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TFA Image Sensors for Low Light Level Detection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Jürgen Sterzel,
Frank Blecher,
Matthias Hillebrand,
Bernd Schneider and
Markus Böhm
Jürgen Sterzel
Affiliation:
Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik (IMT), Universität-GH Siegen, D-57068 Siegen, Germany
Frank Blecher
Affiliation:
Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik (IMT), Universität-GH Siegen, D-57068 Siegen, Germany
Matthias Hillebrand
Affiliation:
Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik (IMT), Universität-GH Siegen, D-57068 Siegen, Germany
Bernd Schneider
Affiliation:
Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik (IMT), Universität-GH Siegen, D-57068 Siegen, Germany
Markus Böhm
Affiliation:
Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik (IMT), Universität-GH Siegen, D-57068 Siegen, Germany
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Abstract

TFA technology, using ASICs coated with amorphous silicon based photo detectors, opens new applications for CMOS image sensors. One particular field of interest is the detection of low light level images with pixel photocurrents in the femtoampere range and below. In this paper we describe the effects of the capacitances on the pixel amplifier, we derive noise values for the detector and the amplifier, and we estimate the gain fixed pattern noise level. An inverter circuit providing a 40-fold increase of the charge conversion gain is presented.

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References

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