SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

Pixel-level A/D conversion using voltage reset technique

Minzeng Li, Fule Li, Chun Zhang and Zhihua Wang

+ Author Affiliations

 Corresponding author: Li Minzeng, Email:li-mz11@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn

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Abstract: This paper presents a 50 Hz 15-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for pixel-level implementation in CMOS image sensors. The ADC is based on charge packets counting and adopts a voltage reset technique to inject charge packets. The core circuit for charge/pulse conversion is specially optimized for low power, low noise and small area. An experimental chip with ten pixel-level ADCs has been fabricated and tested for verification. The measurement result shows a standard deviation of 1.8 LSB for full-scale output. The ADC has an area of 45×45 μm2 and consumes less than 2 μW in a standard 1P-6M 0.18 μm CMOS process.

Key words: pixel-level analog-to-digital converter (ADC)voltage reset techniquelow speed and high resolution



[1]
Loinaz M J, Singh K J, Blanksby A J, et al. A 200 mW 3.3 V CMOS color camera IC producing 352×28824 b video at 30 frames/s. IEEE J Solid-State Circuit, 1998, 33(12):2092 doi: 10.1109/4.735552
[2]
Smith S, Hurwitz J, Torrie M, et al. A single-chip 306×244-pixel CMOS NTSC video camera. IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference, 1998:170
[3]
Snoeij M F, Theuwissen A J P, Makinwa K A A, et al. A CMOS image with column-level ADC using dynamic column fixed-pattern noise reduction. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2006, 41(12):3007 doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2006.884866
[4]
Han Ye, Li Quanliang, Shi Cong, et al. A 10-bit column-parallel cyclic ADC for high-speed CMOS image sensors. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(8):085016 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/8/085016
[5]
Snoeij M F, Donegan P, Theuwissen A J P, et al. A CMOS image sensor with a column-level multiple-ramp single-slope ADC. IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference, 2007:506
[6]
Li Y, Jiang L, Ji Z. Design of a low power high speed auto-zeroed column-level ADC for data readout of CMOS APS based vertex detector. 16th IEEE NPSS Real Time Conference, 2009:295
[7]
Mahmoodi A, Joseph D. Optimization of delta-sigma ADC for column-level data conversion in CMOS image sensor. IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (IMTC), 2007:1
[8]
Peizerat A, Arques M, Villard P, et al. Pixel-level A/D conversion:comparison of two charge packets counting techniques. International Image Sensor Workshop (ⅡSW), 2007:200
[9]
Fowler B, Gamal A E, Yang D X D. A CMOS area image sensor with pixel-level A/D conversion. IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference, 1994:226
[10]
Mahmoodi A, Joseph D. Pixel-level delta-sigma ADC with optimized area and power for vertically-integrated image sensors. Midwest Symposium on Circuit and System (MWSCAS), 2008:41
[11]
Yang D X D, Fowler B, Gamal A E. A 128×128 pixel CMOS area image sensor with multiplexed pixel level A/D conversion. IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1996:303
[12]
Yang D X D, Fowler B, Gamal A E. A nyquist rate pixel level ADC for CMOS image sensors. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 1999, 34(3):348 doi: 10.1109/4.748186
[13]
Hashemi F, Hadidi K H, Khoei A. Design of A CMOS image sensor with pixel-level ADC in 0.35μm process. International Symposium on Circuit and Systems, 2003, 2:600
[14]
Reckleben C, Hansen K, Kalavakuru P, et al. 8-bit 5-MS/s per-pixel ADC in an 8-by-8 matrix. IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC), 2011:668
[15]
Right U, Janson C, Liddiard K C. Readout concept employing a novel on-chip 16-bit ADC for smart IR focal plane arrays. Infrared Readout Electronics Ⅲ, 1996, 2745:99 doi: 10.1117/12.243528
[16]
Tchagaspanian M, Villard P, Dupont B, et al. Design of ADC in 25μm pixels pitch dedicated for IRFPA image processing at LETI. Proc SPIE, 2007
Fig. 1.  Diagram of the pixel-level ADC using the voltage reset technique and associating waveforms

Fig. 2.  The schematic of comparator

Fig. 3.  Influence of the comparator delay ($\tau$) on the LSB

Fig. 4.  The photomicrograph of the chip

Fig. 5.  (a) Measured mean and (b) standard deviation of M

Table 1.   Design requirements for the pixel-level ADC

Table 2.   Summary of ADC performance

[1]
Loinaz M J, Singh K J, Blanksby A J, et al. A 200 mW 3.3 V CMOS color camera IC producing 352×28824 b video at 30 frames/s. IEEE J Solid-State Circuit, 1998, 33(12):2092 doi: 10.1109/4.735552
[2]
Smith S, Hurwitz J, Torrie M, et al. A single-chip 306×244-pixel CMOS NTSC video camera. IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference, 1998:170
[3]
Snoeij M F, Theuwissen A J P, Makinwa K A A, et al. A CMOS image with column-level ADC using dynamic column fixed-pattern noise reduction. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2006, 41(12):3007 doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2006.884866
[4]
Han Ye, Li Quanliang, Shi Cong, et al. A 10-bit column-parallel cyclic ADC for high-speed CMOS image sensors. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(8):085016 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/8/085016
[5]
Snoeij M F, Donegan P, Theuwissen A J P, et al. A CMOS image sensor with a column-level multiple-ramp single-slope ADC. IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference, 2007:506
[6]
Li Y, Jiang L, Ji Z. Design of a low power high speed auto-zeroed column-level ADC for data readout of CMOS APS based vertex detector. 16th IEEE NPSS Real Time Conference, 2009:295
[7]
Mahmoodi A, Joseph D. Optimization of delta-sigma ADC for column-level data conversion in CMOS image sensor. IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (IMTC), 2007:1
[8]
Peizerat A, Arques M, Villard P, et al. Pixel-level A/D conversion:comparison of two charge packets counting techniques. International Image Sensor Workshop (ⅡSW), 2007:200
[9]
Fowler B, Gamal A E, Yang D X D. A CMOS area image sensor with pixel-level A/D conversion. IEEE International Solid-State Circuit Conference, 1994:226
[10]
Mahmoodi A, Joseph D. Pixel-level delta-sigma ADC with optimized area and power for vertically-integrated image sensors. Midwest Symposium on Circuit and System (MWSCAS), 2008:41
[11]
Yang D X D, Fowler B, Gamal A E. A 128×128 pixel CMOS area image sensor with multiplexed pixel level A/D conversion. IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1996:303
[12]
Yang D X D, Fowler B, Gamal A E. A nyquist rate pixel level ADC for CMOS image sensors. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 1999, 34(3):348 doi: 10.1109/4.748186
[13]
Hashemi F, Hadidi K H, Khoei A. Design of A CMOS image sensor with pixel-level ADC in 0.35μm process. International Symposium on Circuit and Systems, 2003, 2:600
[14]
Reckleben C, Hansen K, Kalavakuru P, et al. 8-bit 5-MS/s per-pixel ADC in an 8-by-8 matrix. IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC), 2011:668
[15]
Right U, Janson C, Liddiard K C. Readout concept employing a novel on-chip 16-bit ADC for smart IR focal plane arrays. Infrared Readout Electronics Ⅲ, 1996, 2745:99 doi: 10.1117/12.243528
[16]
Tchagaspanian M, Villard P, Dupont B, et al. Design of ADC in 25μm pixels pitch dedicated for IRFPA image processing at LETI. Proc SPIE, 2007
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    Received: 26 March 2014 Revised: 28 May 2014 Online: Published: 01 November 2014

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      Minzeng Li, Fule Li, Chun Zhang, Zhihua Wang. Pixel-level A/D conversion using voltage reset technique[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2014, 35(11): 115009. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/11/115009 M Z Li, F L Li, C Zhang, Z H Wang. Pixel-level A/D conversion using voltage reset technique[J]. J. Semicond., 2014, 35(11): 115009. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/11/115009.Export: BibTex EndNote
      Citation:
      Minzeng Li, Fule Li, Chun Zhang, Zhihua Wang. Pixel-level A/D conversion using voltage reset technique[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2014, 35(11): 115009. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/11/115009

      M Z Li, F L Li, C Zhang, Z H Wang. Pixel-level A/D conversion using voltage reset technique[J]. J. Semicond., 2014, 35(11): 115009. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/11/115009.
      Export: BibTex EndNote

      Pixel-level A/D conversion using voltage reset technique

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/11/115009
      Funds:

      the Major National Science & Technology Program of China 2012ZX03004004-002

      Project supported by the Major National Science & Technology Program of China (No. 2012ZX03004004-002)

      More Information
      • Corresponding author: Li Minzeng, Email:li-mz11@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
      • Received Date: 2014-03-26
      • Revised Date: 2014-05-28
      • Published Date: 2014-11-01

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