Image Sensors at IEDM 2015

IEDM 2015 published its technical program. Section 30 "Advanced Imagers and Photodetectors" has 7 papers:

30.1 Multi-storied Photodiode CMOS Image Sensor for Multiband Imaging with 3D Technology,
Y. Takemoto, K. Kobayashi, M. Tsukimura, N. Takazawa, H. Kato, S. Suzuki, J. Aoki, T. Kondo, H. Saito, Y. Gomi, S. Matsuda, and Y. Tadaki
Olympus Corporation

We demonstrated multiband imaging with a multi- storied photodiode CMOS image sensor comprising two semiconductor layers that function individually for optimized performance. The sensor captures a wide variety of multiband images, including visible RGB images taken with a Bayer filter and invisible infrared images, at the same time without color degradation.

30.2 First Demonstration of 0.9 μm Pixel Global Shutter Operation by Novel Charge Control in Organic Photoconductive Film,
M. Takase, Y. Miyake, T. Yamada, T. Tamaki, M. Murakami and Y. Inoue
Panasonic Corporation

This paper introduces new charge generation and extraction operation in organic photoconductive film sensor. By spatial and temporal control of electric field in organic photoconductive film, high speed global shutter operation in sub-micron pixel, electrical iris control without ND filter, phase difference detective autofocusing are demonstrated.

30.3 Color Image Sensor with Organic Photoconductive Films (Invited),
T. Sakai, H. Seo, T. Takagi, M. Kubota, H. Ohtake, and M. Furuta*
NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories, *Kochi University of Technology

A color image sensor with three-stacked organic photoconductive films (OPFs) and transparent readout circuits for high-resolution, high-sensitive, compact color video cameras is described. The sensor separates and simultaneously detects the three primary colors. We fabricated test image sensors and confirmed the feasibility of a color video camera with three-stacked OPFs.

30.4 Optical Performance Study of BSI Image Sensor with Stacked Grid Structure
Y.-W. Cheng, T.-H. Tsai, C.-H. Chou, K.-C. Lee, H.-C. Chen, and Y.-L. Hsu
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

Stacked grid structure is implemented into BSI image sensors and device performance for various grid dimension and height has been investigated. Simulated angular response shows less QE degradation in large incident angle and SNR-10 has a ~10% improvement for devices with stacked grid structure.

30.5 Avalanche Photodiode Featuring Germanium-Tin Multiple Quantum Wells on Silicon: Extending Photodetection to Wavelengths of 2 μm and Beyond,
Y. Dong, W. Wang, S.Y. Lee*, D. Lei, X. Gong, W. Khai Loke*, S.-F. Yoon*, G. Liang, Y.-C. Yeo
National University of Singapore, *Nanyang Technological University

We report the world’s first demonstration of a Ge0.9Sn0.1 multiple quantum wells on Si avalanche photodiode (Ge0.9Sn0.1 MQW/Si APD), achieving a cutoff wavelength λ above 2 μm. A high optical responsivity of 0.33 A/W is achieved at λ = 2003 nm due to the internal avalanche multiplication.

30.6 High Dose Efficiency, Ultra-high Resolution Amorphous Selenium/CMOS Hybrid Digital X-ray Imager,
C.C. Scott, A. Parsafar, A. El-Falou, P.M. Levine, K.S. Karim
University of Waterloo

We demonstrate high dose efficiency from a high- resolution 5.6 µm×6.25 µm pixel pitch amorphous selenium/CMOS hybrid X-ray imager that could radically accelerate bioengineering research by enabling lab-based in vivo pre-clinical imaging. Compared to existing scintillator-based imagers, our approach enables 100× gains in dose efficiency at spatial frequencies of 20-60 cycles/mm.

30.7 Stacked Image Sensor Using Chlorine-doped Crystalline Selenium Photoconversion Layer Composed of Size-controlled Polycrystalline Particles,
S. Imura, K. Kikuchi, K. Miyakawa, H. Ohtake1, M. Kubota, T. Okino*, Y. Hirose*, Y. Kato*, and N. Teranishi**,
NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories, *Panasonic Corporation, **University of Hyogo

We demonstrate a stacked CMOS image sensor overlaid with a chlorine (Cl)-doped crystalline selenium (c-Se) photoconversion layer. The size of the polycrystalline particles of c-Se, which is strongly related to the fixed pattern noise, is perfectly controlled by Cl doping to c-Se; hence, the resulting device provides clearer images.

Session 19 has 1 paper on flexible image sensors:

19.5 Large Area Sensing Surfaces: Flexible Organic Printed Interfacing Circuits and Sensors (Invited),
S. Jacob, M. Benwadih, J. Bablet, M. Charbonneau, A. Aliane, A. Plihon, and A.Revaux,
CEA, LITEN

Organic Large Area Electronics has been identified as a key enabling technology for smart sensing. This paper presents the last major results on different printed organic interfacing circuits and sensors which have been integrated together to achieve an image sensor on a flexible plastic substrate, demonstrating the potential of our technology for large area sensing surfaces.