ECE 730 Topic 22 - Spring 2016

ECE 730 Topic 22 - Digital Imaging Circuits and Technology

Instructor

Professor K. Karim

Calendar description

This course covers the design and fabrication of digital imaging circuits and devices used in imaging applications. The course provides an understanding of the scientific principles, physics and engineering technology that provide the basis by which images are acquired in digital imaging. The integrated solid-state image sensor technology to be discussed in the course appears in a wide variety of applications ranging from CMOS digital cameras used in smartphones to large area active matrix flat panel X- ray imagers. Past undergraduate and graduate students who have attended this course have gone onto to careers developing digital cameras and associated electronics at companies including Apple, Blackberry, Aptina, Micron, Omnivision, Illumina, Perkin Elmer, Qualcomm and Intel.

Prerequisite

ECE 331, ECE 242 or equivalent

Detailed description

  1. Device technology (15 lecture hours)
    • Imaging devices (CCDs, photodiodes, phototransistors, charge injection devices, charge modulation devices, MSM devices)
  2. Imaging pixel and array design (15 lecture hours)
    • Active pixel sensors (APS) and passive pixel circuits, current mode, voltage mode, logarithmic, on-pixel A/D, integrating and non-integrating sensors, photon counting pixels
    • Imaging array operation and performance figures of merit, resolution, speed, quantum efficiency, random electronic noise sources, fixed pattern noise, photoresponse non-uniformity
  3. Radiographic imaging materials and methods (6 lecture hours)
    • X-rays, production, interaction with matter
    • Characteristics of image receptors, fluorescent intensifying screens, screen categories, light diffusion, cassettes
    • Digital X-ray and optical sensing (scintillators, indirect detection, direct X-ray detection)

Total lecture hours: 36

References

  1. CMOS/CCD Sensors and Camera Systems, 2nd edition, Gerald C. Holst, Terrence S. Lomheim, JCD Publishing/SPIE, 2011.
  2. Handbook of Medical Imaging, Volume 1: Physics and Psychophysics (SPIE PRESS Monograph Vol. PM79), Jacob Beutel, Harold L. Kundel, Richard L. Van Metter, Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers, February 2000.
  3. Lecture Notes

Grading

  • Midterm (20 percent): Will contain material covered until midterm.
  • Final (50 percent): Will contain all material covered in course and project.
  • Project (30 percent): See below.

Project

ECE 493 undergraduate students

ECE 493 undergraduate students will carry out the project in a team containing a maximum of three students. Each team is responsible for selecting a target imaging application, deriving the imaging specifications and then employing one of the following imaging pixel architectures using CMOS 0.18 um technology to realize a pixel-level solution.

  • Sensor: CMOS PN photodiode, pinned photodiode or photogate sensor
  • Readout circuit: 3T, 4T, 5T or any other integrating mode pixel circuit that is suitable

The project is to be carried out using a combination of the Medici device and Cadence circuit simulators. You are responsible for (1) performing a device simulation using Medici for the sensor you have selected (10 percent), (2) deriving a compact circuit model for the sensor and implementing it in the Cadence circuit simulator (10 percent), and (3) simulating the sensor with the chosen pixel circuit to achieve the design specifications of interest (10 percent). Simulation results for this project are acceptable. (i.e. layout and LVS are not necessary)

  • Sensor Simulation (10 percent): June 27th, 2016
  • Compact Circuit Model and Circuit Simulations (20 percent): July 25th, 2016

ECE 730 graduate students

ECE 730 graduate students will be responsible for carrying out the above project individually. In addition, they can select any sensor and/or device simulator of their choice (pending approval from the instructor). Lastly, in addition to simulation results, layout of the pixel circuit and LVS results are to be provided.

The marking scheme for graduate students will be (1) performing a device simulation using Medici or another acceptable simulation tool for the sensor you have selected (10 percent), (2) deriving a compact circuit model for the sensor and implementing it in the Cadence circuit simulator (5 percent), (3) simulating the sensor with the chosen pixel circuit to achieve the design specifications of interest (5 percent), (4) layout and LVS of the pixel circuit (5 percent) and (5) presenting your sensor simulation results to the class (5 percent). The format for the 30 minute presentation will be 15 slides maximum, 20 minutes of talk time with 10 minutes for questions.

  • Sensor Simulation (10 percent): June 27th, 2016
  • Sensor Presentation (5 percent): July 25th, 2016
  • Compact Circuit Model and Circuit Simulations (15 percent): July 25th, 2016