WORKSHOP PAPER
A radiation tolerant 4T pixel for space applications: layout and process optimization
Abstract
Space applications require image sensors that are tolerant to the harsh radiation conditions outside the earth’s atmosphere. This paper reports about an ongoing optimization experiment for radiation tolerant 4T pixels, conducted in a 0.18µm CMOS image sensor process, involving optimization of both the layout and the process technology. The goal is to minimize the end-of-life dark current for a star tracker application, ensuring tolerance to both ionizing dose and displacement damage.Keywords
Radiation tolerant, 4T pixel, Space applications,References
1) M. Innocent, "A radiation tolerant 4T pixel for space applications", Proc. IISW, 2009. https://doi.org/10.60928/u4mx-6nah
2) Yannick De Wit, and Manuel Innocent, "An overflow photo-gate enables high FWC and improved proton radiation tolerance in CMOS pixels", Proc. IISW, 2013. https://doi.org/10.60928/uc7e-e7g1
3) V. Goiffon et al., "Radiation Effects in Pinned Photodiode CMOS Image Sensors: Pixel Performance Degradation Due to Total Ionizing Dose", IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 2012. https://doi.org/10.1109/tns.2012.2222927
4) C. Virmontois, V. Goiffon, F. Corbière, P. Magnan, S. Girard, and A. Bardoux, "Displacement Damage Effects in Pinned Photodiode CMOS Image Sensors", IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 2012. https://doi.org/10.1109/tns.2012.2224129
5) H. L. Hughes, and J. M. Benedetto, "Radiation Effects and Hardening of MOS Technology: Devices and Circuits", IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 2003. https://doi.org/10.1109/tns.2003.812928
6) Jan Bogaerts, Bart Dierickx, Guy Meynants, and Dirk Uwaerts, "Total Dose and Displacement Damage Effects in a Radiation-Hardened CMOS APS", IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 2003. https://doi.org/10.1109/ted.2002.807251
7) Padmakumar R. Rao, Xinyang Wang, Adri J. Mierop, and Albert J.P. Theuwissen, "Gamma-Ray Irradiation Effects on CMOS Image Sensors in Deep Sub-Micron Technology", Proc. IISW, 2007. https://doi.org/10.60928/ujbt-6sd7