Bart Dierickx | Vrije Universiteit Brussel (original) (raw)
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Papers by Bart Dierickx
Mainly for applications requiring precise information of the time of arrival of the photon. e.g.
Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites XVIII, 2014
High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy VI, 2014
ABSTRACT The success of the next generation of instruments for ELT class telescopes will depend u... more ABSTRACT The success of the next generation of instruments for ELT class telescopes will depend upon improving the image quality by exploiting sophisticated Adaptive Optics (AO) systems. One of the critical components of the AO systems for the E-ELT has been identified as the optical Laser/Natural Guide Star WFS detector. The combination of large format, 1760×1680 pixels to finely sample the wavefront and the spot elongation of laser guide stars, fast frame rate of 700 frames per second (fps), low read noise (< 3e-), and high QE (> 90%) makes the development of this device extremely challenging. Design studies concluded that a highly integrated Backside Illuminated CMOS Imager built on High Resistivity silicon as the most likely technology to succeed. Two generations of the CMOS Imager are being developed: a) the already designed and manufactured NGSD (Natural Guide Star Detector), a quarter-sized pioneering device of 880×840 pixels capable of meeting first light needs of the E-ELT; b) the LGSD (Laser Guide Star Detector), the larger full size device. The detailed design is presented including the approach of using massive parallelism (70,400 ADCs) to achieve the low read noise at high pixel rates of ~3 Gpixel/s and the 88 channel LVDS 220Mbps serial interface to get the data off-chip. To enable read noise closer to the goal of 1e- to be achieved, a split wafer run has allowed the NGSD to be manufactured in the more speculative, but much lower read noise, Ultra Low Threshold Transistors in the unit cell. The NGSD has come out of production, it has been thinned to 12μm, backside processed and packaged in a custom 370pin Ceramic PGA (Pin Grid Array). First results of tests performed both at e2v and ESO are presented.
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2010
Avalanche photodiodes are very well suited and extensively used for low light application. We pre... more Avalanche photodiodes are very well suited and extensively used for low light application. We present here a device using avalanche photodiodes in conjunction with a pulsed laser-source to be used as an optical altimeter. The extreme sensitivity of a dedicated silicon SPAD array is combined with a versatile standard CMOS readout circuit to achieve unique performances such as 150ps time of flight accuracy, photon-counting imaging. The ranging accuracy is of 4 cm over 5km distance. In this paper, we describe the optical altimeter principle as well as the development of the hybridized readout-circuit. We show as well the digital ranging function with analog interpolation and the photon-counting function. Finally we discuss measurement results of the final device.
Imaging Systems, 2010
The advantages of photon counting over charge integration, for medical X-ray imaging, are known. ... more The advantages of photon counting over charge integration, for medical X-ray imaging, are known. Yet the realization is hindered by technical and economical factors. The question that we try to answer is: what does it take to make a photon counting X-ray sensor?
Random access active pixel CMOS image sensors generally suffer from non-uniformity in their pixel... more Random access active pixel CMOS image sensors generally suffer from non-uniformity in their pixel outputs. This document describes a simple mixed analogue-digital integrated circuit for fixed-pattern-noise compensation. The method has been applied to the range of sensors developed by IMEC, and improves their operation beyond mere static noise suppression.
Complementary Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology is used to build analog circuitry fo... more Complementary Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology is used to build analog circuitry for operation at liquid helium temperatures. At this low temperature, the silicon Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFET) features anomalous behavior is known as kink and hysteresis behavior. A few of the technological and design measures that can be used to relieve the above mentioned problems are outlined. An overview is given of the design constraints needed for proper operation of analog CMOS circuits from room temperature applications to deep cryogenic temperatures.
Mainly for applications requiring precise information of the time of arrival of the photon. e.g.
Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites XVIII, 2014
High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy VI, 2014
ABSTRACT The success of the next generation of instruments for ELT class telescopes will depend u... more ABSTRACT The success of the next generation of instruments for ELT class telescopes will depend upon improving the image quality by exploiting sophisticated Adaptive Optics (AO) systems. One of the critical components of the AO systems for the E-ELT has been identified as the optical Laser/Natural Guide Star WFS detector. The combination of large format, 1760×1680 pixels to finely sample the wavefront and the spot elongation of laser guide stars, fast frame rate of 700 frames per second (fps), low read noise (< 3e-), and high QE (> 90%) makes the development of this device extremely challenging. Design studies concluded that a highly integrated Backside Illuminated CMOS Imager built on High Resistivity silicon as the most likely technology to succeed. Two generations of the CMOS Imager are being developed: a) the already designed and manufactured NGSD (Natural Guide Star Detector), a quarter-sized pioneering device of 880×840 pixels capable of meeting first light needs of the E-ELT; b) the LGSD (Laser Guide Star Detector), the larger full size device. The detailed design is presented including the approach of using massive parallelism (70,400 ADCs) to achieve the low read noise at high pixel rates of ~3 Gpixel/s and the 88 channel LVDS 220Mbps serial interface to get the data off-chip. To enable read noise closer to the goal of 1e- to be achieved, a split wafer run has allowed the NGSD to be manufactured in the more speculative, but much lower read noise, Ultra Low Threshold Transistors in the unit cell. The NGSD has come out of production, it has been thinned to 12μm, backside processed and packaged in a custom 370pin Ceramic PGA (Pin Grid Array). First results of tests performed both at e2v and ESO are presented.
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2010
Avalanche photodiodes are very well suited and extensively used for low light application. We pre... more Avalanche photodiodes are very well suited and extensively used for low light application. We present here a device using avalanche photodiodes in conjunction with a pulsed laser-source to be used as an optical altimeter. The extreme sensitivity of a dedicated silicon SPAD array is combined with a versatile standard CMOS readout circuit to achieve unique performances such as 150ps time of flight accuracy, photon-counting imaging. The ranging accuracy is of 4 cm over 5km distance. In this paper, we describe the optical altimeter principle as well as the development of the hybridized readout-circuit. We show as well the digital ranging function with analog interpolation and the photon-counting function. Finally we discuss measurement results of the final device.
Imaging Systems, 2010
The advantages of photon counting over charge integration, for medical X-ray imaging, are known. ... more The advantages of photon counting over charge integration, for medical X-ray imaging, are known. Yet the realization is hindered by technical and economical factors. The question that we try to answer is: what does it take to make a photon counting X-ray sensor?
Random access active pixel CMOS image sensors generally suffer from non-uniformity in their pixel... more Random access active pixel CMOS image sensors generally suffer from non-uniformity in their pixel outputs. This document describes a simple mixed analogue-digital integrated circuit for fixed-pattern-noise compensation. The method has been applied to the range of sensors developed by IMEC, and improves their operation beyond mere static noise suppression.
Complementary Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology is used to build analog circuitry fo... more Complementary Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology is used to build analog circuitry for operation at liquid helium temperatures. At this low temperature, the silicon Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFET) features anomalous behavior is known as kink and hysteresis behavior. A few of the technological and design measures that can be used to relieve the above mentioned problems are outlined. An overview is given of the design constraints needed for proper operation of analog CMOS circuits from room temperature applications to deep cryogenic temperatures.