摘要 |
An image sensor architecture provides an SNR in excess of 100 dB, without requiring the use of a mechanical shutter. The circuit components for an active pixel sensor array are separated and arranged vertically in at least two different layers in a hybrid chip structure. The top layer is preferably manufactured using a low-noise PMOS manufacturing process, and includes the photodiode and amplifier circuitry for each pixel. A bottom layer is preferably manufactured using a standard CMOS process, and includes the NMOS pixel circuit components and any digital circuitry required for signal processing. By forming the top layer in a PMOS process optimized for forming low-noise pixels, the pixel performance can be greatly improved, compared to using CMOS. |