Resolution Limits in 130 nm and 90 nm CMOS Technologies for Analog Front-End Applications

Abstract

In the last few years CMOS commercial technologies of the quarter micron node have been extensively used in the design of the readout electronics for highly granular detection systems in the particle physics environment. IC designers are now moving to 130 nm CMOS technologies, or even to the next technology generation, to implement readout integrated circuits for future HEP applications. In order to evaluate how scaling down of the device features affects their performances, continuous technology monitoring is mandatory. In this work the results of signal and noise measurements carried out on two CMOS commercial processes are presented. Data obtained from the measurements provide a powerful tool to establish design criteria in nanoscale CMOS processes for detector front-ends and can be used to evaluate the resolution limits achievable for low-noise charge sensitive amplifiers in the 100-nm minimum feature size range.