IEDM 2010 Image Sensor Program

IEDM 2010 published its technical program. Session 14 at is dedicated to image sensors and includes a lot of interesting stuff:

A Leading-Edge 0.9um Pixel CMOS Image Sensor Technology with Backside Illumination: Future Challenges for Pixel Scaling (Invited),
S.G. Wuu, C.C. Wang, B.C. Hseih, Y.L. Tu, C.H. Tseng, T.H. Hsu, R.S. Hsiao, S. Takahashi, R.J. Lin, C.S. Tsai, Y.P. Chao, K.Y. Chou, P.S. Chou, H.Y. Tu, L.Tran (TSMC)

In this paper, a leading edge N65 0.9um pixel BSI technology using 300mm bulk silicon wafer is reported with process breakthroughs. Challenges to go beyond <0.9um pixel size are discussed.

A 3x3, 5µm pitch, 3-transistor Single Photon Avalanche Diode Array with Integrated 11V Bias Generation in 90nm CMOS Technology,
R.K. Henderson, E.A.G. Webster, R. Walker, J.A. Richardson*, L.A. Grant*, University of Edinburgh, *STMicroelectronics

A 3x3 prototype image sensor array of CMOS avalanche photodiodes with 3-transistor NMOS pixel circuitry is integrated in a 90nm CMOS image sensor technology. A 5um pixel pitch is obtained with <1% crosstalk, 170Hz mean dark count rate at 20C, 36% photon detection efficiency at 410nm and 107ps FWHM jitter.

A Miniature Actively Recharged Single-Photon Detector Free of Afterpulsing Effects with 6ns Dead Time in a 0.18µm CMOS Technology,
C. Niclass, M. Soga, Toyota Central Research and Development Labs, Inc.

A CMOS single-photon detector, including a highly miniaturized active recharge circuit, achieving the highest counting rate yet reported for an afterpulsing-free Geiger-mode photodiode is introduced. Thanks to its low-noise and 6-ns dead time figure, a dynamic-range of 116dB for steady-state photon counting in a single acquisition time of 20ms was achieved.

A Low Dark Current and High Quantum Efficiency Monolithic Germanium-on-Silicon CMOS Imager Technology for Day and Night Imaging Applications,
I. Aberg, B. Ackland, J.V. Beach, C. Godek, R. Johnson, C.A. King, A. Lattes, J. O’Neill, S. Pappas, T.S. Sriram, C.S. Rafferty, NoblePeak Vision Corporation

A low noise, high quantum efficiency Ge photo-diode was integrated in a 10 µm pitch video graphics array CMOS image sensor, the first large-scale integration of single crystal Ge into a silicon product. Night imaging in moonless conditions was demonstrated in this technology for the first time.

10 µm Pixel-to-Pixel Pitch Hybrid Backside Illuminated AlGaN-on-Si Imagers for Solar Blind EUV Radiation Detection,
P.E. Malinowski, J.Y. Duboz*, P. De Moor, J. John, K. Minoglou, P. Srivastava, Y. Creten, T. Torfs, J. Putzeys, F. Semond*, E. Frayssinet*, B. Giordanengo**, A. BenMoussa**, J. F. Hochedez**, R. Mertens, C. Van Hoof, IMEC, *CRHEA-CNRS, **Royal Observatory of Belgium

We present state-of-the-art 10 µm pixel pitch hybrid AlGaN-on-Si EUV imagers. 256x256 backside illuminated Focal Plane Arrays were integrated with dedicated CMOS readouts. The AlGaN active layer provides intrinsic solar blindness with 280 nm cut-off wavelength. Sensitivity was verified using synchrotron radiation down to 1 nm wavelength.

Efficiency Enhancement and Polarization Detection Capability of Photodiode by Accumulating Local Electric Field on the Metal Electrodes,
Y.-S. Lai, H.-L. Chen*, C.H. Lin**, H.M. Chang*, S.C. Tseng*, Y.M. Chi*, C.Ho, F.-L. Yang, National Nano Device Laboratories, *National Taiwan University, **National Cheng Kung University

By chiral-shape patterns over finger-type electrodes of conventional photodiode, for the first time, record high >80% external quantum efficiency (EQE) and polarization detection capability are successfully achieved simultaneously through the self-accumulated local electric field due to strong local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Device has expected high efficiency to absorb the incident visible energy profiting the visible applications potentially.