Hi-Def Low Light Detector

We have developed an innovative approach to high fill factor CMOS image sensors in which the photosensitivity is contained in a layer deposited on the surface of a Read-out IC (ROIC). This approach has been shown to provide high fill factor and low light imaging, as well as to hold promise for improving the survivability of the image sensor under intense light conditions. We have made preliminary exploration of methods of improving the survivability of the sensors even further, by thickening the coating and making circuit and structural changes to the underlying ROIC. We propose to explore the effects that these coating, circuit, and structural changes have on the optical response of the sensor (light gathering efficiency and resolution, in particular) and to the survivability of the sensor under high light conditions. BENEFIT: An optically ruggedized sensor has a number of commercial and military applications, especially when the core sensor design is scalable to provide cameras ranging from 2MP to significantly larger variants (>100MP). The most immediate market for such sensor is the U.S. government, namely for military systems. The likely first product will be a 2MP focal plane that can be integrated (with minimal modification) into an existing camera designs and applications. This device will be suitable for a wide variety of applications, including UAV’s, UGV’s, surveillance, and industrial machine vision applications. Trex has been developing a novel low-light image sensor technology known and Photodiode on Active Pixel (POAP), which holds promise for achieving very small pixel sizes (for visible light sensing) and for achieving very good night vision performance (for short wave IR light sensing). Market penetration of this sensor technology will be aided greatly by the addition of another high performance aspect, namely high survivability, to the sensors.