• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.341-346
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• 2006

We have fabricated SOI CMOS active pixel image sensor with the pinned photodiode on handle wafer in order to reduce dark currents and improve spectral response. The structure of the active pixel image sensor is 4 transistors APS which consists of a reset and source follower transistor on seed wafer, and is comprised of the photodiode, transfer gate, and floating diffusion on handle wafer. The source of dark current caused by the interface traps located on the surface of a photodiode is able to be eliminated, as we apply the pinned photodiode. The source of dark currents between shallow trench isolation and the depletion region of a photodiode can be also eliminated by the planner process of the hybrid bulk/SOI structure. The photodiode could be optimized for better spectral response because the process of a photodiode on handle wafer is independent of that of transistors on seed wafer. The dark current was about 6 pA at 3.3 V of floating diffusion voltage in the case of transfer gate TX = 0 V and TX=3.3 V, respectively. The spectral response of the pinned photodiode was observed flat in the wavelength range from green to red.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2004.08c
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• pp.482-485
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• 2004

We fabricated a hybrid bulk/fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel image sensor. The active pixel is comprised of reset and source follower transistors on the SOI seed wafer, while the pinned photodiode and readout gate and floating diffusion are fabricated on the SOI handle wafer after the removal of the buried oxide. The source of dark current is eliminated by hybrid bulk/FDSOI pixel structure between localized oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) and photodiode(PD). By using the low noise hybrid pixel structure, dark currents qm be suppressed significantly. The pinned photodiode can also be optimized for quantum efficiency and reduce the noise of dark current. The spectral response of the pinned photodiode on the SOI handle wafer is very flat between 400 nm and 700 nm and the dark current that is higher than desired is about 10 nA/cm2 at a $V_{DD}$ of 2 V.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.583-590
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• 2002

In this paper, a new Silicon on Insulator (SOI)-based photodetector was proposed, and its basic operation principle was explained. Fabrication steps of the detector are compatible with those of conventional SOI CMOS technology. With the proposed structure, RGB (Read, Green, Blue) which are three primary colors of light can be realized without using any organic color filters. It was shown that the characteristics of the SOI-based detector are better than those of bulk-based detector. To see the response characteristics to the green (G) among RGB, SOI and bulk NMOSFETS were fabricated using $1.5\mu m$ CMOS technology and characterized. We obtained optimum optical response characteristics at $V_{GS}=0.35 V$ in NMOSFET with threshold voltage of 0.72 V. Drain bias should be less than about 1.5 V to avoid any problem from floating body effect, since the body of the SOI NMOSFET was floated. The SOI and the bulk NMOSFETS shown maximum drain currents at the wavelengths of incident light around 550 nm and 750 nm, respectively. Therefore the SOI detector is more suitable for the G color detector.

• 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.