This abstract overviews the ultra-high speed (UHS) imaging technologies for scientific imaging applications, and introduces to the recent UHS image sensors with a frame rate of more than 1M fps and a record length of more than 100. A UHS imaging using our developed FTCMOS is summarized. 1. Introduction to the UHS Imaging Technologies In advanced R&D and engineering fields, there are strong demands for dynamically and accurately analyzing the physical, chemical and life-scientific phenomena, especially in the UHS frame-rate region over 1M fps as shown in Fig. 1 [1-2]. The requirements for the UHS image sensors are summarized as follows [2-3]. · Maximum frame rate: ≥ 1M fps, (If possible, ≥ 10M fps). · Number of pixels: ≥ 100k pixels (≥ 1M pixels). · Number of record length: ≥100 frames (≥200-300 frames). · Electronic shutter: Global Shutter. · Sensitivity: The higher, the better. · Camera system: Easily-handled, lightweight, no Peltier nor liquid-nitrogen cooling. Followings are the technological approaches to the UHS imaging and their features. Type-I: Image sensors with selected region-of-interest (ROI). The high-speed imaging is performed by reducing the number of pixels. The frame rate increases in approximately inverse proportion to the number of ROI pixels [4]. Type-II: Multiple image sensors for multi-channel cameras. The significantly high-speed image signals are temporarily stored in each image sensor. The number of record length is the same as or about twice as many as the number of optical channels in a camera. Type-III: Image sensors with on-chip memories. The high-speed image signals are temporarily stored in the memories placed adjacent to or in separated regions from the photodiodes on an image sensor chip. The relationships between the maximum frame rate, the number of record length, and the number of pixels are summarized in Figs. 2-3 for the recent UHS cameras using the above mentioned types of imaging technologies. The UHS cameras using the image sensors in type-III are the closest to meet all of the requirements. 2. The Image Sensors with On-chip Memories The recently published UHS global shutter image sensors with on-chip memories (type-III) exhibiting the frame rate of more than 1M fps and the record length of more than 100 are summarized in table 1. The image sensors of ISIS family [5-6] utilize the linear CCD connected to each photodiode for image signal transfer and storing for higher frame rate than the early developed high-speed image sensors [7-8]. Using the backside illuminated technology the 100 % fill factor and the higher frame rate by low resistance wide metal wiring are achieved. In the uCMOS, using CMOS and CCD hybrid technology [9-10] ,
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