Quanta image sensor: concepts and progress

Eric R. Fossum; Jiaju Ma; Saleh Masoodian

doi:10.1117/12.2227179

5 May 2016 Quanta image sensor: concepts and progress

Eric R. Fossum, Jiaju Ma, Saleh Masoodian

Proceedings Volume 9858, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques X; 985805 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2227179
Event: SPIE Commercial + Scientific Sensing and Imaging, 2016, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

The QIS was conceived when contemplating shrinking pixel sizes and storage capacities, and the steady increase in digital processing power. In the single-bit QIS, the output of each field is a binary bit plane, where each bit represents the presence or absence of at least one photoelectron in a photodetector. A series of bit planes is generated through high-speed readout, and a kernel or “cubicle” of bits (x,y,t) is used to create a single output image pixel. The size of the cubicle can be adjusted post-acquisition to optimize image quality. The specialized sub-diffraction-limit photodetectors in the QIS are referred to as “jots” and a QIS may have a gigajot or more, read out at 1000 fps, for a data rate exceeding 1Tb/s. Basically, we are trying to count photons as they arrive at the sensor. This paper reviews the Quanta Image Sensor (QIS) concept and its imaging characteristics. Recent progress towards realizing the QIS for commercial and scientific purposes is discussed. The QIS represents a possible major paradigm shift in image capture.

Citation Download Citation

Eric R. Fossum, Jiaju Ma, and Saleh Masoodian "Quanta image sensor: concepts and progress", Proc. SPIE 9858, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques X, 985805 (5 May 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2227179

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