CMOS Image Sensors

This book explores the operating principles of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, their architecture, readout circuits, and characterisation techniques.

The book focusses on the pinned photodiode (4T) pixel and also describes the three transistor (3T) design and other pixel architectures. Device operation is explained throughout with the support of technology computer-aided design (TCAD) semiconductor simulations.

Characterisation techniques of CMOS image sensors are discussed in detail, including the use of the photon transfer curve (PTC) for determining the many device parameters. Solved examples are included with the purpose of helping readers gain an understanding of the practical use of the formulas.

The main audience includes physicists and engineers in image sensor characterisation and development.

Key Features:

• Includes many semiconductor device and circuit simulations as a tool to illustrate the operating principles.
• Covers both the semiconductor physics and the most important electronic circuits comprising a CMOS image sensor.
• Presents solved examples and a list of the most important "take-aways" within each chapter.
• Discusses some specialised topics, such as charge collection, sources of dark current, reflective barriers, backside illumination and potential gradients.
• Provides detailed analysis of the noise sources and the readout techniques in CMOS image sensors.
• Covers the on-chip readout circuits at transistor level and presents the essential off-chip electronics with practical examples.

本書探討互補式金屬氧化物半導體（CMOS）影像感測器的操作原理、架構、讀出電路和特性測試技術。

本書專注於固定光電二極體（4T）像素，並描述了三個晶體管（3T）設計和其他像素架構。通過技術輔助設計（TCAD）半導體模擬，解釋了器件的操作原理。

詳細討論了CMOS影像感測器的特性測試技術，包括使用光子傳輸曲線（PTC）來確定許多器件參數。解決了一些實例，以幫助讀者理解公式的實際應用。

主要受眾包括影像感測器特性測試和開發的物理學家和工程師。

主要特點：
- 包括許多半導體器件和電路模擬，作為說明操作原理的工具。
- 涵蓋了半導體物理學和組成CMOS影像感測器的最重要的電子電路。
- 提供了解決的實例和每章最重要的要點清單。
- 討論了一些專門的主題，如電荷收集、暗電流來源、反射屏障、背面照明和電位梯度。
- 對CMOS影像感測器中的噪聲源和讀出技術進行了詳細分析。
- 詳細介紹了晶體管級別的片上讀出電路，並提供了實際示例中的必要的片外電子學。

以上是本書的內容摘要。