Characterization of Quanta Image Sensor Pump-Gate Jots With Deep Sub-Electron Read Noise

Abstract

Characterization of quanta image sensor pixels with deep sub-electron read noise is reported. Pixels with conversion gain of $423\mu \text{V}$ /e- and read noise as low as 0.22e- r.m.s. were measured. Dark current is 0.1e-/s at room temperature, and lag less than 0.1e-. This is one of the first works reporting detailed characterization of image sensor pixels with mean signals from sub-electron (0.25e-) to a few electrons level. Such pixels in a nearly-conventional CMOS image sensor process will allow realization of photon-counting image sensors for a variety of applications.

Keywords

• CMOS Image Sensor
• Quanta Image Sensor
• Jot Device
• Photon Counting
• High Conversion Gain
• Low Read Noise