A QVGA-range image sensor based on buried-channel demodulator pixels in 0.18μm CMOS with extended dynamic range

3D vision systems have recently started to penetrate the consumer market, mainly in the entertainment segment, with products based on pattern-projection techniques. Although this technology has shown remarkable performance in terms of cost, measurement accuracy and power consumption, there is also an increasing interest towards alternative techniques, such as stereo vision and Time-of-Flight (ToF), in order to further improve the range camera characteristics. After a decade from the demonstration of the first ToF range imagers with reasonably good performance results [1], this technology has started to attract the attention of large companies, because of the potential consumer applications in security, gaming and ambient assisted living.