Low-light-level CMOS image sensor for digitally fused night vision systems

Boyd Fowler; Chiao Liu; Steve Mims; Janusz Balicki; Wang Li; Hung Do; Paul Vu

doi:10.1117/12.818053

7 May 2009 Low-light-level CMOS image sensor for digitally fused night vision systems

Boyd Fowler, Chiao Liu, Steve Mims, Janusz Balicki, Wang Li, Hung Do, Paul Vu

Proceedings Volume 7298, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXV; 72981D (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818053
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

In this paper we present a VNIR solid state sensor technology suitable for next generation fused night vision systems. This technology is based on a highly optimized low power 0.18um CMOS image sensor (CIS) process. We describe a 320(H) x 240(V) pixel prototype sensor based on this technology. The sensor features 5T pixels with pinned photodiodes on a 6.5μm pitch with integrated micro-lens. The 5T pixel architecture enables both correlated double sampling (CDS) and a lateral anti-blooming drain. The measured peak quantum efficiency of the sensor is greater than 50% at 600nm, and the read noise is less than 1e- RMS at room temperature. The sensor does not have any multiplicative noise. The full well capacity is greater than 40ke-, the dark current is less than 3.8pA/cm2 at 20ºC, and the MTF at 77 lp/mm is 0.4 at 600nm. The sensor also achieves an intra-scene linear dynamic range of greater than 90dB (30000:1) at room temperature.

Citation Download Citation

Boyd Fowler, Chiao Liu, Steve Mims, Janusz Balicki, Wang Li, Hung Do, and Paul Vu "Low-light-level CMOS image sensor for digitally fused night vision systems", Proc. SPIE 7298, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXV, 72981D (7 May 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818053

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