Samsung Call to Universities

The Global Research Outreach Program is Samsung Electronics annual call for best and novel ideas. In image sensors, 6 areas of interest are identified:

1. High Resolution Computational Imaging based on Camera 2.0

Scope
We are interested in high resolution computational imaging with the following properties

• Methods to refocus and estimate depth from computational (plenoptic) camera and Camera 2.0 platform
• Methods to get high resolution output image and/or depth from plenoptic camera.
• Methods to operate computational camera in low power-consumption

Research questions

• When implementing plenoptic camera as very thin camera module, are there any problem expected?
• There may be trade-off between output resolution and refocusing performance. How can we increase output resolution while keeping refocusing performance?
• Can super-resolution techniques increase output resolution? Are there any artifact or resource limitation from super-resolution?

Subject 2: Development of High Performance in Sub-1um Pixel and Simulation Environment

Scope
Challenges that significantly advance the state-of-the-art in pixel technologies include:

• New microlens structure to reduce diffraction and enhance light gathering efficiency in the submicron pixel sensor
• New methods to enhance light absorption power in the submicron pixel sensor
• New methods include new material as well as new optical structure
• Novel concepts (e.g. surface plasmon, multiple electron generation, etc.) are also welcomed.
• New color filter material and structure to improve SNR with good color accuracy
• Simulation method to increase speed and accuracy

Research questions

• How can we control the diffraction of the lens between pixels to reduce the crosstalk in the submicron pixel sensor?
• How can the light gathering power of microlens be improved in the sub-micron pixels?
• How to remove loss of power in sub-micron pixels?
• Additional Structures to enhance the absorption power in the submicron pixel sensor.
• What is the ideal color filter spectrum to improve SNR?
• What is the best simulation method to improve speed and accuracy?

Subject 3: Energy Efficient Column Parallel Two Step ADCs for High Speed Imaging

Scope
We are interested in a two step ADC regarding the embodiment of low power & high speed CIS:

• Optimization of CIS readout architecture to overcome the two step ADC’s weakness
• ADC type to improve the productivity as well as size, speed, and power
• Structure innovation for energy-efficient two-step ADC having ultra low noise

Research questions

• How can we get over all the obstacles, especially the trade-off relation between power, speed, and noise when designing a next CIS ADC?
• How can we secure the uniformity and productivity as well as IP’s performance?
• How can we get over the size competitiveness of original single slope ADC as well as power efficiency?

Subject 4: Resolution Enhancement of Image from Low Resolution Image

Scope
Challenges that significantly advance the state-of-the-art in image upscaling technologies include:

• Image upscaling based on self-similarity of an input image.
• Reducing artifacts and improve naturalness of the upscaled image
• Reducing required line memory and computational complexity of upscaling algorithm

Research questions

• How to reduce artificial and unnatural representation of upscaled image to complex textured input image?
• How to define similarity among similar patterns? If we have similarity measure, how to use this similarity to stitch and upscale high resolution image?
• How to reduce computational redundancy in cascaded processing of self-similarity based upscaling?

Subject 5: Smart Image Sensor

Scope

• Advanced smart functional imaging technologies, especially in the field of health-care, natural user interface, virtual reality, etc.
• Pixel, circuit, image signal processing, optics, module and any other system level architectures covering the above mentioned area.
• Unprecedented pixel, circuit, and system level core technologies, such as three dimensional imaging, cognitive imaging, imaging in non-visible wavelength range, infrared-to-visible converting imaging, single transistor CMOS imaging, etc.
• Image signal processing algorithm which accounts for effectiveness in smart functionalities, such as smart pattern and motion recognition, etc.
• Methodology of analysis and characterization in pixel and system level for advanced smart imaging devices.

Research questions

• Why do the new smart functionalities of proposition bear technological impact and possibly open new consumer electronics markets in regards of image sensor?
• How can the proposition be realized with new architectures?
• How can the proposition be realized in practice? For instance, is the proposition achievable with current CMOS technologies? Would the power of electrical consumption and operational speed be acceptable?
• Why do the methodology of analysis and characterization of proposition bear academic and technological importance and effectiveness?

Subject 6: Si Photonic Biosensor for Healthcare

Scope

• Smart biosensor technologies, especially in the area of disease detection such as cancer, virus, glucose and DNA sequencing for health-care
• Biosensing element and bio-processing, circuit and system level architectures covering the above mentioned area.
• Biomarker discovery for lung cancer diagnosis
• Photonics integrated circuits for biosensor, such as micro-optical spectrometer, WDM devices and optical ring resonator, etc.
• Circuit architectures, such as resonant wavelength sensing readout with low noise, etc.
• Methodology of analysis and characterization in bio-processing and system level for advanced smart biosensor.
• Measurement of the shift in resonant wavelength
• Miniaturized photonic components and biosensor element
• Compatibility with standard CMOS process
• Bio data processing algorithm which accounts for effectiveness in detection and DNA sequencing.

Research questions

• Why the new functionalities of proposition should be realized with new architecture?
• How effectively the proposition can be realized in practice?

Interesting to note that 2012 is the first year program having a large image sensor section. The previous years programs had no CIS content.