Compact CMOS Sensor Design: Solving Pixel Sensitivity Challenges
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Summary
Problems
As CMOS sensors become more compact, it is challenging to dispose ADCs at the same pitch as pixels, leading to reduced saturated charge amount and sensitivity, which degrades image quality.
Innovation solutions
The image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric converter, transfer element, converter, reset element, and amplifier, where multiple photoelectric converters and transfer elements share amplifiers and read signal lines, allowing for efficient pixel signal processing and ADC placement at a wider pitch.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If the number of pixels is increased and the image pickup device is miniaturized, then the device compactness is improved, but the photodiode area is reduced which lowers sensitivity and saturated charge amount
Why choose this principle:
The pixel array is divided into multiple banks (first bank and second bank), with each bank having its own independent signal line. This segmentation allows for more flexible layout and reduces interference between adjacent pixels, enabling better signal-to-noise ratio in compact designs.
Principle concept:
If the number of pixels is increased and the image pickup device is miniaturized, then the device compactness is improved, but the photodiode area is reduced which lowers sensitivity and saturated charge amount
Why choose this principle:
The patent introduces a bank dimension in addition to the row and column dimensions. By organizing pixels into multiple banks with independent signal lines, the design adds a new organizational dimension that allows for optimized signal routing and reduced crosstalk in compact form factors.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
The image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric converter, transfer element, converter, reset element, and amplifier, where multiple photoelectric converters and transfer elements share amplifiers and read signal lines, allowing for efficient pixel signal processing and ADC placement at a wider pitch.
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus for photographing an image, includes: a photoelectric converter to convert incident light an electric charge and accumulate the electric charge, a transfer element to transfer the electric charge accumulated in the photoelectric converter, a converter to convert the electric charge in the photoelectric converter transferred via the transfer element into a voltage, a reset element to reset potentials of the converter, and an amplifier to amplify a voltage converted by the converter to generate a pixel signal and output the pixel signal to a read signal line for reading the pixel signal. A plurality of the photoelectric converter and the transfer element are disposed at least in a horizontal direction share the amplifier and the read signal line.