$320 \times 240$ Back-Illuminated 10- $\mu \text{m}$ CAPD Pixels for High-Speed Modulation Time-of-Flight CMOS Image Sensor

Kato, Yuichi; Sano, Takuya; Moriyama, Yusuke; Maeda, Shunji; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Nose, Atsushi; Shiina, Kimiyasu; Yasu, Yohtaro; Tempel, Ward Van Der; Ercan, Ali; Ebiko, Yoshiki; Nieuwenhove, Daniel Van; Sukegawa, Shunichi

doi:10.1109/jssc.2018.2789403

Cited by 61 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…[ 1–4 ] Detecting low levels of light at NIR at high speed is critical in emerging applications such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR), where a 3D image of the environment is required for virtual/augmented reality systems and robotics navigation systems. [ 5–8 ] PDs with high signal‐to‐noise ratio also allow building efficient optical communication systems, [ 9–11 ] whereas highly sensitive and fast PDs facilitate high‐resolution biosensors, spectroscopy, [ 12 ] and medical imaging technologies. [ 13–15 ] In this effort, several photon‐trapping (PT) structures, [ 4,16–23 ] which have been successfully implemented in solar cells, are now being implemented in PDs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximizing Absorption in Photon‐Trapping Ultrafast Silicon Photodetectors

Bartolo-Perez

Qarony

Ghandiparsi

et al. 2021

Advanced Photonics Research

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Silicon photodetectors (PDs) operating at near‐IR wavelengths with high speed and high sensitivity are becoming critical for emerging applications, such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems, quantum communications, and medical imaging. However, such PDs present a bandwidth‐absorption trade‐off at those wavelengths that have limited their implementation. Photon‐trapping (PT) structures address this trade‐off by enhancing the light–matter interactions, but maximizing their performance remains a challenge due to a multitude of factors influencing their design and fabrication. Herein, strategies to improve the PT effect while enhancing the speed of operation are investigated. By optimizing the design of PT structures and experimentally integrating them in high‐speed PDs, a simultaneous broadband absorption efficiency enhancement up to 1000% and a capacitance reduction of more than 50% are achieved. Empirical equations correlate the quantum efficiency of PDs with the physical properties of the PT structures, material characteristics, and limitations of the fabrication technologies. The results that are obtained open routes toward designing cost‐effective complementary metal–oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS)‐integrated receivers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximizing Absorption in Photon‐Trapping Ultrafast Silicon Photodetectors

Bartolo-Perez

Qarony

Ghandiparsi

et al. 2021

Advanced Photonics Research

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“…In the actual iTOF imagers using CW-iTOF method, 2-tap pixels [9,[14][15][16] are frequently used instead of 4-tap ones [8,11,17]. The 2-tap pixel obtains the four different phase signals using two consecutive frames in which the phase of the light source is changed.…”

Section: Modulation Methods In Indirect Tofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The structure was implemented in standard CMOS technology with front-side illumination [62]. In 2017, Sony and SoftKinetic presented a 320×240-array CAPD TOF sensor with BSI 10-µm pixel pitch [16,64], demonstrating 80% modulation contrast at the 100-MHz modulation frequency.…”

Section: Charge-modulator-based Lock-in Pixelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lock-in Pixel Based Time-of-Flight Range Imagers: An Overview

Yasutomi

Kawahito

2022

IEICE Trans. Electron.

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Time-of-flight (TOF) range imaging is a promising technology for various applications such as touchless control, augmented reality interface, and automotive. The TOF range imagers are classified into two methods: direct TOF with single photo avalanche diodes and indirect TOF with lock-in pixels. The indirect TOF range imagers have advantages in terms of a high spatial resolution and high depth precision because their pixels are simple and can handle many photons at one time. This paper reviews and discusses principal lock-in pixels reported both in the past and present, including circuit-based and charge-modulator-based lock-in pixels. In addition, key technologies that include enhancing sensitivity and background suppression techniques are also discussed.

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“…This "current assistance" detection principle has been used in photodetectors to improve device speed while having a larger detection volume [10]. A modulated hole current and drift field have been used in photonics demodulators for time-of-flight [11,12], and fast gated detectors for fluorescence lifetime imaging [13]. More recently, using the same structure as in this letter, linear gain mode avalanche photodiode operation [14] has been characterized below the breakdown voltage.…”

Section: Detector Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current-Assisted Single Photon Avalanche Diode (CASPAD) Fabricated in 350 nm Conventional CMOS

2020

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A current-assisted single-photon avalanche diode (CASPAD) is presented with a large and deep absorption volume combined with a small p-n junction in its middle to perform avalanche trigger detection. The absorption volume has a drift field that serves as a guiding mechanism to the photo-generated minority carriers by directing them toward the avalanche breakdown region of the p-n junction. This drift field is created by a majority current distribution in the thick (highly-resistive) epi-layer that is present because of an applied voltage bias between the p-anode of the avalanching region and the perimeter of the detector. A first CASPAD device fabricated in 350-nm CMOS shows functional operation for NIR (785-nm) photons; absorbed in a volume of 40 × 40 × 14 μm3. The CASPAD is characterized for its photon-detection probability (PDP), timing jitter, dark-count rate (DCR), and after pulsing.

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$320 \times 240$ Back-Illuminated 10- $\mu \text{m}$ CAPD Pixels for High-Speed Modulation Time-of-Flight CMOS Image Sensor

Cited by 61 publications

References 10 publications

Maximizing Absorption in Photon‐Trapping Ultrafast Silicon Photodetectors

Maximizing Absorption in Photon‐Trapping Ultrafast Silicon Photodetectors

Lock-in Pixel Based Time-of-Flight Range Imagers: An Overview

Current-Assisted Single Photon Avalanche Diode (CASPAD) Fabricated in 350 nm Conventional CMOS

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