Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

 onsemi

Analog Design Engineer      Cork, Ireland      Link

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Phys.org covered a recently published paper titled "A 64-pixel mid-infrared single-photon imager based on superconducting nanowire detectors" by a team from NIST in the journal Applied Physics Letters. 

Abstract:

A large-format mid-infrared single-photon imager with very low dark count rates would enable a broad range of applications in fields like astronomy and chemistry. Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are a mature photon-counting technology as demonstrated by their figures of merit such as high detection efficiencies and very low dark count rates. However, scaling SNSPDs to large array sizes for mid-infrared applications requires sophisticated readout architectures in addition to superconducting materials development. In this work, an SNSPD array design that combines a thermally coupled row-column multiplexing architecture with a thermally coupled time-of-flight transmission line was developed for mid-infrared applications. The design requires only six cables and can be scaled to larger array sizes. The demonstration of a 64-pixel array shows promising results for wavelengths between 3.4 μm and 10 μm, which will enable the use of this single-photon detector technology for a broad range of new applications.

From phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2024-01-wavelength-scientific-exploration-photon-detectors.html

NIST researchers have unveiled a new kind of single-photon detector array that can identify individual particles of light (photons). It's useful for spectroscopy, where scientists observe how molecules absorb different colors (or wavelengths) of light. Each molecule has its own color fingerprint on the light spectrum.

This particular detector can catch single photons in the mid-infrared. Here's how the array works: Multiple super-cold detectors are connected to one another (shown above) in a grid of sorts with an electrical current flowing through. When a photon strikes one of the detectors, it creates a hot spot and acts as a dam to block the current for a short amount of time.

The researchers developed a new technique to determine where, along the columns and rows, the hot spot is. From there, they can create single-photon pictures.

The whole setup is challenging because mid-infrared waves are longer and have less energy to cause the hot spots, compared to visible light, for example. But the scientists have a few tricks up their sleeve and used them to make it work.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Sony Advanced Visual Sensing AG

Image Sensor Design Engineer        Schlieren, Switzerland        Link

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Sony Advanced Visual Sensing AG

Image Sensor Design Engineer        Schlieren, Switzerland        Link

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

We asked four AI chat engines a simple question, "Who invented CMOS Image Sensors?" There seems to have been a lot of variety in the training sets.

Microsoft Copilot (Bing) based on GPT-4:

The inventor of the CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) active pixel sensor camera-on-a-chip is Eric Fossum. He invented this technology while working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1993. The CMOS image sensor technology is now used in more than 6 billion cameras produced each year, including nearly every smartphone.

ChatGPT-3.5:

The invention of CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) image sensors is attributed to several individuals and organizations. However, the basic concept of CMOS technology was first proposed by Chih-Tang Sah and Frank Wanlass in the late 1960s. They were researchers working at Fairchild Semiconductor, a company that played a crucial role in the development of several semiconductor technologies.

Since then, numerous engineers, scientists, and companies have contributed to the advancements and commercialization of CMOS image sensors. Sony is one major company known for its contributions to image sensor technology, as they introduced the first commercial CMOS image sensors in the 1990s. Other notable companies involved in image sensor development include Canon, Samsung, Panasonic, and OmniVision Technologies. It is important to note that the development of CMOS image sensors is a result of collective efforts from several individuals and organizations over the years.

Anthropic Claude: 

The invention of the CMOS image sensor can be attributed to a few key pioneers:

- Eric Fossum - While working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the early 1990s, Eric Fossum led the team that developed the first functioning CMOS image sensor with intra-pixel conversion. This type of active pixel sensor became the basis for modern CMOS image sensors.

- Nobukazu Teranishi - Working at Olympus in the late 1960s, Teranishi patented some of the earliest concepts for using MOS technology for imaging, laying the groundwork for future CMOS sensors.

- Peter Noble - In the late 1960s, while at Plessey Semiconductors in the UK, Peter Noble patented ideas for using MOS capacitors for image sensing. This helped establish early CMOS imaging concepts.

- Wen H. Ko and Robert C. Gee - In the late 1960s at Fairchild Semiconductor, Ko and Gee developed one of the first MOS imaging chips, building on emerging CMOS technology.

- Steve Sasson - While an engineer at Kodak in the 1970s, Sasson worked on some of the earliest CCD digital camera sensors, which inspired the transition from CCD to CMOS sensors.

So in summary, the foundational invention of CMOS image sensors relied on key contributions from Eric Fossum, Nobukazu Teranishi, Peter Noble, Wen H. Ko, and Robert C. Gee between the 1960s to 1990s, as CMOS fabrication techniques matured. The CMOS sensor revolutionized digital photography.

Google Bard:

The question of "who invented CMOS image sensors" has a slightly nuanced answer because the technology evolved through different stages and improvements by various individuals and teams. Here's a breakdown:

Conceptual foundation:The underlying technology, Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS), was conceived by Frank Wanlass at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1963.

Active Pixel Sensor (APS) invention:While CCDs dominated early image sensors, the CMOS Active Pixel Sensor (APS), a crucial component of modern CMOS image sensors, was developed in the mid-1980s by Olympus in Japan. Tsutomu Nakamura'steam fabricated the first NMOS APS in 1985.

Advancements for commercial viability:Eric Fossum, an American engineer, is often credited with making CMOS image sensors commercially viable. He and his team at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the 1990s significantly improved the technology by inventing a new pixel design with all necessary functions on a single chip, addressing limitations like power consumption and sensitivity.

Further refinements:Since then, numerous researchers and companies have continued to contribute to the development and improvement of CMOS image sensors. These advancements have led to their widespread adoption in various applications, from digital cameras and smartphones to medical imaging and scientific instruments.

Therefore, attributing the invention solely to one person might not be entirely accurate. However, Eric Fossum's contribution in improving the technology and making it commercially viable deserves considerable recognition.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

IEEE Spectrum has a recent article discussing a 2023 IEDM paper from Canon.

Paper: Shirahige et al., "40-5. Cross Dual-Pixel Twisted-Photodiode Image Sensor for All-Directional Auto Focus", IEDM 2023.

Spectrum article: https://spectrum.ieee.org/autofocus-canon-twisted-diode

Diodes at Right Angles Double Autofocus Capacity: Canon twists photosensor rules to build new tech from familiar parts

In 2013, Canon introduced its first dual-pixel autofocus, a technology that allows almost every pixel in a photo sensor to help focus the image it takes. Now Canon researchers say they’ve developed a new improvement on their previous improvement to autofocus tech. And this new approach finds its focus faster, better, and in lower light—without requiring new components and technologies to be invented first. It simply involves one small twist.

Shirahige said they have developed a new image sensor whose photodiodes are perpendicular to each other. This “cross dual-pixel twisted-photodiode,” they note, performs better than autofocus sensors in the marketplace today [that place] two photodiodes under a shared lens, which allowed the sensor to detect when incoming light on both diodes was in phase, and therefore, in focus. [Even earlier technique was to] sample [a few image] pixels to adjust the camera lens based on the contrast in the image, a slower method. [In any case, the] focusing pixels could not record image data, so there was always a trade-off between autofocusing ability and image quality. Instead, the dual-pixel autofocus approach made it possible for almost every pixel in the sensor to contribute to focusing the lens ahead of shooting, and to then contribute information to the final photo. The advantages included speed, better focus in low-light situations, and better focus across a greater fraction of the image.

However, these multipixel photodiodes have a disadvantage: the arrangement of photodiodes favors light on one axis at the cost of the other. [...]Canon’s new structure, which they call a twisted-photodiode image sensor, stacks two identical photodiodes, one oriented to capture horizontal patterns and the other rotated ninety degrees to capture vertical patterns. Because the horizontally and vertically oriented photodiodes are the same type of components, the data each generates requires no more extra processing time or power than that of any other diode in the system. So the overall autofocus speed is higher. The orthogonal-diode arrangement, by virtue of is comparable simplicity, also achieves faster readouts than more complex quadruple or other elaborate photodiode structures.

Canon’s team reported that their system is also much faster at capturing the electrons transferred from the photodiodes, capturing as many as 121,000 electrons with the same lag as previous photodiodes, which is more than double the capacity of comparable earlier systems.

[Canon did] not provide an estimate of when the technology might appear in commercial systems.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Qurv, in Barcelona, Spain, plans to expand its sensor design team with staff additions:

• Process Integration Engineer
• Wide-Spectrum Image Sensor CMOS Pixel Designer
• Quantum Film Process Engineer

These openings and more are on the Qurv website.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

EPFL presents a combo of spiking neuron processor and  SPAD sensor:

EPFL also presents a burst SPAD imager:

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

A video on the different stages in the development of sensors for infrared cameras from Institut des NanoSciences de Paris (INSP):

NIT and INSP will exhibit the world’s first HgTe CQD SWIR camera during the Forum Innovation Defense held in Paris on 23-28 November.

NIT (New Imaging Technologies) and INSP (Institute of Nanosciences of Paris) are proud to announce the debut of the world’s first Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) camera featuring an innovative HgTe (Mercury Telluride) Quantum Dot focal plane array sensor. This groundbreaking technological achievement will be showcased during the Forum Innovation Defense, taking place in Paris from November 23 to November 28, 2023.

The collaboration between NIT and INSP has resulted in a pioneering SWIR infrared camera, utilizing the advanced HgTe quantum dot sensor technology, which promises unprecedented capabilities in defense and security applications.

Selected by the French Ministry of Defense, NIT, and INSP will present the culmination of years of dedicated research and development efforts in this revolutionary camera. The development of the CQD (Colloidal Quantum Dot) sensor was made possible through funding provided by the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) and the National Research Agency, part of a rigorous three-year R&D program.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Exosens - Photonis Infrared

R&D Engineer in Infrared & CMOS Image Sensor       Grenoble, France       Link

(Note: The listing at the link is in French)

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

SWIR Vision Systems Announces Acuros GO 6 MP Handheld SWIR Camera Empowering Mobile SWIR Imaging with Cutting-Edge CQD Sensor Technology

• 3064 x 2040 pixel resolution using the new 7µm pitch Acuros CQD sensor
• Broadband spectral sensitivity from 400 nm to 1700 nm
• Battery powered operation
• Global snapshot shutter design with video frame rates of 30 fps
• Digital shutter speeds up to 1/100,000 (10 us) to capture high-speed events without motion blur
• Automatic Gain Control (AGC), Auto Exposure (AE), and dynamic sensor calibrations (NUCs) for high-quality image capture across various light intensities and environmental conditions

The Camera:

Acuros GO 6 MP Camera Front

 

Acuros GO 6 MP Camera Back

Acuros GO 6 MP Camera Specification

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Sony Semiconductor Solutions - America

Automotive Image Sensor Field Applications Engineer     Novi, Michigan, USA    Link

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

From: https://hokuyo-usa.com/resources/blog/pioneering-autonomous-capabilities-solid-state-3d-lidar

Autonomous technologies are proliferating across industries at breakneck speed. Various sectors, like manufacturing, agriculture, storage, freight, etc., are rushing to embrace robotics, automation, and self-driving capabilities.

At the helm of this autonomous transformation is LiDAR, the eyes that allow technologies to perceive and understand their surroundings. LiDAR is like a hawk scanning the landscape with sharp vision, giving clarity and insight into what stands before it. Additionally, research solidifies the claims of increasing LiDAR usage and anticipates that the global LiDAR market will reach 5.35 billion USD by 2030.

While spinning mechanical LiDAR sensors have paved the way, acting as the eyes of autonomous systems, they remain too bulky, delicate, and expensive for many real-world applications. However, new solid-state 3D LiDAR is here to change the game. These LiDARs pack thousands of tiny, durable laser beams onto a single chip to provide unmatched reliability and affordability.

How YLM-X001 3D LiDAR Range Sensor is Transforming Scanning Capabilities
The YLM-X001 outdoor-use 3D LiDAR by Hokuyo sets new standards with groundbreaking features. The range sensor has a small form factor with 119 (W) x 85 (D) x79 (H) dimensions, allowing it to become a part of any vehicle seamlessly. Additionally, despite the small size, it boasts a scanning range of 120° horizontally and 90° vertically. Therefore, it can scan a larger scene and provide data in real-time to avoid collisions with any object.

Furthermore, at the heart of this LiDAR range sensor is the Light Control Metasurface (LCM) technology patented and protected by Lumotive, Inc. This jointly developed light detection and ranging sensor works using this beam-steering technology. It uses the deflection angle of liquid crystals without relying on mechanical parts. This digital scanning technology combines a line light laser with VCSEL Laser and liquid crystal deflection, enabling LiDAR to perform efficient 3D object recognition with high resolution.

Also, the LCM not only eliminates mechanical components but also aids in reducing multipath interference and inter-sensor interference. Reduction of both interferences results in achieving a better level of stability in measurement that was previously unattainable using mechanical LiDARs.
The YLM-X001 3D LiDAR range sensors offer dynamic digital scanning, providing stable distance accuracy in multipath and LiDAR-to-LiDAR interference. It can measure the distance of stationary and repositioning objects in the moving direction and on the road surface via continuous and dynamic scanning.

Notable Features of YLM-X001
New and market-leading features are packed inside this LiDAR, making it a better choice than mechanical LiDARs.

• ROS2 Compatible: A globally accepted standard software platform with open-source libraries helping you to develop and run robotics applications efficiently.
• Ethernet 1000BASE-T: The interface is Ethernet 1000BASE-T compatible, ensuring fast, precise, and stable integration into various robotic systems.
• 0.5m to 7m Detection Range: The wide range makes it suitable for close and distant monitoring.
• Distance x 0.5% Deviation: It ensures an exceptional distance accuracy with a Distance x 0.5% deviation. At a distance of 5m under 100,0000lx illumination, the LiDAR provides an accuracy of 25mm.
• 10Hz or More Frame Rate: YLM-X001 delivers real-time data for dynamic environments with a 10Hz or more frame rate. It offers QVGS (320 x 240) in standard mode and VGS (640 x 480) in high-resolution mode. The angular resolution is 0.375° or less (0.188° in high-resolution mode) for detailed and accurate scanning.

Using 3D LiDAR in Real World Applications
The YLM-X001 finds its stride in various applications, making it an invaluable asset in robotics.

AGV/AMR Integration
Our 3D LiDAR sensors enhance AGV/AMR navigation and obstacle detection precision. They continuously scan the environment, providing real-time data, ideal for autonomous vehicles in dynamic environments.
Additionally, the fork trucks can utilize the capabilities of 3D LiDAR for accurate detection of container and pallet entrances. Plus, it can create path plans and ensure the accurate position of the forklift.

Service Robot Operations
Robots with the capabilities of 3D LiDAR will have an enhanced framework for avoiding obstacles and monitoring road surface conditions. Whether navigating complex indoor or outdoor spaces, these robots can adapt to changing conditions with unmatched accuracy.

Enhance Autonomous Mobility with Hokuyo YLM-X001 3D LiDAR
As industries embrace autonomous technology, the need for accurate range scanning sensors increases. Solid-state LiDARs offer a small form factor and precise measurements, becoming an ideal replacement for mechanical LiDARs.

Our team at Hokuyo is working relentlessly to help you achieve the pinnacle of autonomous mobility. We are developing high-end sensor solutions for a variety of autonomous applications. Our recent development, the YLM-X001 3D LiDAR range sensors, is here for accurate obstacle detection and continuous scanning.

Technical specifications of the YLM-X001 3D LiDAR range sensor: https://www.hokuyo-aut.jp/search/single.php?serial=247#drawing

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

CEA Leti

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

In a paper titled "Silver telluride colloidal quantum dot infrared photodetectors and image sensors" Wang et al. from  ICFO, ICREA, and Qurv Technologies (Spain) write:

Photodetectors that are sensitive in the shortwave-infrared (SWIR) range (1–2 µm) are of great interest for applications such as machine vision, autonomous driving and three-dimensional, night and adverse weather imaging, among others. Currently available technologies in the SWIR range rely on costly epitaxial semiconductors that are not monolithically integrated with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor electronics. Solution-processed quantum dots can address this challenge by enabling low-cost manufacturing and simple monolithic integration on silicon in a back-end-of-line process. So far, colloidal quantum dot materials to access the SWIR regime are mostly based on lead sulfide and mercury telluride compounds, imposing major regulatory concerns for their deployment in consumer electronics due to the presence of toxic heavy metals. Here we report a new synthesis method for environmentally friendly silver telluride quantum dots and their application in high-performance SWIR photodetectors. The colloidal quantum dot photodetector stack employs materials compliant with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directives and is sensitive in the spectral range from 350 nm to 1,600 nm. The room-temperature detectivity is of the order of 10^{12} Jones, the 3 dB bandwidth is in excess of 0.1 MHz and the linear dynamic range is over 118 dB. We also realize a monolithically integrated SWIR imager based on solution-processed, toxic-heavy-metal-free materials, thus paving the way for this technology to the consumer electronics market.

Coverage in phys.org:  https://phys.org/news/2024-01-toxic-quantum-dots-pave-cmos.html

Non-toxic quantum dots pave the way towards CMOS shortwave infrared image sensors for consumer electronics

Invisible to our eyes, shortwave infrared (SWIR) light can enable unprecedented reliability, function and performance in high-volume, computer vision first applications in service robotics, automotive and consumer electronics markets.

Image sensors with SWIR sensitivity can operate reliably under adverse conditions such as bright sunlight, fog, haze and smoke. Furthermore, the SWIR range provides eye-safe illumination sources and opens up the possibility of detecting material properties through molecular imaging.

Colloidal quantum dots (CQD)-based image sensor technology offers a promising technology platform to enable high-volume compatible image sensors in the SWIR.

CQDs, nanometric semiconductor crystals, are a solution-processed material platform that can be integrated with CMOS and enables access to the SWIR range. However, a fundamental roadblock exists in translating SWIR-sensitive quantum dots into key enabling technology for mass-market applications, as they often contain heavy metals like lead or mercury (IV-VI Pb, Hg-chalcogenide semiconductors).
These materials are subject to regulations by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), a European directive that regulates their use in commercial consumer electronic applications.

In a study published in Nature Photonics, ICFO researchers Yongjie Wang, Lucheng Peng, and Aditya Malla led by ICREA Prof. at ICFO Gerasimos Konstantatos, in collaboration with researchers Julien Schreier, Yu Bi, Andres Black, and Stijn Goossens, from Qurv, have reported on the development of high-performance infrared photodetectors and an SWIR image sensor operating at room temperature based on non-toxic colloidal quantum dots.

The study describes a new method for synthesizing size tunable, phosphine-free silver telluride (Ag2Te) quantum dots while preserving the advantageous properties of traditional heavy-metal counterparts, paving the way to the introduction of SWIR colloidal quantum dot technology in high-volume markets.
While investigating how to synthesize silver bismuth telluride (AgBiTe2) nanocrystals to extend the spectral coverage of the AsBiS2 technology to enhance the performance of photovoltaic devices, the researchers obtained silver telluride (Ag2Te) as a by-product.

This material showed a strong and tunable quantum-confined absorption akin to quantum dots. They realized its potential for SWIR photodetectors and image sensors and pivoted their efforts to achieve and control a new process to synthesize phosphine-free versions of silver telluride quantum dots, as phosphine was found to have a detrimental impact on the optoelectronic properties of the quantum dots relevant to photodetection.

In their new synthetic method, the team used different phosphine-free complexes such as a tellurium and silver precursors that led them to obtain quantum dots with well-controlled size distribution and excitonic peaks over a very broad range of the spectrum.

After fabricating and characterizing them, the newly synthesized quantum dots exhibited remarkable performances, with distinct excitonic peaks over 1,500nm—an unprecedented achievement compared to previous phosphine-based techniques for quantum dot fabrication.

The researchers then decided to implement the obtained phosphine-free quantum dots to fabricate a simple laboratory scale photodetector on the common standard ITO (Indium Tin Oxide)-coated glass substrate to characterize the devices and measure their properties.

"Those lab-scale devices are operated with shining light from the bottom. For CMOS integrated CQD stacks, light comes from the top, whereas the bottom part of the device is taken by the CMOS electronics," said Yongjie Wang, postdoc researcher at ICFO and first author of the study. "So, the first challenge we had to overcome was reverting the device setup. A process that in theory sounds simple, but in reality proved to be a challenging task."

Initially, the photodiode exhibited a low performance in sensing SWIR light, prompting a redesign that incorporated a buffer layer. This adjustment significantly enhanced the photodetector performance, resulting in a SWIR photodiode exhibiting a spectral range from 350nm to 1,600nm, a linear dynamic range exceeding 118 dB, a -3dB bandwidth surpassing 110 kHz and a room temperature detectivity of the order 10^{12} Jones.

"To the best of our knowledge, the photodiodes reported here have for the first time realized solution processed, non-toxic shortwave infrared photodiodes with figures of merit on par with other heavy-metal containing counterparts," Gerasimos Konstantatos, ICREA Prof. at ICFO and leading author of the study mentions.

"These results further support the fact that Ag2Te quantum dots emerge as a promising RoHS-compliant material for low-cost, high-performance SWIR photodetectors applications."
With the successful development of this heavy-metal-free quantum dot based photodetector, the researchers went further and teamed up with Qurv, an ICFO spin-off, to demonstrate its potential by constructing a SWIR image sensor as a case study.

The team integrated the new photodiode with a CMOS based read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) focal plane array (FPA) demonstrating for the first time a proof-of-concept, non-toxic, room temperature-operating SWIR quantum dot based image sensor.

The authors of the study tested the imager to prove its operation in the SWIR by taking several pictures of a target object. In particular, they were able to image the transmission of silicon wafers under the SWIR light as well as to visualize the content of plastic bottles that were opaque in the visible light range.

"Accessing the SWIR with a low-cost technology for consumer electronics will unleash the potential of this spectral range with a huge range of applications including improved vision systems for automotive industry (cars) enabling vision and driving under adverse weather conditions," says Gerasimos Konstantatos.

"SWIR band around 1.35–1.40 µm, can provide an eye-safe window, free of background light under day/night conditions, thus, further enabling long-range light detection and ranging (LiDAR), three-dimensional imaging for automotive, augmented reality and virtual reality applications."
Now the researchers want to increase the performance of photodiodes by engineering the stack of layers that comprise the photodetector device. They also want to explore new surface chemistries for the Ag2Te quantum dots to improve the performance and the thermal and environmental stability of the material on its way to the market.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

We just received a request to list two new jobs from Transformative Optics in Portland, Oregon, USA. They describe these as:

Senior Software Engineer

• Responsible for the design, development, testing, and documentation of image processing software to meet user requirements.
  

Senior Product Leader

Go to the original article...