Highly sensitive depth sensor with non-avalanche photodetector.

Abstract

To provide a high-sensitivity depth sensor with a non-avalanche photodetector.SOLUTION: A sensing device (100) includes a light source (101) to emit light, a light sensor (105) to detect reflection of the emitted light, and a distance determination circuit responsive to reflected-light detection within the light sensor. The light sensor includes a photodetector (115) having a photocharge storage capacity in excess of one electron and an output circuit (117) which generates an output signal responsive to light detection within the photodetector with latency of less than 100 nanoseconds. The distance determination circuit (119) measures an elapsed time on the basis of transition of the output signal in response to photonic detection within the photodetector and determines a distance between the sensing device and a surface which yielded the reflection of the emitted light on the basis of the elapsed time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims priority to and incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 698,805, filed July 16, 2018. This application also incorporates by reference U.S. Application Nos. 15 / 301,267 (35 USC371(c) filed September 30, 2016, now U.S. Patent No. 10,319,776), 15 / 555,911 (35 USC371(c) filed September 5, 2017, now U.S. Patent No. 10,283,539), and 62 / 676,266 (filed May 24, 2018), as well as International Application Nos. PCT / US17 / 22607 (international filing date September 15, 2018) and PCT / US19 / 34036 (international filing date May 24, 2019). [Background technology]

[0002] (Introduction) Three-dimensional imagers or depth sensors typically determine the depth of an object, or the distance between the sensor and the object, either by measuring the time required for a light pulse (emitted from a light source near the sensor) to reflect off the object's surface and back for detection by the sensor, or by measuring the envelope attenuation in reflection of a carrier wave used to modulate a continuous light source (the attenuation indicates the phase shift of the modulated carrier wave). In both pulse-based and phase-based sensing systems, the optical sensor must be able to detect the reflected light and record its magnitude and / or arrival time with sufficient resolution to meet the accuracy requirements of the application. For example, an optical sensor in a pulse-based system intended to measure distance / depth with an accuracy of 5 mm must resolve the round-trip flight time of the optical pulse to within about 33 picoseconds (ps), with sufficient low-light sensitivity to detect weak pulses in reflection. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Conventional 3D imaging devices and depth sensors typically employ solid-state optical sensors (photodetectors) with electronic avalanche gain, such as single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and silicon photon multipliers (SiPMs). Although fast and sensitive to single photons, avalanche gain photodetectors have several drawbacks, including high dark current (i.e., noisy), single-electron well capacitance, low quantum efficiency (QE), low spatial resolution, and low manufacturing yield. Other, more robust (i.e., with deeper photowells and / or higher QE, spatial resolution, and manufacturing yield) photodetectors have been largely avoided due to impractically long readout latencies. For example, in sensors with pin photodiodes (PPDs) that are read out by photocharge transfer to a floating diffusion node (e.g., as in conventional four-transistor imaging pixels), the charge transfer time alone is typically on the order of hundreds of nanoseconds (corresponding to a range-measuring resolution of hundreds of meters), thus making the latency impractical for many depth-sensing applications.

[0004] The present disclosure relates to solid-state optical sensors that may be deployed in three-dimensional imaging devices or depth sensors.

[0005] Various embodiments described herein are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates one embodiment of a depth sensor (or 3D sensor) having a light source and a low latency multi-photowell light sensor. [Diagram 2] 2 illustrates one embodiment of the low latency multi-photowell photodetector shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 illustrates an exemplary detection cycle within the low latency multi-well photodetector of FIG. 2. [Figure 4]3 illustrates a photodiode reset sequence that may be performed every detection cycle or every few detection cycles in the low latency multi-well photodetector of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates one embodiment of a low latency multi-photowell photodetector having a JFET-based device that doubles as a multiwell photodiode and output transistor. [Figure 6] 6 illustrates an exemplary sequence of operations within the JFET-based photodetector of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 6 shows an exemplary top view and cross-sectional view of a p-type JFET transistor stacked vertically on a photodiode, as in the detector of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates an alternative JFET-based photodetector circuit. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an alternative JFET-based photodetector circuit. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates one embodiment of an analog front-end / time-to-digital converter (AFE / TDC) with parallel amplification paths with diminishing gain to trigger count-latch operations in respective registers at each photon detection count. [Figure 11] 1 shows an alternative AFE / TDC embodiment in which a single amplifier stage outputs an amplified photodetector output signal to a latch input of a register having respective increasing latch thresholds. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Optical sensors with multi-carrier photowell depth and sub-nanosecond readout latency (or latency of a few nanoseconds or less) are disclosed in various embodiments herein along with corresponding embodiments of analog front ends (AFEs) and time-to-digital converters (TDCs) that provide rapid and / or robust signal digitization. When deployed in a depth sensor or 3D sensor, multi-photon sensitivity (i.e., multi-electron or multi-hole well depth) combined with low latency readout and improved AFE / TDC allows dramatically improved depth sensing (higher sensitivity, finer resolution) compared to conventional avalanche gain sensors.

[0008] 1 shows an embodiment of a depth sensor (or 3D sensor) 100 having a light source 101 and a low-latency multi-photowell light sensor 105, i.e., a light sensor with photowells that can store multiple photocarriers (as opposed to single-photocarrier avalanche gain sensors), that generates a sensor output indicative of photocarrier accumulation (and thus incident photon impingement) either as soon as an incident photon impingement occurs or within a few nanoseconds (or even less than a nanosecond) of a readout pulse. Referring to detailed view 110, for example, the light sensor 105 includes optional light receiving optics for focusing inbound (reflected) light onto a low-latency readout (LLR) multiwell light detector 115, which then outputs a detection signal via an analog front-end (AFE) 117 to a time-to-digital converter (TDC) 119. The TDC output is provided to back-end processing logic (not specifically shown) within the depth sensor 100 that determines and outputs measurement data.

[0009] 2 illustrates one embodiment of the low latency multi-photowell photodetector of FIG. 1, in this case having a pin photodiode (PPD) 121 and a pin floating diffusion node (PFD) 123 interconnected by a gated channel (i.e., opened and closed by a transfer gate 125). A readout controller 140 asserts a transfer gate (TG) pulse at the transfer gate 125 to form a charge transfer channel between the PPD and the PFD, thus transferring the photocharge accumulated in the photodiode to the pin floating diffusion node for readout via a source follower transistor 127. The pin region in the floating diffusion negates the TG pulse feedthrough to the floating diffusion node, avoiding the relatively long floating diffusion stabilization time (delay before readout) that plagues unpinned floating diffusion structures, thus dramatically shortening the time between TG pulse assertion and stabilization of the output signal. In some embodiments, for example, the delay between TG pulse assertion (at the source terminal of transistor 127) and output signal stabilization is reduced from hundreds of nanoseconds to less than 100 nanoseconds, more typically less than 10 nanoseconds, or even 5 nanoseconds or less (e.g., 3, 2, or 1 nanosecond, or even sub-nanosecond intervals), thereby reducing the readout latency of the photodetector by more than two orders of magnitude. The pin photodiode may be designed to have a photowell (multiple photocarrier storage well, SW) of any practical size, and the floating diffusion node may similarly be sized to provide sufficiently high conversion gain (depending on the ratio of capacitances of the PPD and PFD) and low input-referred read noise to enable photon counting sensitivity. The source follower transistor 127 is named for its configuration in a source follower circuit, implemented by a voltage-following action between the gate terminal (to which the pin floating diffusion node 123 is coupled) and the source terminal of the transistor.More specifically, a current source 131 establishes a constant bias current through transistor 127 to provide a steady state gate-source voltage that causes the photodetector output at the source terminal of transistor 127 to follow the potential of the pin floating diffusion node (at the gate of transistor 127), i.e. any changes in the PFD potential appear at the source of the SF transistor and therefore at the signal output AFE. A reset transistor 129 is provided to allow resetting of the PFD and PPD, returning the PFD node to VDD (in this example) when the read controller asserts a reset pulse (RST) and returning both the PFD and PPD storage nodes to VDD when the read controller simultaneously generates the RST and TG signals.

[0010] 2, the p+ pin region in the n+ floating diffusion can be sized as needed to mitigate TG pulse feedthrough caused by TG-FD capacitive coupling. Referring to physical cross section 150 (showing the pin layer and storage well (SW) components of the pin photodiode along with the pin and capacitive storage (FD) regions of the pin floating diffusion node), a transfer gate 125 (implemented by doped polysilicon, for example) is disposed on a surface oxide to enable the formation of an enhancement channel in the substrate 153 between the PPD and the PFD.

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary detection cycle in the low latency multi-well photodetector of FIG. 2. At the start of a detection cycle (150), the readout controller asserts a reset pulse to reset the floating diffusion node (to VDD in this example) and then outputs a series of TG pulses to repeatedly sample the charge accumulation level in the pin photodiode. Each TG pulse enables the transfer of collected (generated) photocharge from the storage well of the photodiode to the pin floating diffusion node (i.e., charge collected by the PPD since the previous TG pulse assertion is transferred to the PFD, thereby changing the PFD potential), and such charge transfer results in an output voltage step with a magnitude (dV1, dV2, dV3) that depends on the number of transferred photocarriers. Note that in contrast to conventional CMOS image sensors that reset the floating diffusion (assert a RST pulse) before every charge transfer event (i.e., before every TG pulse), the floating diffusion reset operation is performed only at the start of a photodetection cycle to restore the output voltage to a relatively high value (the reset value).

[0012] Within a depth or 3D sensor, the AFE and TDC may record the magnitude and timing of the photodetector output signal following each TG pulse to enable back-end logic / computing circuitry to generate a time-of-flight dependent depth measurement (e.g., determine the time the output signal falls below a detection threshold and apply that time to a depth measurement calculation). In general, detection resolution is constrained by the TG pulse cycle time (tcyc), but measurement generation logic may interpolate between voltage step-down events of successive pulse cycles to make measurements with sub-tcyc resolution (e.g., model a linear photon impingement profile over the duration of a detection cycle and use coefficients of that linear profile to estimate threshold crossings within a given tcyc interval).

[0013] 4 illustrates the simultaneous assertion of the RST and TG signals during the photodiode reset sequence, or "blind phase," which may be performed every detection cycle or every few detection cycles; the latter approach allows for averaging of measurements captured along different photowell fill points (i.e., potentially correcting for nonlinearities in the charge transfer operation) and amortizing the overhead of the blind phase over multiple detection cycles. In the illustrated example, a light pulse is emitted immediately after the end of the photodiode reset operation (actually an electrical shutter that may be used to clear charge generated by thermally generated carriers and / or ambient light), and output of the TG pulse train begins shortly thereafter or immediately thereafter (i.e., depending on the minimum depth measurement).

[0014] In an alternative embodiment, the transfer gate 125 and the pin floating diffusion node 123 may be omitted from the low latency photodetector shown in Figure 2, with the pin photodiode 121 then continuously driving the gate of the source follower transistor 127. Such a configuration provides a relatively instantaneous output in response to photon detection since no charge transfer operation is required, and therefore may be applied in time-critical systems with relaxed sensitivity requirements.

[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the low latency multi-photowell photodetector shown in FIG. 1, in this case with a JFET-based device 201 that doubles as a multiwell photodiode (PD) 203 and a source follower transistor 205 for driving downstream signal processing logic. As shown in cross-sectional view 220, the source and channel of the depletion mode JFET are implemented on a dual region n-doped storage well (i.e., having an n-doped region 221 and a less heavily n-doped region 223), while the transistor drain is implemented on a p-type substrate in which the dual region storage well is formed. The p-n junction between the p-type substrate and the n-type storage well effectively constitutes the placement of the photodiode below the JFET (i.e., a stacked JFET / PD structure). From a functional standpoint, the drain of the JFET is internally connected to the substrate and biased to VSS (connection not shown), while the source of the JFET is coupled to a constant current source 215 (which is itself coupled between VDD and the JFET source terminal). When a photon strikes introduces electron-hole pairs into the silicon, the electrons (photocharge) are collected by the storage well and stored in the more heavily n-doped region (221) surrounding the JFET channel, modulating the electrostatic potential of the storage well and thus the width of the depletion region in the channel, as shown by the dashed depletion profile at 230, effectively changing the channel resistance. Because the current through the channel is held constant by current source 215, the voltage at the source of the JFET tracks the potential of the storage well (i.e., when the detector is biased in the saturation range) and therefore varies proportionally to the number of absorbed photons.

[0016] The JFET-based detector of Figure 5 offers several advantages over pin photodiode detection schemes. For one, an absorbed photon produces an instantaneous voltage change at the detector output, so no charge transfer operation is required, allowing higher time resolution and therefore more accurate depth measurements. Also, JFET-based detectors may exhibit higher conversion gain and lower input-referred read noise than MOSFET-based detectors (e.g., pin photodiode-based detectors), enabling single-photon sensitivity, because the parasitic capacitance and voltage noise from the source follower are further reduced.

[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary sequence of operations within the JFET-based photodetector of FIG. 5. Initially, during the blind phase, an electrical shutter is applied to clear (reset to VDD) the storage well of the photodiode by positively biasing (i.e., asserting RST to switch on) the reset gate, i.e., during the blind phase, a light pulse is emitted to initiate the depth sensing (and / or 3D imaging) operation. Thereafter, each photon impact results in photoelectron capture in the storage well and thus a ramp down of the output voltage, as shown at 251. The timing and magnitude of the output voltage change are recorded by the subsequent readout electronics (AFE / TDC circuitry) to enable the generation of depth / distance / proximity measurements in the back-end processing logic.

[0018] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary top view and cross-sectional view of a p-type JFET transistor stacked vertically on a photodiode, as in the detector of FIG. 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the JFET-based detector includes a pair of (p+) type heavily doped source and drain regions, an n-type doped storage well (SW) for collection and storage of photoelectrons, a p-type doped channel interconnecting the source and drain regions, and an oxide-filled isolation trench (e.g., implemented using shallow trench isolation (STI) technology, implantation-based isolation, etc.) to isolate the source region from the p-type substrate. A reset transistor is physically coupled to the n-type region of the storage well to cause the storage well to perform a reset operation, and the reset drain is constantly biased to a positive voltage higher than the transistor's threshold voltage (e.g., VDD), and the reset operation can be asserted by positively biasing the reset gate. In an alternative embodiment, the JFET-based detector is implemented with an n-type channel to reverse the doping polarity of each region while maintaining the relative doping concentration.

[0019] 8 and 9 show alternative JFET-based photodetector circuits. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, gateless reset is achieved using punch-through diodes 281, 283. The punch-through diode forms an npn junction with the n-type doping well of the photodiode. It performs the reset operation of the photodiode by pulsing the reset drain n-well positive. Compared to the conventional reset transistor approach, there is less parasitic capacitance between the reset gate and the voltage output node (e.g., photodiode or floating diffusion), which results in higher conversion gain and lower input-referred read noise. In the embodiment of FIG. 9 (which may be implemented with a gateless reset or with the gated reset configuration shown in FIG. 5), the JFET is biased to act as a common-source amplifier (instead of the common-drain source follower configuration shown in FIG. 5) to boost the gain of the detector. More specifically, a constant current source is coupled between the drain and VSS (which may be grounded) to bias the JFET drain potential, while a resistance control transistor 291 (RES) is coupled between the JFET source and VDD to bias the JFET source terminal.

[0020] As noted above, avalanche gain photodetectors such as SPADs and SiPMs only have a single electron (photon) well capacity and therefore saturate after each detected photon and must be reset before the next detection. The limited capacity limits the detector's capabilities. For example, if the full well capacity (FWC) is greater than one electron, as is the case for the pin photodiode and JFET-based photodetectors described above, light intensity information can be acquired during the detection cycle and used to detect more informative / descriptive measurements, such as the reflectivity coefficient and texture of the sensed object. More specifically, the pin photodiode and JFET-based photodetectors described herein can be implemented with well capacities far in excess of a single photoelectron, such as 2, 3, 5, 10, 100, 1000, or more photoelectron well depths or more (or any well depth between these limits), and thus result in an output signal that varies gradually across / within a given photodetection cycle (e.g., as shown in Figures 3 and 6). In some embodiments, such multi-well low latency photodetectors are coupled with an AFE and TDC capable of capturing intra-detection cycle arrival time and intensity information corresponding to successive photon reception events occurring prior to photodetector saturation (including events or sub-intervals in which more than one photoelectron is captured), allowing for rapid readout of such intra-cycle information.

[0021] In some sensor system embodiments, a high bandwidth, low noise gain stage is implemented in the analog front end (AFE) that amplifies the low latency photodetector output signal and prepares the signal for high speed digitization to enable high sensitivity / high resolution depth measurements that leverage the additional sensing data made available by the multi-carrier photowell. In general, the required AFE gain is application specific and depends on the conversion gain of the detector and the depth of the photowell. For applications requiring relatively low time resolution and high sensitivity (i.e., long range / high spatial resolution depth measurements), for example, low latency CMOS photodetectors with very low read noise (e.g., CMOS photodetectors with pin regions in the floating diffusion as described above) and pump gate jots (i.e., as described in U.S. Application No. 15 / 301,267) can be used. Charge transfer amplifiers (CTAs) can be used to read out these photodetectors (pixels). A stacked structure can also be used to increase the bandwidth of the in-pixel amplifiers. For example, a cluster parallel architecture can be implemented as described in International Application PCT / US17 / 22607. In either case, after amplification by the analog front-end, the photodetector output signal may be buffered by one or more inverters (if necessary) and applied to a TDC (e.g., a counter and circuitry for latching the counter output upon detecting the AFE output exceeding a predetermined or programmed threshold).

[0022] 10 illustrates an embodiment of an AFE / TDC with parallel amplification paths with decreasing gain for triggering a latch operation in a respective register at each photon detection count, i.e., latching the output of global counter 310, and thus a measurement of the time that occurred. For example, when coupled between a photodetector with 1 mV / e conversion gain and registers 311, 313, 315 with a trigger threshold of 300 mV (i.e., a latch signal of 300 mV or greater will trigger a latch operation in the register, thereby recording the global count at the time of triggering), the gain of amplifiers 321, 323, 325 are set to 300x (300 volts per volt or 300 V / V), 150x, and 100x, respectively. This operation causes a single photon detection (collection of a single photoelectron in the photodiode storage well) to generate a latch trigger signal (300 mV) via amplifier stage 321 to latch input 311 to capture the time of the detection event (i.e., latch the output of the global counter in response to the first photon detection). The lower gain levels in amplifier stages 323 and 325 result in sub-threshold output signals (150 mV and 100 mV) at the latch inputs of registers 313 and 315 so that they remain armed and available to latch subsequent global count values. Thus, when a second photon is detected, the photodetector output signal doubles from 1 mV to 2 mV, thus resulting in a 300 mV output from amplifier stage 323, triggering a count-latch operation in register 313 to capture the time of the second photon detection event (global count). When a third photon is detected, the photodetector increments by another 1 mV (to 3 mV), resulting in a 300 mV output from amplifier stage 325, thus latching the global count (and time of detection of the third photon) in register 315. In an alternative embodiment, an additional AFE gain stage and TDC register may be provided to generate TDC output for subsequent photon detection events up to the well depth (saturation level) of the photodetector (global count value capture).Also, an optical sensor having an array of photodetectors (pixels in an array) may include a corresponding array of AFE / TDC units as shown in FIG. 10 (a single global counter may be provided to provide an elapsed time count for the entire array).

[0023] 11 illustrates an alternative AFE / TDC embodiment in which a single amplifier stage outputs an amplified photodetector output signal to the latch inputs of registers with respective increasing latch thresholds. Continuing with an exemplary 1 mV / e conversion gain photodetector, amplifier stage 325 with 100 V / V gain drives the latch inputs of registers 341, 343, and 345 with latch trigger thresholds of 50 mV, 150 mV, and 250 mV, respectively. With this configuration, single photon detection produces a 100 mV amplifier output, thus triggering a count-latch operation in register 341 (i.e., the 100 mV output from amplifier 325 exceeds the 50 mV latch threshold of register 341, but does not exceed the 150 mV and 250 mV thresholds of registers 343 and 345). Detection of the second photon latches the output of the global counter 311 in register 343 (i.e., amplifier 325 produces a 200mV output above the 150mV latch threshold of register 343), and detection of the third photon latches the global count in register 345 (i.e., 300mV output from amplifier > 250mV latch threshold of register 345). Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 10, in alternative embodiments, additional TDC registers with increasing latch thresholds may be provided to generate TDC outputs for subsequent photon detection events up to the well depth (saturation level) of the photodetector (global count value capture). Also, a photosensor having an array of photodetectors may include a corresponding array of AFE / TDC units as shown in FIG. 11 (although a single global counter may be provided to provide an elapsed time count for the entire AFE / TDC array).

[0024] The AFE / TDC circuitry, particularly the amplifier stage(s), shown in Figures 10 and 11 may be implemented in a stacked process to increase the fill factor of the photodetector IC and / or decrease the length (and thus the parasitic capacitance) of the photodetector output lines (e.g., column output lines) to increase the bandwidth of the AFE / TDC circuitry. In such stacked multi-well (non-avalanche) depth sensing sensors, all or any portion of the readout circuitry (including the AFE / TDC) may be co-located on the same integrated circuit chip as the photodetector cell(s). Alternatively, the readout circuitry may be disposed in whole or in part on a logic chip bonded or otherwise attached in a stacked configuration with the sensor chip carrying the photodetector cells (e.g., wafer bonding of a first wafer containing the readout circuitry with a second wafer containing the photodetectors, followed by singulation into a two-die stack in which the exposed outer surface of the photodetector chip constitutes the backside illumination surface).

[0025] The various detectors, readout circuits, and physical configurations disclosed herein may be described in terms of their operation, register transfers, logic components, transistors, layout geometry, and / or other characteristics using computer-aided design tools and expressed (or displayed) as data and / or instructions embodied in various computer-readable media. File and other object formats in which such circuit representations may be implemented include, but are not limited to, formats supporting operational languages ​​such as C, Verilog, and VHDL, formats supporting register-level description languages ​​such as RTE, and formats supporting geometry description languages ​​such as GDSII, GDSIII, GDSIV, CIF, MEBES, and any other suitable formats and languages. Computer-readable media in which such formatted data and / or instructions may be embodied include, but are not limited to, various forms of computer storage media (e.g., optical, magnetic, or semiconductor storage media, whether distributed independently as such or stored "in situ" within an operating system).

[0026] Once received within a computer system via one or more computer-readable media, such data and / or instruction-based representations of the above-described circuits may be processed by a processing entity (e.g., one or more processors) within the computer system in conjunction with the execution of one or more other computer programs, including, but not limited to, netlist generators, place-and-route programs, etc., to generate a display or image of a physical representation of such circuit. Such a display or image may then be used in device fabrication, for example, by enabling the generation of one or more masks that are used to form various components of the circuit in the device fabrication process.

[0027] In the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, certain terms and drawing symbols are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. In some cases, the terms and symbols may suggest details that are not necessary to practice those embodiments. For example, the particular threshold levels, amplification levels, conversion gains, component counts, interconnection topologies, sensor implementations, components, etc. may all differ from those described above in alternative embodiments. Signal paths depicted or described as individual signal lines may instead be implemented by multi-conductor signal buses, and vice versa, and may include multiple conductors per conveyed signal (e.g., differential or pseudo-differential signaling). The term "coupled" is used herein to denote direct connections as well as connections through one or more intervening functional components or structures. Device configuration or programming may include, for example, but not limited to, loading control values ​​into registers or other storage circuits in an integrated circuit device in response to host instructions (thus controlling the device's operational aspects and / or establishing the device configuration) or through a one-time programming operation (e.g., blowing fuses in a configuration circuit during device manufacture) and / or connecting one or more selected pins or other contact structures of the device to a reference voltage line (also referred to as strapping) to establish a particular device configuration or device operational aspect (e.g., gain, latch threshold, etc.). The terms "exemplary" and "embodiment" are used to express examples, not preferences or requirements. Also, the terms "may" and "can" are used interchangeably to indicate optional (permissible) subject matter. The absence of either term should not be interpreted to mean that a given feature or technique is required.

[0028] Various modifications and changes can be made to the embodiments presented herein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, features or aspects of any embodiment can be applied in conjunction with any other embodiment or in place of the corresponding features or aspects thereof. The specification and drawings should therefore be regarded in an illustrative sense, rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. A sensing device, comprising: a photodetector capable of storing two or more emitted electrons in response to light reflected from the surface; a readout circuit including a floating diffusion node having a pin region therein, the readout circuit generating an output signal that transitions between voltage levels within 100 nanoseconds in response to the storage of each electron in the photodetector; and a measurement circuit that generates a value representative of a distance between the sensing device and the surface based on the output signal.

2. The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector comprises a pin photodiode.

3. The sensing device of claim 2 , wherein the readout circuitry includes a transfer gate that enables formation of a conductive channel between the pin photodiode and the floating diffusion node.

4. 4. The sensing device of claim 3, wherein readout circuitry for generating the output signal includes circuitry for generating a series of pulses on the transfer gate, each of the pulses enabling a transfer of one or more electrons stored in the photodetector from the photodetector to the floating diffusion node during a period between one of the pulses and a previous one of the pulses.

5. 2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the measurement circuit comprises: a counter that outputs an incrementing series of count values; and a first latch circuit that stores any of the incrementing series of count values ​​output from the counter when the output signal exceeds a first voltage level.

6. 6. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein the measurement circuit comprises a second latch circuit that stores any of the series of incrementing count values ​​output from the counter when the output signal exceeds a second voltage level.

7. 7. The sensing device of claim 6, wherein the first and second voltage levels constitute respective trigger voltages of the first and second latch circuits, the trigger voltage of the second latch circuit being greater than the trigger voltage of the first latch circuit.

8. The first latch circuit comprises: a first amplifier that generates a first amplified version of the output signal; a first latch element that stores any of the incrementing series of count values ​​output from the counter when the first amplified version of the output signal exceeds a trigger voltage of a first latch element.

9. The sensing device of claim 1 , further comprising a light source that emits light that propagates to and reflects from the surface to constitute light reflected from the surface.

10. the floating diffusion node comprises an n-doped region in a p-type silicon substrate; The sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the pin region comprises a p-doped region within the n-doped region.

11. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the readout circuitry comprises a transfer gate that controls the transfer of photocharges from the photodetector to the floating diffusion node, and the readout circuitry is configured to limit the stabilization time of the floating diffusion node after pulse assertion of the transfer gate to 10 nanoseconds or less.

12. 1. A method of operation in a sensing device, comprising: storing electrons in the photodetector in response to light reflected from the surface; generating an output signal that transitions between voltage levels within 100 nanoseconds in response to storage of each electron in said photodetector, at least in part by transferring electrons from a pin photodiode to a floating diffusion node having a pin region therein; generating a measurement representative of a distance between the sensing device and the surface based on the output signal.

13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein storing electrons in the photodetector in response to light reflected from the surface comprises emitting and storing electrons in a pin photodiode in response to light reflected from the surface.

14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein transferring electrons from the pin photodiode to a floating diffusion node having a pin region therein comprises asserting a control signal at a transfer gate to enable a conductive channel to be formed between the pin photodiode and the floating diffusion node.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating an output signal that transitions between voltage levels within 100 nanoseconds in response to storage of each electron in the photodetector comprises asserting a series of pulses as the control signal on the transfer gate, each of the pulses enabling the transfer of one or more electrons stored in the photodetector from the photodetector to the floating diffusion node for a period between one of the pulses and a previous pulse.

16. Producing a measurement representative of a distance between the sensing device and the surface based on the output signal includes outputting an incrementing series of count values ​​from a counter; 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: storing any of the incrementing series of count values ​​output from the counter in a first latch circuit when the output signal exceeds a first voltage level.

17. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing any of the incrementing series of count values ​​output from the counter in a second latch circuit when the output signal exceeds a second voltage level.

18. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second voltage levels constitute unequal trigger voltages of the first and second latch circuits, respectively.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising emitting light from the sensing device, the light propagating to the surface and reflecting from the surface, comprising light reflected from the surface.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the output signal includes controlling the transfer of photocharge from the photodetector to the floating diffusion node with a transfer gate and limiting the stabilization time of the floating diffusion node after pulse assertion of the transfer gate to 10 nanoseconds or less.

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