An addressable 256×256 photodiode image sensor array with an 8-bit digital output

We have constructed an addressable 256 × 256 photodiode sensor array together with an 8-bit ADC (analog-to-digital converter) on the same chip. Such a digital camera is easy to connect to a computer where also the flexibility of the computer can be used to control the camera output. The sensor has been constructed in two versions. The first version was implemented with a 256-column parallel-bit-slice image processor on the same die in a commercial project and the second as a separate addressable digital image sensor. The sensor was functionally fabricated using 1.6 µm design rules in a 1.2 µm CMOS process where it required a total area of 96 mm2.

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