Abstract
This chapter reviews background knowledge and concepts of silicon-based phototransduction. Relevant concepts from semiconductor physics, imaging technology, and information theory are introduced. Several silicon-based photodetectors are examined, including the photodiode and the photogate. This chapter also describes the operation of the charge-coupled device (CCD) imager, the predominant technology available for digital imaging. CCD technology is compared with a promising alternate technology, the active pixel sensor (APS) imager. In addition, several basic pixel structures are compared in terms of their functional performance by considering them as communication channels and determining their ability to convey information about an incident optical signal. At 30 frames per second, information rates are similar for charge-, voltage-, and current-mode pixels as the photocurrent varies. Comparable trends are found for their information capacities as the photocurrent varies under idealized operating conditions.
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Ji, H., Abshire, P.A. (2004). Fundamentals of Silicon-Based Phototransduction. In: Yadid-Pecht, O., Etienne-Cummings, R. (eds) CMOS Imagers. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-7962-1_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-7962-1_1
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