP) architecture. Theoretical analysis is presented to show the response and performance benefits of the VocP in comparison to a conventional pixel. Based on this analysis, the signal and noise relationships for both pixels are derived and leveraged to construct an end-to-end readout system model. The model results highlight potential performance benefits of the VocP over a conventional direct-injection pixel topology. To verify the analysis, the proposed VocP readout architecture is fabricated along with a conventional direct-injection pixel readout in a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.18~\mathrm {\mu }\text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> CMOS technology. The VocP performance is compared to a traditional reverse-bias current-mode photodetector configuration. Simulation, modeling, and measurements align with the proposed analytical model. Benefits in system sensitivity and dynamic range are demonstrated showing more than a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> improvement in noise-equivalent temperature difference and a 4 dB improvement in dynamic range.

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