Temporal Noise Analysis and Reduction Method in CMOS Image Sensor Readout Circuit

Temporal noise such as thermal and low-frequency noise (LF noise) in the CMOS imager readout circuit has been analyzed. In addition, the effect of correlated double sampling operation on the noise was included. We have derived an analytical noise equation for the specified readout circuit, and confirmed its validity by comparing it with the simulation result. Thermal noise model which is accurate in short-channel devices operating in saturation region was used. Since the in-pixel devices (source follower and selection transistor) of the readout circuit are relatively small in size, and thus exhibits random telegraph signal (RTS) noise, both 1/f and RTS noise were considered for their LF noise. Based on the analyzed noise components, we presented the noise reduction method by adjusting the transistors sizes in the readout circuit.