This work explores the combination of a downscaled technology with in-pixel source-follower (SF) optimization, a high column-level gain and an analog implementation of Correlated-Multiple-Sampling (CMS) for noise reduction of CIS readout chains. Transient noise simulations show that in the optimal condition of a pMOS SF, a column-level gain equal to 64 and a CMS of order 8, the noise can be reduced to the extremely low value of 0.20e-rms, with a readout time of 43 μs, demonstrating the possibility of true photoelectron counting for this standard 65 nm process.
Luc Thévenaz, Malak Mohamed Hossameldeen Omar Mohamed Galal, Yuting Yang, Li Zhang, Suneetha Sebastian
Michael Christoph Gastpar, Alper Köse, Ahmet Arda Atalik