1.75um Pixel Comparison Update

1.75um pixel generation comparison is updated with Micron ISSCC'07 data:

	Micron ISSCC 2007	Samsung IEDM 2006	ST IEDM 2006
Full Well Saturation Charge	7208e	>10Ke	8Ke
Temporal Noise	3.8e full imager	<10e	3e pixel only
Dark Current at 60C	90e (estimation)	<10e/s	25e/s
Image Lag	No data, probably 0	0	0
Metallization	Al	Cu	Cu

In the paper Micron reports 6.1e/s dark current at 30C. This has been translated into 90e/s at 60C, assuming dark current is doubling every 7-8C.

Overall, after more than 2 years work on 1.75um pixel, Micron results do not impress. Micron's saturation level is the lowest of the class, while the dark current is the highest. In fact the initial pixel data that Micron announced in 2005 was much better.

But let's not forget that the ISSCC paper presents the first generation of 1.75um pixel. On 3GSM Micron just launched the 2nd generation. Hope this second iteration will have better spec. Looking back on 2.2um pixels, Micron dramatically changed its second generation pixel design and got a huge performance improvement in the recent 2.2um sensors. May be 1.75um pixel development will follow the same path.