SiPM based smart pixel for photon counting integrated streak camera

A Macropixel for photon counting integrated streak camera has been developed in a 180nm standard CMOS process. It includes a 4×4 array of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPAD) acting as a small and smart SiPM (Silicon Photo Multiplier), a unique quenching circuit and a 16 bits memory for smart pixel operation. The total Macropixel size is 32×314 μm2, with a sensitive area size of 32×32 μm2. The SPAD pitch of 8 μm makes possible to use the standard micro-lens option proposed by the image sensor process and thus to increase the fill factor from the actual 7% up to nearly 100%. Thanks to the embedded memory, each SPAD can be individually enabled or disabled in order to reduce the dark count rate and consequently improve the signal to noise ratio.

[1]  Shiuh-Hua Wood Chiang,et al.  High-Speed, High Dynamic-Range Optical Sensor Arrays , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[2]  K. Roberts,et al.  Thesis , 2002 .

[3]  Edoardo Charbon,et al.  A Time-Resolved, Low-Noise Single-Photon Image Sensor Fabricated in Deep-Submicron CMOS Technology , 2012, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[4]  Albert J. P. Theuwissen,et al.  An image sensor which captures 100 consecutive frames at 1000000 frames/s , 2003 .

[5]  Robert K. Henderson,et al.  A silicon photomultiplier with >30% detection efficiency from 450–750nm and 11.6μm pitch NMOS-only pixel with 21.6% fill factor in 130nm CMOS , 2012, 2012 Proceedings of the European Solid-State Device Research Conference (ESSDERC).

[6]  David Tyndall,et al.  A 100Mphoton/s time-resolved mini-silicon photomultiplier with on-chip fluorescence lifetime estimation in 0.13μm CMOS imaging technology , 2012, 2012 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference.

[7]  Wilfried Uhring,et al.  Very high long-term stability synchroscan streak camera , 2003 .

[8]  Howard A. Padmore,et al.  A grazing incidence x-ray streak camera for ultrafast, single-shot measurements , 2010 .

[9]  C. Luchini,et al.  [High speed]. , 1969, Revista De La Escuela De Odontologia, Universidad Nacional De Tucuman, Facultad De Medicina.

[10]  Wilfried Uhring,et al.  A 64 single photon avalanche diode array in 0.18 µm CMOS standard technology with versatile quenching circuit for quick prototyping , 2012, Photonics Europe.

[11]  M. Gersbach,et al.  A single photon detector implemented in a 130nm CMOS imaging process , 2008, ESSDERC 2008 - 38th European Solid-State Device Research Conference.

[12]  S. Suzuki,et al.  Ultrafast microchannel plate photomultipliers. , 1988, Applied optics.

[13]  A. Tosi,et al.  SPICE modeling of single photon avalanche diodes , 2009 .

[14]  E. Charbon,et al.  A 128/spl times/2 CMOS Single-Photon Streak Camera with Timing-Preserving Latchless Pipeline Readout , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. Digest of Technical Papers.

[15]  Wilfried Uhring,et al.  200 ps FWHM and 100 MHz repetition rate ultrafast gated camera for optical medical functional imaging , 2012, Photonics Europe.

[16]  Edoardo Charbon,et al.  A 32×32 50ps resolution 10 bit time to digital converter array in 130nm CMOS for time correlated imaging , 2009, 2009 IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference.

[17]  Edoardo Charbon,et al.  A 128x128 Single-Photon Imager with on-Chip Column-Level 97ps 10bit Time-to-Digital-Converter Array , 2008, ISSCC 2008.

[18]  Edoardo Charbon,et al.  A 1024×8 700ps time-gated SPAD line sensor for laser raman spectroscopy and LIBS in space and rover-based planetary exploration , 2013, 2013 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers.

[19]  Edoardo Charbon,et al.  A 160×128 single-photon image sensor with on-pixel 55ps 10b time-to-digital converter , 2011, 2011 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference.

[20]  Wilfried Uhring,et al.  Streak camera in standard (Bi)CMOS (bipolar complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology , 2010 .

[21]  David Stoppa,et al.  A SPAD-based pixel linear array for high-speed time-gated fluorescence lifetime imaging , 2009, 2009 Proceedings of ESSCIRC.

[22]  F. Morel,et al.  A New Spatiotemporal CMOS Imager With Analog Accumulation Capability for Nanosecond Low-Power Pulse Detections , 2006, IEEE Sensors Journal.