Research

High-Performance Smart Imaging Devices and Analog (and Mixed-Signal) Integrated Circuits

Major research topics of Imaging Devices Laboratory (IDL) cover CMOS image sensors with smart functions (e.g., range finding, motion estimation, high-precision digital output), high-performance CMOS image sensors (e.g., ultra high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low-noise, high-speed), signal processing circuits for CMOS integrated sensors, and CMOS analog/mixed-signal integrated circuits for imaging and communication systems (e.g., high-speed low-power analog-to-digital converters). Sensor and LSI chips developed have been presented at major scientific journals and international conferences on integrated circuits, such as ISSCC (International Solid-State Circuits Conference) and VLSI Circuits Symposium.Please visit Research Projects for more details.

ISSCC Papers and Forum Presentation
1994 Wave-Parallel Computing Chip
1997 CMOS Image Sensor with On-Chip Image Compression
1999 CMOS Fluxgate Magnetic Sensor
2002 High-Speed Low-Power Pipeline ADC
2003 High-Sensitivity CMOS Image Sensor with Adaptive Amplification
2005 CMOS Wide Dynamic Range Image Sensor with high-speed cyclic ADC
2005 CMOS Magnetic Rotary Encoder SoC
2007 Forum Lecture: Noise in Imaging Systems, Noise at the Circuit Level
2008 14b Cyclic ADC for CMOS Image Sensor
2009 Low-Noise High-Speed ADC for CMOS Image Sensors
2010 Forum Lecture: Column Readout Circuits Design for High-Speed Imagers
2010 Low-Noise Global Shutter for CMOS Image Sensors
2010 Image Sensor for Long Range High-Speed Spatial Optical Communication
2011 Low Noise High Dynamic Range CMOS Image Sensor with Hybrid ADC
2012 33Mpixel 120 fps CMOS Image Sensor for Super Hi-Vision (SHV)
2014 A 0.3mm-Resolution Time-of-Flight CMOS Range Imager with Column-Gating         Clock-Skew Calibration
2015 Lost Art? Analog Tricks and Techniques from the Masters
2015 A 10.8ps-Time-Resolution 256×512 Image Sensor with 2-Tap True-CDS Lock-In         Pixcels for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging
2015 Single-Shot 200Mfps 5×3-Aperture Compressive CMOS Imager
2016 Low-Noise Image Sensors
2016 A 1.1µm 33Mpixel 240fps 3D-Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with 3-Stage         Cyclic-Based Analog-to-Digital Converters
2017 A Programmable Sub-Nanosecond Time-Gated 4-Tap Lock-In Pixel CMOS Image         Sensor for Real-Time Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy
2017 A 0.44e-rms Read-Noise 32fps 0.5Mpixel High-Sensitivity RG-Less-Pixel CMOS         Image Sensor Using Bootstrapping Reset

Education

Education through Research Works

Education for prospective leaders in semiconductor fields is the most important mission of the IDL. Graduate students develop their ability to find essence in the research subjects and problems to be solved and their skills of analog integrated circuits and imaging devices designs and measurement techniques through the work for research projects and the following education program.

• Introductory program : CAD (EDA) exercise (Circuit simulations etc.)
• Seminar1(weekly): Fundamentals of semiconductors, integrated circuits and signal processing
• Seminar2(weekly): Analog integrated circuits, image sensors and electronic imaging
• Seminar3(not regularly): CAD tools, measurement techniques, PCB designs, LSI design flow, layout design, etc.
• Seminar4(not regularly) : Seminars on imaging and sensing integrated circuits given by invited lecturers.