A linearity improvement method for CIS column-parallel SAR ADC using two-step conversion

This paper presents a new 2-step SAR ADC architecture for image sensors in machine vision applications. This structure effectively improves the structural problems of the image sensor caused by the area occupied by the ADC, such as linearity and temporal noise performance. In this work, we designed a two-step SAR ADC using a 6-bit SAR ADC and...

Fundamental Characteristics of a Pinned Photodiode CMOS Pixels

This thesis gives an insightful analysis of the pinned photodiode 4T CMOS pixel from three different aspects. Firstly, from the charge accumulated aspect, the PPD full well capacity and related parameters of influence are investigated such as the pinning voltage, and transfer gate potential barrier. Secondly, from the charge transfer aspect, the...

High Efficiency UV Photodiodes fabricated on p-type Substrate

Newly developed “pure-boron” photodiodes, with high sensitivity and stability in the whole ultraviolet range (UV), are described. The main purpose of this work is to create and characterize a large-area UV photodiode, representing a structure of a pixel in a backside illuminated CMOS image sensor, featuring maximum fill factor and hence...

4T CMOS Active Pixel Sensors under Ionizing Radiation

This thesis investigates the ionizing radiation effects on 4T pixels and the elementary in-pixel test devices with regard to the electrical performance and the optical performance. In addition to an analysis of the macroscopic pixel parameter degradation, the radiation-induced degradation mechanisms are also presented from the microscopic...

A Biologically Inspired CMOS Image Sensor

Biological systems are a source of inspiration in the development of small autonomous sensor nodes. The two major types of optical vision systems found in nature are the single aperture human eye and the compound eye of insects. The latter are among the most compact and smallest vision sensors. The eye is a compound of individual lenses with...