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A 209 ps Shutter-Time CMOS Image Sensor for Ultra-Fast Diagnosis
Houzhi Cai1, Zhaoyang Xie1, Youlin Ma1
1Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Photonics and Biophotonics, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 27, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a new CMOS image sensor for inertial confinement fusion diagnosis, offering a viable alternative to microchannel plate detectors with improved single-line-of-sight imaging and ultrashort shutter times.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Conventional microchannel plate framing cameras are standard for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) diagnosis.
- These vacuum electronic devices have limitations including complex structures and restricted single-line-of-sight imaging capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and develop an 8 × 8 pixel-array CMOS image sensor for ultrashort shutter-time single-framing applications.
- To provide a viable alternative to microchannel plate detectors in ICF diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Leveraged silicon epitaxial processing and a 0.18 μm standard CMOS process for sensor fabrication.
- Focused on the design of the photodiode and the readout pixel-array circuit, incorporating 5T structure pixel units, voltage-controlled delayers, and clock trees.
Main Results:
- The photodiode achieved >30% quantum efficiency in the visible light band and >200 ps temporal resolution.
- Simulations demonstrated an optimal pixel circuit temporal resolution of 60 ps.
- The complete CMOS image sensor achieved a temporal resolution better than 209 ps with a dynamic range of 75.2 dB.
Conclusions:
- The developed CMOS image sensor offers significant advantages over traditional microchannel plate detectors for ICF applications.
- The sensor's design enables improved imaging capabilities and temporal resolution for fusion diagnostics.
