Rad Tolerant CMOS Image Sensor Based on Hole Collection 4T Pixel Pinned Photodiode

1.4μm pixel pitch CMOS Image sensors based on hole collection pinned photodiode (HPD) have been irradiated with 60Co source. The HPD sensors exhibit much lower dark current degradation than equivalent commercial sensors using an Electron collection Pinned Photodiode (EPD). This hardness improvement is mainly attributed to carrier accumulation near the interfaces induced by the generated positive charges in dielectrics. The pre-eminence of this image sensor based on hole collection pinned photodiode architectures in ionizing environments is demonstrated

Radiation effects on CMOS image sensors with sub-2µm pinned photodiodes

A group of four commercial sensors with pixel pitches below 2μm has been irradiated with 60Co source at several total ionizing dose levels related to space applications. A phenomenological approach is proposed through behavior analysis of multiple sensors embedding different technological choices (pitch, isolation or buried oxide). A complete characterization including dark current, activation energy and temporal noise analysis allows to discuss about a degradation scheme

Similarities Between Proton and Neutron Induced Dark Current Distribution in CMOS Image Sensors

Several CMOS image sensors were exposed to neutron or proton beams (displacement damage dose range from 4 TeV/g to 1825 TeV/g) and their radiation-induced dark current distributions are compared. It appears that for a given displacement damage dose, the hot pixel tail distributions are very similar, if normalized properly. This behavior is observed on all the tested CIS designs (4 designs, 2 technologies) and all the tested particles (protons from 50 MeV to 500 MeV and neutrons from 14 MeV to 22 MeV). Thanks to this result, all the dark current distribution presented in this paper can be fitted by a simple model with a unique set of two factors (not varying from one experimental condition to another). The proposed normalization method of the dark current histogram can be used to compare any dark current distribution to the distributions observed in this work. This paper suggests that this model could be applied to other devices and/or irradiation conditions

Identification of radiation induced dark current sources in pinned photodiode CMOS image sensors

This paper presents an investigation of Total Ionizing Dose induced dark current sources in Pinned PhotoDiodes (PPD) CMOS Image Sensors based on pixel design variations. The influence of several layout parameters is studied. Only one parameter is changed at a time enabling the direct evaluation of its contribution to the observed device degradation. By this approach, the origin of radiation induced dark current in PPD is localized on the pixel layout. The PPD peripheral STI does not seem to play a role in the degradation. The PPD area and an additional contribution independent on the pixel dimensions appear to be the main sources of the TID induced dark current increase

Overview of ionizing radiation effects in image sensors fabricated in a deep-submicrometer CMOS imaging technology

An overview of ionizing radiation effects in imagers manufactured in a 0.18-μm CMOS image sensor technology is presented. Fourteen types of image sensors are characterized and irradiated by a 60Co source up to 5 kGy. The differences between these 14 designs allow us to separately estimate the effect of ionizing radiation on microlenses, on low- and zero-threshold-voltage MOSFETs and on several pixel layouts using P+ guard-rings and edgeless transistors. After irradiation, wavelength dependent responsivity drops are observed. All the sensors exhibit a large dark current increase attributed to the shallow trench isolation that surrounds the photodiodes. Saturation voltage rises and readout chain gain variations are also reported. Finally, the radiation hardening perspectives resulting from this paper are discussed

Radiation Effects on CMOS Image Sensors With Sub-2 µm Pinned Photodiodes

CMOS image sensor hardness under irradiation is a key parameter for application fields such as space or medical. In this paper, four commercial sensors featuring different technological characteristics (pitch, isolation or buried oxide) have been irradiated with 60Co source. Based on dark current and temporal noise analysis, we develop and propose a phenomenological model to explain pixel performance degradation

Radiation Effects in Pinned Photodiode CMOS Image Sensors: Pixel Performance Degradation Due to Total Ionizing Dose

Several Pinned Photodiode (PPD) CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) are designed, manufactured, characterized and exposed biased to ionizing radiation up to 10 kGy(SiO2 ). In addition to the usually reported dark current increase and quantum efficiency drop at short wavelengths, several original radiation effects are shown: an increase of the pinning voltage, a decrease of the buried photodiode full well capacity, a large change in charge transfer efficiency, the creation of a large number of Total Ionizing Dose (TID) induced Dark Current Random Telegraph Signal (DC-RTS) centers active in the photodiode (even when the Transfer Gate (TG) is accumulated) and the complete depletion of the Pre-Metal Dielectric (PMD) interface at the highest TID leading to a large dark current and the loss of control of the TG on the dark current. The proposed mechanisms at the origin of these degradations are discussed. It is also demonstrated that biasing (i.e., operating) the PPD CIS during irradiation does not enhance the degradations compared to sensors grounded during irradiation

Total dose evaluation of deep submicron CMOS imaging technology through elementary device and pixel array behavior analysis

Ionizing radiation effects on CMOS image sensors (CIS) manufactured using a 0.18 µm imaging technology are presented through the behavior analysis of elementary structures, such as field oxide FET, gated diodes, photodiodes and MOSFETs. Oxide characterizations appear necessary to understand ionizing dose effects on devices and then on image sensors. The main degradations observed are photodiode dark current increases (caused by a generation current enhancement), minimum size NMOSFET off-state current rises and minimum size PMOSFET radiation induced narrow channel effects. All these effects are attributed to the shallow trench isolation degradation which appears much more sensitive to ionizing radiation than inter layer dielectrics. Unusual post annealing effects are reported in these thick oxides. Finally, the consequences on sensor design are discussed thanks to an irradiated pixel array and a comparison with previous work is discussed

Influence of displacement damage dose on dark current distributions of irradiated CMOS image sensors

Dark current increase distributions due to displacement damages are modeled using displacement damage dose concept. Several CMOS image sensors have been exposed to neutrons or protons and we have characterized their degradation in terms of dark current increase. We have been able to extract a set of two factors from the experimental dark current increase distributions. These factors are used to predict and build dark current increase distribution and leads to a better understanding of displacement damage effects on CMOS image sensors

The Highly Miniaturised Radiation Monitor

We present the design and preliminary calibration results of a novel highly miniaturised particle radiation monitor (HMRM) for spacecraft use. The HMRM device comprises a telescopic configuration of active pixel sensors enclosed in a titanium shield, with an estimated total mass of 52 g and volume of 15 cm$^3$. The monitor is intended to provide real-time dosimetry and identification of energetic charged particles in fluxes of up to 10$^8$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ (omnidirectional). Achieving this capability with such a small instrument could open new prospects for radiation detection in space.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figure