Dynamic range improvement by narrow-channel effect suppression and smear reduction technologies in small pixel IT-CCD image sensors

Tanabe, Akihito; Kudoh, Y.; Kawakami, Y.; Masubuchi, I.; Kawai, S.; Yamada, Takahiro; Morimoto, Makoto; Arai, K.; Hatano, K.; Furumiya, M.; Naliashiba, Y.; Mutoh, N.; Orihara, K.; Teranishi, Nobukazu

doi:10.1109/16.861580

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…At shorter wavelengths, reducing the thickness of the photodiode’s p+ pinning layer reduces smear. This is because as the quasi-neutral region in the pinning layer is made thinner, there will be fewer photoelectrons generated there that can subsequently diffuse into the VCCD [ 10 ]. From earlier work on other devices without the MeV implants, we anticipated an improvement of blue smear between 2 and 5 dB, without any measureable difference in green, red, or NIR smear from the thinner pinning and shallow n-type photodiode implants.…”

Section: Reduced Image Smearmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Enhancements to Interline and Electron Multiplying CCD Image Sensors

Stevens

Clayhold

Doan

et al. 2017

Sensors

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This paper describes recent process modifications made to enhance the performance of interline and electron-multiplying charge-coupled-device (EMCCD) image sensors. By use of MeV ion implantation, quantum efficiency in the NIR region of the spectrum was increased by 2×, and image smear was reduced by 6 dB. By reducing the depth of the shallow photodiode (PD) implants, the photodiode-to-vertical-charge-coupled-device (VCCD) transfer gate voltage required for no-lag operation was reduced by 3 V, and the electronic shutter voltage was reduced by 9 V. The thinner, surface pinning layer also resulted in a reduction of smear by 4 dB in the blue portion of the visible spectrum. For EMCCDs, gain aging was eliminated by providing an oxide-only dielectric under its multiplication phase, while retaining the oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) gate dielectrics elsewhere in the device.

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Section: Reduced Image Smearmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Enhancements to Interline and Electron Multiplying CCD Image Sensors

Stevens

Clayhold

Doan

et al. 2017

Sensors

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“…Smear is due to both electrical and optical effects. Its main cause is a lateral diffusion of charges between the photosensor and the CCD shift register, but it is also caused by light piping underneath or directly through the light shields that may cover these registers . Although interpixel capacitance and smear are caused by different physical processes related to two different technology platforms (hybrid CMOS and CCD, respectively), they are jointly symbolized here by one coupling capacitance C c .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensor interpixel correlation analysis and reduction for color filter array high dynamic range image reconstruction

Lindstrand

2019

Color Research & Application

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High dynamic range imaging (HDRI) by bracketing of low dynamic range (LDR) images is demanding, as the sensor is deliberately operated at saturation. This exacerbates any crosstalk, interpixel capacitance, blooming and smear, all causing interpixel correlations (IC) and a deteriorated modulation transfer function (MTF). Established HDRI algorithms exclude saturated pixels, but generally overlook IC. This work presents a calibration method to estimate the affected region from saturated pixels for a color filter array (CFA) sensor, using the native CFA as a matched filter. The method minimizes color crosstalk given a set of candidates for proximity regions, and requires no special setup. Results are shown for a 21‐bit HDR output image with improved color fidelity and reduced noise. The calibration reduces IC in the LDR images and is performed only once for a given sensor. The improvement is applicable to any HDRI algorithm based on CFA image bracketing, irrespective of sensor technology. Generalizations to subsaturated and supersaturated pixels are described, facilitating a suggested irradiance‐exposure dependent point spread function charge repatriation strategy.

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Charge-Coupled Devices

Wordelman

Banghart

Optoelectronic Devices

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Dynamic range improvement by narrow-channel effect suppression and smear reduction technologies in small pixel IT-CCD image sensors

Cited by 8 publications

References 5 publications

Recent Enhancements to Interline and Electron Multiplying CCD Image Sensors

Recent Enhancements to Interline and Electron Multiplying CCD Image Sensors

Sensor interpixel correlation analysis and reduction for color filter array high dynamic range image reconstruction

Charge-Coupled Devices

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