A linear response single exposure CMOS image sensor with 0.5e<sup>−</sup> readout noise and 76ke<sup>−</sup> full well capacity

Abstract

A linear response single exposure CMOS image sensor approaching to the photon countable sensitivity and a high full well capacity (FWC) is developed using lateral overflow integration capacitor (LOFIC) architecture with dual gain column amplifiers, small floating diffusion (FD) capacitance (C FD ) and low noise in-pixel source follower (SF) signal readout technologies. The fabricated 5.5 μm pitch 360H×1680V pixel prototype image sensor exhibited 240 μV/e− conversion gain (CG) with 76 ke− FWC resulting in 0.5 e− rms readout noise and 104 dB dynamic range under room temperature operation.