Modeling the Dark Current Non-Uniformity of Image Sensors With GEANT4

Inguimbert, C.; Nuns, T.; Ursule, M. C.; Falguère, D.; Hervé, Dominique; Beaumel, M.; Poizat, Marc

doi:10.1109/tns.2014.2364332

Cited by 18 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…For the neutron energies tested in this work (for which υ dark has been determined), the dark current increase distribution can be predicted in a given optical detector (for which the depleted volume is known) and for a given radiative environment (particle energy and fluence) using the corresponding exponential mean υ dark and using Eq. (3) to determine µ from the depleted volume, the DDD, υ dark and K dark from [36] (with γ dark = K dark / υ dark from Eq. (7)).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This transition is believed to arise from the superimposition of several dark current sources in the pixels, which could correspond either to individual defects or to nuclear interactions (if each nuclear interaction produces many defects). As suggested in most of the previous work on the radiation-induced dark current distribution due to displacement damage dose [31][32][33][34][35][36], it is assumed here that the distortion is due to the superimposition of nuclear events in the pixels. Hence, the exponential-like distribution observed at low doses and in small volumes should correspond to the dark current Probability Density Function (PDF) of a nuclear interaction (because the pixels have encountered a maximum of one nuclear interaction in these conditions).…”

Section: Empirical Model and Testing Procedures On The Experimental Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pixel pitch and particle energy influence on the dark current distribution of neutron irradiated CMOS image sensors

et al. 2016

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The dark current produced by neutron irradiation in CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) is investigated. Several CIS with different photodiode types and pixel pitches are irradiated with various neutron energies and fluences to study the influence of each of these optical detector and irradiation parameters on the dark current distribution. An empirical model is tested on the experimental data and validated on all the irradiated optical imagers. This model is able to describe all the presented dark current distributions with no parameter variation for neutron energies of 14 MeV or higher, regardless of the optical detector and irradiation characteristics. For energies below 1 MeV, it is shown that a single parameter has to be adjusted because of the lower mean damage energy per nuclear interaction. This model and these conclusions can be transposed to any silicon based solid-state optical imagers such as CIS or Charged Coupled Devices (CCD). This work can also be used when designing an optical imager instrument, to anticipate the dark current increase or to choose a mitigation technique.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Empirical Model and Testing Procedures On The Experimental Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Pixel pitch and particle energy influence on the dark current distribution of neutron irradiated CMOS image sensors

et al. 2016

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“…The PPD leakage current distributions induced by DDD have been studied in numerous papers, and several empirical models have already been proposed [14]- [16]. Simulation-based models have also been presented in the literature [17]. In this paper, the analytical model developed in [18] is considered because it does not require any simulation and has been verified on several CIS technologies.…”

Section: B Leakage Current Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiation-Induced Leakage Current and Electric Field Enhancement in CMOS Image Sensor Sense Node Floating Diffusions

Roch

Virmontois

Paillet

et al. 2019

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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This paper investigates the leakage currents as well as the leakage current Random Telegraph Signals (RTSs) sources in sense node floating diffusions (FDs) and their consequences on imaging performances specifically after exposure to high-energy particle radiation. Atomic displacement damage and ionization effects are separately studied thanks to neutron and X-ray irradiations. Proton irradiations have been performed to simultaneously study displacement damage dose (DDD) and total ionizing dose (TID) effects while being more representative of the space environment. The studied DDD ranges from 500 TeV • g −1 to 40 GeV • g −1 , and the TID ranges from 24 krad(SiO 2) to 72 krad(SiO 2). High-magnitude electric field effects, such as transfer-gate-induced leakage current, are investigated to further understand the phenomena involved in FDs while giving new insights into the Electric Field Enhancement of the charge generation mechanisms. This paper shows that FDs are very sensitive to ionizing radiation because of the presence of depleted Si/SiO 2 interface with high-magnitude electric fields around the junction. On the other hand, displacement damage in the FDs is a major source of high amplitude leakage current RTSs and leakage current nonuniformity. Such radiation-induced degradations can prevent the use of CMOS image sensor with long FD retention time (e.g., global shutter operating mode or burst imagers) in radiation environments.

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“…A priori, the most straightforward way to predict the DCNU consists in a Monte Carlo algorithm [2][3][4] that directly reproduces the damage process. But historically, because the Monte Carlo method is CPU time consuming, faster alternate T ways were preferred [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: A Monte Carlo Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…repeated for each pixel, according to the number of interactions that have occurred in each pixel. But this Monte Carlo algorithm [2][3][4] is CPU time consuming, and this convolution can be performed [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] by a direct numerical integration [13]. Such alternative way of calculation has been developed first, and was very successful over the years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Methods to Calculate the Dark Current Nonuniformity

Ursule

Inguimbert

Nuns

et al. 2018

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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Analytical and Monte Carlo DCNU prediction methods are compared. The difference is studied according to the different assumptions used for the calculations. The analysis is performed as a function of the incident proton fluence. The convergence of the DCNU toward a Gaussian distribution predicted by the central limit theorem is also investigated. Index terms − Space environment, Displacement damages, DCNU, Image sensors, Monte Carlo. I.

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Modeling the Dark Current Non-Uniformity of Image Sensors With GEANT4

Cited by 18 publications

References 24 publications

Pixel pitch and particle energy influence on the dark current distribution of neutron irradiated CMOS image sensors

Pixel pitch and particle energy influence on the dark current distribution of neutron irradiated CMOS image sensors

Radiation-Induced Leakage Current and Electric Field Enhancement in CMOS Image Sensor Sense Node Floating Diffusions

Comparison of Methods to Calculate the Dark Current Nonuniformity

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