• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2022

In this paper, the photocurrent characteristics of gate/body-tied (GBT) metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)-type photodetector with high sensitivity in the 408 nm - 941 nm range are presented. High sensitivity is important for photodetectors, which are used in several scientific and industrial applications. Owing to its inherent amplifying characteristics, the GBT MOSFET-type photodetector exhibits high sensitivity. The presented GBT MOSFET-type photodetector was designed and fabricated via a standard 0.18 ㎛ complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, and its characteristics were analyzed. The photodetector was analyzed with respect to its width to length (W/L) ratio, bias voltage, and incident-light wavelength. It was confirmed experimentally that the presented GBT MOSFET-type photodetector has over 100 times higher sensitivity than a PN-junction photodiode with the same area in the 408 nm - 941 nm range.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.12-15
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• 2022

In this study, we studied the effects of transfer gate on the photocurrent characteristics of gate/body-tied (GBT) metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)-type photodetector. The GBT MOSFET-type photodetector has high sensitivity owing to the amplifying characteristic of the photocurrent generated by light. The transfer gate controls the flow of photocurrent by controlling the barrier to holes, thereby varying the sensitivity of the photodetector. The presented GBT MOSFET-type photodetector using a built-in transfer gate was designed and fabricated via a 0.18-㎛ standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. Using a laser diode, the photocurrent was measured according to the wavelength of the incident light by adjusting the voltage of the transfer gate. Variable sensitivity of the presented GBT MOSFET-type photodetector was experimentally confirmed by adjusting the transfer gate voltage in the range of 405 nm to 980 nm.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.151-155
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• 2022

In this paper, we present a highly-sensitive gate/body-tied (GBT) metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)-type photodetector using multi-finger structure whose photocurrent increases in proportion to the number of fingers. The drain current that flows through a MOSFET using multi-finger structure is proportional to the number of fingers. This study intends to confirm that the photocurrent of a GBT MOSFET-type photodetector that uses the proposed multi-finger structure is larger than the photocurrent per unit area of the existing GBT MOSFET-type photodetectors. Analysis and measurement of a GBT MOSFET-type photodetector that utilizes a multi-finger structure confirmed that photocurrent increases in ratio to the number of fingers. In addition, the characteristics of the photocurrent in relation to the optical power were measured. In order to determine the influence of the incident the wavelength of light, the photocurrent was recorded as the incident the wavelength of light varied over a range of 405 to 980 nm. A highly-sensitive GBT MOSFET-type photodetector with multi-finger structure was designed and fabricated by using the Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company (TSMC) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) 0.18 um 1-poly 6-metal process and its characteristics have been measured.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.500-510
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• 2013

In this paper, a high-sensitivity low power photodetector using double gate (DG) MOSFET is proposed for the first time using change in subthreshold current under illumination as the sensitivity parameter. An analytical model for optically controlled double gate (DG) MOSFET under illumination is developed to demonstrate that it can be used as high sensitivity photodetector and simulation results are used to validate the analytical results. Sensitivity of the device is compared with conventional bulk MOSFET and results show that DG MOSFET has higher sensitivity over bulk MOSFET due to much lower dark current obtained in DG MOSFET because of its effective gate control. Impact of the silicon film thickness and gate stack engineering is also studied on sensitivity.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.387-394
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• 2005

In order to design SOI CMOS image sensors, SOI MOSFET model parameters were extracted using the equation of bulk MOSFET model parameters and were optimized using SPICE level 2. Simulated I-V characteristics of the SOI NMOSFET using the extracted model parameters were compared to the experimental I-V characteristics of the fabricated SOI NMOSFET. The simulation results agreed well with experimental results. A unit pixel for SOI CMOS image sensors was designed and was simulated for the PPS, APS, and logarithmic circuit using the extracted model parameters. In these CMOS image sensors, a nano-wire MOSFET photodetector was used. The output voltage levels of the PPS and APS are well-defined as the photocurrent varied. It is confirmed that SOI CMOS image sensors are faster than bulk CMOS image sensors.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.149-155
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• 2003

A PMOSFET photodetector for highly-sensitive active pixel sensor(APS) is presented. This sensor uses 5V power supply and has been designed and fabricated using I-poly and 2-metal $1.5{\mu}m$ CMOS technology. The feature of a PMOSFET photodetector is that the polysilicon gate of the PMOSFET was connected to n-well, in order to increase the photo sensitivity. The designed MOS photodetector has similar $I_{DS}-V_{DS}$ characteristics with a standard MOSFET. One dimensional image sensor with 16 pixels based on the PMOSFET photodetector has also been designed and fabricated. Unit pixel of the designed sensor consists of a PMOSFET photodetector and 4 NMOSFETs. Unit pixel area is $86{\mu}m{\times}90.5{\mu}m$ and its fill factor is about 12%.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

We fabricated Si nano-wire MOSFET by using the conventional photolithography with a $1.5{\mu}m$ resolution. Si nano-wire was fabricated by using reactive ion etching (RIE), anisotropic wet etching and thermal oxidation on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, and its width is 30 nm. Logarithmic circuit consisting of a NMOSFET and Si nano-wire MOSFET has been constructed for application to high-sensitivity image sensor. Its sensitivity was 1.12 mV/lux. The output voltage swing was 1.386 V.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.284-289
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• 2014

In this paper, modeling of a gate/body-tied (GBT) PMOSFET photodetector with built-in transfer gate is performed. It can control the photocurrent with a high-sensitivity. The GBT photodetector is a hybrid device consisted of a MOSFET, a lateral BJT, and a vertical BJT. This device allows for amplifying the photocurrent gain by $10^3$ due to the GBT structure. However, the operating parameters of this photodetector, including its photocurrent and transfer characteristics, were not known because modeling has not yet been performed. The sophisticated model of GBT photodetector using a process simulator is not compatible with circuit simulator. For this reason, we have performed SPICE modeling of the photodetector with reduced complexity using Cadence's Spectre program. The proposed modeling has been demonstrated by measuring fabricated chip by using 0.35 im 2-poly 4-metal standard CMOS technology.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.353-357
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• 2015

A new SPICE-compatible model for a gate/body-tied PMOSFET photodetector (GBT PD) with an overlapping control gate is presented. The proposed SPICE-compatible model of a GBT PD with an overlapping control gate makes it possible to control the photocurrent. Research into GBT PD modeling was proposed previously. However, the analysis and simulation of GBT PDs is not lacking. This SPICE model concurs with the measurement results, and it is simpler than previous models. The general GBT PD model is a hybrid device composed of a MOSFET, a lateral bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and a vertical BJT. Conventional SPICE models are based on complete depletion approximation, which is more applicable to reverse-biased p-n junctions; therefore, they are not appropriate for simulating circuits that are implemented with a GBT PD with an overlapping control gate. The GBT PD with an overlapping control gate can control the sensitivity of the photodetector. The proposed sensor is fabricated using a $0.35{\mu}m$ two-poly, four-metal standard complementary MOS (CMOS) process, and its characteristics are evaluated.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.152-156
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• 2019

An ultraviolet (UV) image sensor is an extremely important optoelectronic device used in scientific and medical applications because it can detect images that cannot be obtained using visible or infrared image sensors. Because photodetectors and transistors are based on different materials, conventional UV imaging devices, which have a hybrid-type structure, require additional complex processes such as a backside etching of a GaN epi-wafer and a wafer-to-wafer bonding for the fabrication of the image sensors. In this study, we developed a monolithic GaN UV passive pixel sensor (PPS) by integrating a GaN-based Schottky-barrier type transistor and a GaN UV photodetector on a wafer. Both individual devices show good electrical and photoresponse characteristics, and the fabricated UV PPS was successfully operated under UV irradiation conditions with a high on/off extinction ratio of as high as $10^3$. This integration technique of a single pixel sensor will be a breakthrough for the development of GaN-based optoelectronic integrated circuits.