Journal of Sensor Science and Technology (센서학회지)

The Korean Sensors Society (한국센서학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Dynamic Range Extension of CMOS Image Sensor with Column Capacitor and Feedback Structure

컬럼 커패시터와 피드백 구조를 이용한 CMOS 이미지 센서의 동작 범위 확장

  • Lee, Sanggwon (School of Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity) ;
  • Jo, Sung-Hyun (School of Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity) ;
  • Bae, Myunghan (School of Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity) ;
  • Choi, Byoung-Soo (School of Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity) ;
  • Kim, Heedong (School of Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity) ;
  • Shin, Eunsu (Department of Sensor and Display Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity) ;
  • Shin, Jang-Kyoo (School of Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National Unversity)
  • 이상권 (경북대학교 전자공학부) ;
  • 조성현 (경북대학교 전자공학부) ;
  • 배명한 (경북대학교 전자공학부) ;
  • 최병수 (경북대학교 전자공학부) ;
  • 김희동 (경북대학교 전자공학부) ;
  • 신은수 (경북대학교 센서 및 디스플레이공학과) ;
  • 신장규 (경북대학교 전자공학부)
  • Received : 2015.03.16
  • Accepted : 2015.04.06
  • Published : 2015.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This paper presents a wide dynamic range complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor with column capacitor and feedback structure. The designed circuit has been fabricated by using $0.18{\mu}m$ 1-poly 6-metal standard CMOS technology. This sensor has dual mode operation using combination of active pixel sensor (APS) and passive pixel sensor (PPS) structure. The proposed pixel operates in the APS mode for high-sensitivity in normal light intensity, while it operates in the PPS mode for low-sensitivity in high light intensity. The proposed PPS structure is consisted of a conventional PPS with column capacitor and feedback structure. The capacitance of column capacitor is changed by controlling the reference voltage using feedback structure. By using the proposed structure, it is possible to store more electric charge, which results in a wider dynamic range. The simulation and measurement results demonstrate wide dynamic range feature of the proposed PPS.

Keywords

References

  1. M. Bigas, E. Cabruja, J. Forest, and J. Salvi, "Review of CMOS image sensors", Microelectron. J., Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 433-451, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mejo.2005.07.002
  2. E. Fossum, "CMOS image sensors: Electronic camera on a chip", IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 44, No. 10, pp. 1689-1698, 1997. https://doi.org/10.1109/16.628824
  3. X Wu, X Liu, M Zhang, and J Van der Spicegel, "Current mode image sensor with improved linearity and fixed-pattern noise", IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I-Regul. Pap., Vol. 61, No. 6, pp. 1666-1674, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1109/TCSI.2013.2295009
  4. M. W. Seo, T. Sawamoto, T. Akahori, Z. Liu, T. Iida, T. Takasawa, T. Kosugi, K. Isobe, and S. Kawahito, "A low-noise high-dynamic-range 17-b 1.3-megapixel 30-fps CMOS image sensor with column-parallel two-stage folding-integration/cyclic ADC", IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 59, No. 12, pp. 3396-3400, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2012.2215871
  5. K. Yonemoto and H. Sumi, "A CMOS image sensor with a simple fixed-pattern-noise-reduction technology and a Hole Accumulation Diode", IEEE J. Solid-Stats Circuit, Vol. 35, No. 12, pp. 2038-2043, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1109/4.890320
  6. D. Das and S. Collins, "Fixed-pattern-noise correction for an integrating wide-dynamic-range CMOS image sensor", IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 314-319, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2012.2226589
  7. K. D. Kim, S. H. Seo, M. W. Seo, and J. K. Shin, "Dynamic range improvement of active pixel sensor using charge pimp circuit", J. Sensor Sci. & Tech., Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 114-119, 2008. https://doi.org/10.5369/JSST.2008.17.2.114
  8. J. S. Kong, S. H. Jo, S. Y. Lee, K. H. Choi, S. H. Seo, and J. K. Shin, "Operation of a wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor based on dual sampling mechanism and its SPICE simulation", J. Sensor Sci. & Tech., Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 285-290, 2010. https://doi.org/10.5369/JSST.2010.19.4.285
  9. M. W. Seo, S. H. Seo, J. S. Kong, and J. K. Shin, "Dynamic range expansion of active pixel sensor with output voltage feedback", J. Sensor Sci. & Tech., Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 274-279, 2009. https://doi.org/10.5369/JSST.2009.18.4.274
  10. M. Bae, S. H. Jo, M. Lee, J. Y. Kim, J. Choi, P. Choi, and J. K. Shin, "A wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor based on a pseudo 3-transistor active pixel sensor using feedback structure", J. Sensor Sci. & Tech., Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 413-419, 2012. https://doi.org/10.5369/JSST.2012.21.6.413
  11. S. H. Jo, H. H. Lee, M. Bae, M. Lee, J. Kim, P. Choi, and J. K. Shin, "Extension of the dynamic range in the CMOS active pixel sensor using a stacked photodiode and feedback structure", J. Sensor Sci. & Tech., Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 256-261, 2013. https://doi.org/10.5369/JSST.2013.22.4.256
  12. J. Lee, I. Baek, and D. Yang, "On-Chip FPN calibration for a linear-logarithmic APS using two-step charge transfer", IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol 60, No.6, pp. 1989-1994, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2013.2259236
  13. G. Storm, R. Henderson, J. E. D. Hurwitz, D. Renshaw, K. Findlater, and M. Purcell, "Extended dynamic range from a combined linear-logarithmic CMOS image sensor", IEEE J. Solid-Stats Circuit, Vol. 41, No. 9, pp. 2095-2106, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2006.880613
  14. M. Vatteroni, P. Valdastri, A. Sartori, A. Menciassi, and P. Dario, "Linear-logarithmic CMOS pixel with tunable dynamic range", IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 58, No. 4, pp. 1108-1115, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2011.2106787
  15. C. A. de Moraes Cruz, D. W. de Lima Monteiro, E. A. Cotta, V. Ferreira de Lucenam and A. K. Pinto Souza, "FPN attenuation by reset-drain actuation in the linear-logarithmic active pixel sensor", IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I-Regul. Pap., Vol. 61, No. 10, pp. 2825-2833, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1109/TCSI.2014.2327284
  16. Wei-jean Liu, Hsiu-Fen Yeh, and O.T.C. Chen, "A high dynamic-range CMOS image sensor with locally adjusting charge supply mechanism", Conf. Proc. (Midwest Symp Circuits Syst), pp. 384-387, 2005.
  17. D. Park, J. Rhee, and Y. Joo, "A wide dynamic-range CMOS image sensor using self-reset technique," IEEE Electron Device Lett., Vol. 28, No. 10, pp. 890-892, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1109/LED.2007.905396
  18. D. ho, M. O. Noor, U. J. Krull, G. Gulak, and R. Genov, "CMOS Tunable-color image sensor With Dual-ADC Shot-Noise-Aware dynamic range extension", IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I-Regul. Pap., Vol. 60, No. 8, pp. 2116-2129, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1109/TCSI.2013.2239115
  19. N. Akahane, S. Sugawa, S. Adachi, K. Mori, T. Lshiuchi, and K. Mizobuchi, "A sensitivity and linearity improvement of a 100-dB dynamic range CMOS image sensor using a lateral overflow integration capacitor", IEEE J. Solid-State Circuit, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 851-858, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2006.870753
  20. N. Akahane, S. Adachi, K. Mizobuchi, and S. Sugawa, "Optimum design of conversion gain and full well capacity in CMOS image sensor with lateral overflow integration capacitor", IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 56, No. 11, pp. 2429-2435, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2009.2030550
  21. S. Adachi, W. Lee, N. Akahane, H. Oshikubo, K. Mizobuchi, and S. Sugawa, "A 200-V/e CMOS image sensor with 100-ke full well capacity", IEEE J. Solid-State Circuit, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 823-830, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2008.917549
  22. I. L. Fujimori, C. C. Wang, and C. G. Sodini, "A 256 ${\times}$ 256 CMOS differential passive pixel imager with FPN reduction techniques", IEEE J. Solid-Stats Circuit, Vol. 35, No. 12, pp. 2031-2037, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1109/4.890319
  23. O. Yadid-Pecht, B. Mansoorian, E. Fossum, and B. Pain, "Optimization of noise and responsivity in CMOS active pixel sensors for detection of ultralow light levels", Proc. SPIE, pp. 2038-2043, 2000.
  24. K. Murari, R. Etienne-Cummings, N. Thakor, and G. Cauwenberghs, "Which photodiode to use: A comparison of CMOS-compatible structures", IEEE Sens. J., Vol. 9, No. 7, pp. 752-760, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2009.2021805