All-in-One SPAD Ranging Sensor With Real-Time Xtalk Calibration and Integrated Biasing

Abstract

This letter presents a novel fully integrated dToF system-on-chip ranging sensor based on a SPADs array. The sensor is made a configurable array of 16 × 16 SPADs, a 940nm VCSEL, a co-design VCSEL driver and embedded DSP core. To suitable different ranging scenarios with high reliability and low cost, the above mentioned are all packaged into one module for ranging. However, the package of coverglass can cause Xtalk, which have a negative impact on ranging. In order to reduce the influence of Xtalk on ranging. This letter proposes a real-time Xtalk calibration circuit system, which can automatically adjust the laser pulse width, when Xtalk and target bins are mixed together. And also to mitigate the effect of SPAD jitter on the Xtalk bins width, an adjustable bias voltage charge pump circuit is adopted to realize the accurate adjustment of pixel SPAD’s bias voltage. The system has been turned out with precision of better than 5mm within 6m in 80% reflectance of target, still with a precision better than 8mm at a distance within 4m in 18% reflectance of target.