<p> This course provides an introductory to intermediate level overview of the theory and operation of CCD and CMOS image sensors with system design and application considerations in a half-day course. It has been updated to place more emphasis on CMOS and system design considerations with less emphasis on CCDs. A background in solid state electronics and physics is helpful but not necessary. </p> <p> Topics include: </p> <br/> Basics of image capture/formation: photon capture, charge generation, movement and measurement. </p> <p> Sensor architectures & operation, CCDs: full frame, frame transfer, interline and CMOS: Rolling Shutter, Progressive Scan and Global Snap Shutter. Frontside vs backside illumination. Operational differences between CCD and CMOS sensors. </p> <p> Primary noise sources: signal shot noise, fixed pattern noise, thermal noise sources (dark shot noise, dark fixed pattern noise) and read noise plus CMOS random telegraph noise and image lag. </p> <p> Sensor/Camera performance characterization and noise and management: quantum efficiency, Fe55 Soft xray characterization / sensor diffusion MTF assessment/optimization, photon transfer analysis, SNR optimization. </p> <p> System design considerations: tradeoffs among pixel count, frame rate, pixel bit depth, sensor data bandwidth, electrical interfaces, frame buffering and network interface bandwidth. </p> <p> Cost considerations: sensor size, imaging optics, shuttering, cooling. </p> <p> Sensor manufacturing: die size vs lithography type vs wafer size. Substrate electrical properties, Backside illumination fabrication differences. Laminated stacked die architectures. </p> <p> Imaging System Design Examples: Matching a camera to a target: specifying sensor type, pixel size, field of view, lens focal length/focal ratio, frame rate/exposure time, video vs still. Networked video camera high level design example using FPGA plus network interface: key elements, sample design calculations. </p>

<p> This course provides an introductory to intermediate level overview of the theory and operation of CCD and CMOS image sensors with system design and application considerations in a half-day course. It has been updated to place more emphasis on CMOS and system design considerations with less emphasis on CCDs. A background in solid state electronics and physics is helpful but not necessary. </p> <p> Topics include: Basics of image capture/formation: photon capture, charge generation, movement and measurement </p> <p> Sensor architectures & operation, CCDs: full frame, frame transfer, interline and CMOS: Rolling Shutter, Progressive Scan and Global Snap Shutter. Frontside vs backside illumination. Operational differences between CCD and CMOS sensors. </p> <p> Primary noise sources: signal shot noise, fixed pattern noise, thermal noise sources (dark shot noise, dark fixed pattern noise) and read noise plus CMOS random telegraph noise and image lag </p> <p> Sensor/Camera performance characterization and noise and management: quantum efficiency, Fe55 Soft xray characterization / sensor diffusion MTF assessment/optimization, photon transfer analysis, SNR optimization </p> <p> Sensor manufacturing: die size vs lithography type vs wafer size. Substrate electrical properties, Backside illumination fabrication differences. Laminated stacked die architectures. </p> <p> System design considerations: tradeoffs among pixel architecture, pixel count, frame rate, pixel bit depth, sensor data bandwidth, electrical interfaces, frame buffering and network interface bandwidth. </p> <p> Cost considerations: sensor size, frame rate, imaging optics, shuttering, cooling </p> <p> Imaging System Examples of Top Down Design Approach: Matching a camera to a target: specifying sensor type, pixel size, field of view, lens focal length/focal ratio, frame rate/exposure time, video vs still. Networked video camera high level design example using FPGA plus network interface: key elements, sample design calculations. </p>

Photon transfer (PT) is a popular and essential characterization standard employed in the design, operation, characterization, calibration, optimization, specification and application of digital scientific and commercial camera systems. The PT user friendly technique is based on only two measurements- average signal and rms noise which together produce a multitude of important data products in evaluating digital camera systems (most notably CCD and CMOS). PT is applicable to all imaging disciplines. Design and fabrication process engineers developing imagers rely heavily on PT data products in determining discrete performance parameters such as quantum efficiency (QE), quantum yield, read noise, full well, dynamic range, nonlinearity, fixed pattern noise, V/e- conversion gain, dark current , image, etc.. Camera users routinely use the PT technique to determine system level performance parameters to convert relative measurements into absolute electron and photon units, offset correction, flat field and image S/N, ADC quantizing noise, optimum encoding, minimum detectable luminance, operating temperature to remove dark current , reliability, stability, etc. PT is also the first go/no-go test performed to determine the health of new camera system and/or detector as well as provide a power tool in trouble shooting problems. This course will review these aspects and many others offered by PT.