Journal of Sensor Science and Technology (센서학회지)

The Korean Sensors Society (한국센서학회)
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CMOS Image Sensor with Dual-Sensitivity Photodiodes and Switching Circuitfor Wide Dynamic Range Operation

  • Lee, Jimin (School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Choi, Byoung-Soo (School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Bae, Myunghan (School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Kim, Sang-Hwan (School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Oh, Chang-Woo (Department of Sensor and Display Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Shin, Jang-Kyoo (School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University)
  • Received : 2017.07.18
  • Accepted : 2017.07.26
  • Published : 2017.07.31
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Abstract

Conventional CMOS image sensors (CISs) have a trade-off relationship between dynamic range and sensitivity. In addition, their sensitivity is determined by the photodiode capacitance. In this paper, CISs that consist of dual-sensitivity photodiodes in a unit pixel are proposed for achieving wide dynamic ranges. In the proposed CIS, signal charges are generated in the dual photodiodes during integration, and these generated signal charges are accumulated in the floating-diffusion node. The signal charges generated in the high-sensitivity photodiodes are transferred to the input of the comparator through an additional source follower, and the signal voltages converted by the source follower are compared with a reference voltage in the comparator. The output voltage of the comparator determines which photodiode is selected. Therefore, the proposed CIS composed of dual-sensitivity photodiodes extends the dynamic range according to the intensity of light. A $94{\times}150$ pixel array image sensor was designed using a conventional $0.18{\mu}m$ CMOS process and its performance was simulated.

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References

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