Jonathan Ephriam David Hurwitz

A single-chip 306/spl times/244-pixel CMOS NTSC video camera

Recently, a technological alternative to CCD in the form of cameras using sensors built from standard CMOS processes has appeared, and we report here a further milestone. A single-chip NTSC video camera can be partitioned into analog (custom) and digital (cell-based) sections. The sensing heart of the device is an array of 306/spl times/244 photosensitive elements, each comprising a three-transistor active pixel based on a standard CMOS n +/p-well photodiode. Photocharge integrated in the pixel during exposure is read row-sequentially into a column structure that removes the systematic offset of each pixel by a read sequence with correlated double sampling.

SXGA pinned photodiode CMOS image sensor in 0.35 /spl mu/m technology

A 30 frames/s SXGA 5.6 /spl mu/m pinned photodiode pixel column parallel CMOS image sensor achieves 340 /spl mu/V noise floor and 40 pA/cm/sup 2/ dark current. Performance is limited by pixel 1/f noise, not by the ADC noise floor of 140 /spl mu/V. The column ADC memory employs a custom DRAM to save area. The sensor utilizes a 0.35 /spl mu/m 1P 3M CMOS process.

Combined linear-logarithmic CMOS image sensor

A 352/spl times/288 pixel array achieves >120 dB dynamic range through merging sequential linear and logarithmic images. Calibration is used to match offset and gain. A 7-transistor pixel is built in a 0.18 /spl mu/m 1P4M CMOS process.

800-thousand-pixel color CMOS sensor for consumer still cameras

An 800k-pixel active pixel device has been developed for use in a digital still camera application. A mode of operation has been developed to cancel the problems of fixed patterned noise and dark current inherent to this type of CMOS imaging array. A time multiplexed read-out mechanism allows the device to operate at 5 Mpix/s and still settle to within 0.1 percent. The device, with a full well of approximately 100K electrons, is capable of delivering a S/N of 66dB, and a sensitivity of approximately 50mV/lux at 50mS exposure. The sensor is covered with a color mosaic to allow an accurate recovery of a color image. This sensor makes new in-roads for CMOS imaging into areas traditionally occupied by CCDs.

A miniature imaging module for mobile applications

A miniature mobile imaging module combines a 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS CIF imager with a 0.18 /spl mu/m co-processor within a compact lensed package. It provides 15 frames/s ITU-Rec.656 data with 50 mW consumption. Automatic flicker-detection is one of the features that help the camera function in a mobile application.

A 35 mm film format CMOS image sensor for camera-back applications

A 5 V 1120×1808 pixel 35 mm film format CMOS image sensor for camera-back use, fabricated in 0.5 μm 2-poly 3-metal (2P3M) technology, includes integrated light-detection circuitry using non-destructive pixel read and consumes <50 μW. Reticle stitching is employed for the large format. Dynamic range is 66 dB and peak SNR is 55 dB.