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Monday, October 11, 2010

IMEC Starts 3SIS Project

IMEC initiated an ambitious Flemish 3SIS Strategic Basic Research (SBO) project with aim to come up with a 3D integrated CMOS imager consisting of vertically integrated optical/detector/analog/digital processing tiers.



With respect to process technology the project will focus on:
  1. 3D integration technology with through-silicon vias, allowing a separation of the photodetectors on the one hand and the pixel read-out electronics on the other hand into 2 separate layers.
  2. Technologies for more sensitive pixels
  3. Pixel sensitivity for wavelengths outside the visual light spectrum.
  4. Microlenses that are optimized for NIR and UV as well as visual light and that offer additional functionalities
Thanks to P.R. for sending me the link!

5 comments:

  1. Notice that Imec will lead the project and design the photodetector while VUB brussels will study the microlenses, KULeuven will design the analog readout + ADCs and HoGent will come up with new image processing algorithms

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  2. What are the main applications for such structure ?
    Thanks !

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  3. I think the main challenge of such a system would be the heat trapped between the digital and analog layers. How would one dissipate/remove it?

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  4. They forget to put a TEC layer ...

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  5. REgarding the thermal aspects: it is not the aim to incorporate active cooling into this demonstrator. However, we have other R&D activities for cooling 3D stacked chips.
    Regarding the application: the aim of this project is to investigate the system architecture trade-offs, not to serve a dedicated application. However, a number of applciations such as ultra-high-speed imaging or low power security applications will benefit from this imager architecture we believe.

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