A novel CMOS image sensor using an output voltage feedback with variable dynamic range

In this study, we propose a new complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor to extend the dynamic range. The proposed active pixel sensor (APS) uses a gate/body-tied PMOSFET-type (GBT) photodetector and an output voltage feedback structure. Although the size of the proposed APS is slightly larger than a conventional APS, the dynamic range of the proposed pixel is much wider than a conventional APS. And the proposed APS has a varied dynamic range from adjusting the reference voltage. The proposed APS has been designed and fabricated by using 0.35 μm 2-poly 4-metal standard CMOS technology, and its characteristics have been evaluated.

[1]  Ya-Chin King,et al.  A novel logarithmic response CMOS image sensor with high output voltage swing and in-pixel fixed pattern noise reduction , 2002, Proceedings. IEEE Asia-Pacific Conference on ASIC,.

[2]  Gunhee Han,et al.  Sensitivity Controllable CMOS Image Sensor Pixel Using Control Gate Overlaid on Photodiode , 2007, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[3]  Jang-Kyoo Shin,et al.  Highly and Variably Sensitive Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Active Pixel Sensor Using P-Channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor-Type Photodetector with Transfer Gate , 2006 .

[4]  Shoji Kawahito,et al.  A new active pixel structure with a pinned photodiode for wide dynamic range image sensors , 2005, IEICE Electron. Express.

[5]  Kenji Taniguchi,et al.  High-Sensitivity SOI MOS Photodetector with Self-Amplification , 1996 .

[6]  M. Ikebe,et al.  A Wide-Dynamic-Range Compression Image Sensor With Negative-Feedback Resetting , 2007, IEEE Sensors Journal.

[7]  S.K.H. Fung,et al.  Performance of a CMOS compatible lateral bipolar photodetector on SOI substrate , 1998, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[8]  K. Yonemoto,et al.  A CMOS image sensor with a simple fixed-pattern-noise-reduction technology and a hole accumulation diode , 2000, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[9]  M. Mori,et al.  1/4-inch 2-mpixel MOS image sensor with 1.75 transistors/pixel , 2004, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[10]  Shigetoshi Sugawa,et al.  A sensitivity and linearity improvement of a 100 dB dynamic range CMOS image sensor using a lateral overflow integration capacitor , 2005, VLSIC 2005.

[11]  L. McIlrath.  A low-power low-noise ultrawide-dynamic-range CMOS imager with pixel-parallel A/D conversion , 2001, IEEE J. Solid State Circuits.

[12]  Shigeyuki Matsumoto,et al.  A 3.9-μm pixel pitch VGA format 10-b digital output CMOS image sensor with 1.5 transistor/pixel , 2004 .

[13]  Young June Park,et al.  A novel bipolar imaging device - BASIC (BAse stored imager in CMOS Process) , 2003 .

[14]  S. Sugawa,et al.  A 1.9 $e^{-}$ Random Noise CMOS Image Sensor With Active Feedback Operation in Each Pixel , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[15]  조준희,et al.  Wide Dynamic Range CMOS Image Sensor , 2009 .

[16]  Jang-Kyoo Shin,et al.  Optical Characteristics of an N-Well / Gate-Tied PMOSFET-type Photodetector with Built-in Transfer Gate for CMOS Image Sensor , 2007 .

[17]  T. Kimura,et al.  A 3.9-/spl mu/m pixel pitch VGA format 10-b digital output CMOS image sensor with 1.5 transistor/pixel , 2004, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[18]  C.S. Lin,et al.  An effective method to improve the sensitivity of deep submicrometer CMOS image sensors , 2005, IEEE Electron Device Letters.