Lecture 11

CMOS Imaging Sensor

George Yuan
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Fall 2010

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Outline
Introduction
CMOS imaging sensors

Passive pixel sensor

Photogate-based active pixel sensor
Photodiode-based active pixel sensor
Logarithmic pixel sensor
Noise

Analog processing
CDS
ADC
Spatial filtering

Wide dynamic range imaging sensor

High speed imager
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Temporal Noise

Shot noise
Trap noise
Read-out noise

i phTint 2
SNR
2
q i ph idc Tint q 2 rd
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Temporal Noise Sources

Dark current shot noise

Trapping noise in the diode
kTC noise at the diode or floating drain
Read-out circuit noise
Photo-current shot noise

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Fixed-Pattern Noise (FPN)

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Fall 2008, Lecture 9

Fixed Pattern Noise Sources

Additive factors
Buffer transistor Vt mismatch
Column current source
mismatch
Column buffer transistor Vt
mismatch
Column amplifier offsets

Multiplicative factors
Photodiode size mismatch
Floating drain size mismatch
Column amplifier gain

George Yuan, HKUST

Outline
Introduction
CMOS imaging sensors

Passive pixel sensor

Photogate-based active pixel sensor
Photodiode-based active pixel sensor
Logarithmic pixel sensor
Noise

Analog processing
CDS
ADC
Spatial filtering

Wide dynamic range imaging sensor

High speed imaging sensor
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CDS
1k1k imager,
30Hz
Column circuit
speed?
Global shutter
Rowing shutter

Noise
kT/C: 1pF, 60uVrms
OPAMP noise?

3T-APS?

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Double CDS

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An CIS Example
1k1k imager, 30Hz frame rate,
72dB dynamic range, read-out
temporal noise <10e linear quantization: 12-bit
LSB: 0.4mV (1.6-V signal range)
Temporal noise: 0.16mVrms (16uV/e-,
10fF Cint)
Column speed: 0.3ms processing time,
30kHz ADC
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Low-noise Amplifier

C1
C0

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Wide Dynamic Range

C1
C0

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ADC
Successive approximate ADC
Cyclic ADC
Single-slope ADC

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Cyclic ADC

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Noise Cancellation Phase

Input Sampling

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Charge Transfer

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Cyclic Algorithm
Odd Phase

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Even Phase

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Single-slope ADC
Column voltage

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Comparator
1.1uA

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Outline
Introduction
CMOS imaging sensors

Passive pixel sensor

Photogate-based active pixel sensor
Photodiode-based active pixel sensor
Logarithmic pixel sensor
Noise

Analog processing
CDS
ADC
Spatial filtering

Wide dynamic range imaging sensor

High speed imager
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Imaging Processing

Spatial Template

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On-Chip Spatial Filtering

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On-Chip Spatial Filtering

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Outline
Introduction
CMOS imaging sensors

Passive pixel sensor

Photogate-based active pixel sensor
Photodiode-based active pixel sensor
Logarithmic pixel sensor
Noise

Analog processing
CDS
ADC
Spatial filtering

Wide dynamic range imaging sensor

High speed imager
George Yuan, HKUST

Fall 2008, Lecture 9

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Dynamic Range

CMOS imaging sensor: 40-60dB

CCD imaging sensor: 60-70dB
Human eyes: 90dB
Natural scenes: > 100dB

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Dynamic Range

V ph

Tint
I ph
Cint

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DR

V w C int Tint
I min

Vw: potential well capacity

Imin: determined by Idark,
read-out circuit noise
<50dB
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Well-Capacity Adjustment

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DR Compression

V ph

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Tint
I ph
Cint

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DR Improvement
Linear low light

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Linear high light

DR compression

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SNR

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Multiple Sampling

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Scheme

V ph
Sample1 Sample2

Sample3

Exposure T, 2T, 4T, , 2kT

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Tint
I ph
Cint

Quantization: m bits

Pixel resolution: m+k

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SNR

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Pixel-Level Quantization

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Time-to-Saturation

V ph

Tint
I ph
Cint

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Pixel Circuit

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Pixel ADC

3T APS Pixel
V ph

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Tint
I ph
Cint

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Pixel Circuit

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Lateral Overflow Integration

Capacitor

Low light: S1+N1 N1

High light: S2+N2 N2
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Improved Lateral Overflow

Integration Capacitor

Low light: S1+N1 N1

High light: S2+N2 N2
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CDS Readout

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Outline
Introduction
CMOS imaging sensors

Passive pixel sensor

Photogate-based active pixel sensor
Photodiode-based active pixel sensor
Logarithmic pixel sensor
Noise

Analog processing
CDS
ADC
Spatial filtering

Wide dynamic range imaging sensor

High speed imager
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High Speed Pixel

SWS

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SWR

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Performance
14-bit Column-wise cyclic ADC read-out, 2MHz, 0.43mW

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References
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S. Mendis, S. Kemeny, R. Gee, B. Pain, C. Staller, Q. Kim, and E. Fossum, CMOS active pixel image sensors for highly
integrated imaging systems, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 32, pp. 187-197, Feb. 1997
S. Decker, R. McGrath, K. Brehmer, and C. Sodini, A 256256 CMOS imaging array with wide dynamic range pixels and
column-parallel digital output, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 33, pp. 2081-2091, Dec. 1998
D. Yang, and A. Gamal, Comparative analysis of SNR for image sensors with enhanced dynamic range, Proc. SPIE, San
Jose, CA, 1999, vol. 3649, pp. 197-211
D. Yang, A. Gamal, B. Fowler, and H. Tan, A 640512 CMOS image sensor with ultrawide dynamic range floating-point
pixel-level ADC, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 34, pp. 1821-1834, Dec. 1999
D. Stoppa, A. Simoni, L. Gonzo, M. Gotardi, and G. Betta, Novel CMOS image sensor with a 132-dB dynamic range, IEEE
J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 37, pp. 1846-1852, Dec. 2002
N. Akahane, S. Sugawa, S. Adachi, K. Mori, T. Ishiyuki, and K. Mizobuchi, A sensitivity and linearity improvement of a 100dB dynamic range CMOS image sensor using a lateral overflow integration capacitor, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 41,
pp. 851-858, Apr. 2006
S. Adachi, W. Lee, N. Akahane, H. Oshikubo, K. Mizobuchi, and S. Sugawa, A 200uV/e- CMOS image sensor with 100-kefull well capacity, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 43, pp. 823-830, Apr. 2008
H. Takahashi et. al, A 1/2.7-in 2.96 MPixel CMOS image sensor with double CDS architecture for full high-definition
camcorders, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 42, pp. 2960-2967, Dec. 2007
12. M. Futura, Y. Nishikawa, T. Inoue, S. Kawahito, A high-speed, high-sensitivity digital CMOS image sensor with a global
shutter and 12-bit column-parallel cyclic A/D Converters, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 42, pp. 766-774, Apr. 2007
13. M. Snoejj, A. Theuwissen, K.. Makinwa, and J. Huijsing, A CMOS imager with column-level ADC using dynamic column
fixed-pattern noise reduction, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 41, pp. 3007-3015, Dec. 2006
14. L. McIlrath, A low-power low-noise ultrawide-dynamic-range CMOS imager with pixel-parallel A/D converters, IEEE J.
Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 36, pp. 846-853, May 2001

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