{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,18]],"date-time":"2026-07-18T15:58:35Z","timestamp":1784390315137,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"24","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,10]],"date-time":"2019-12-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1575936000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In this paper we present a systematic approach to sort out different types of random telegraph noises (RTN) in CMOS image sensors (CIS) by examining their dependencies on the transfer gate off-voltage, the reset gate off-voltage, the photodiode integration time, and the sense node charge retention time. Besides the well-known source follower RTN, we have identified the RTN caused by varying photodiode dark current, transfer-gate and reset-gate induced sense node leakage. These four types of RTN and the dark signal shot noises dominate the noise distribution tails of CIS and non-CIS chips under test, either with or without X-ray irradiation. The effect of correlated multiple sampling (CMS) on noise reduction is studied and a theoretical model is developed to account for the measurement results.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s19245447","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,10]],"date-time":"2019-12-10T10:52:41Z","timestamp":1575975161000},"page":"5447","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Random Telegraph Noises from the Source Follower, the Photodiode Dark Current, and the Gate-Induced Sense Node Leakage in CMOS Image Sensors"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1495-576X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Calvin Yi-Ping","family":"Chao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shang-Fu","family":"Yeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Meng-Hsu","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kuo-Yu","family":"Chou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Honyih","family":"Tu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chih-Lin","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chin","family":"Yin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Philippe","family":"Paillet","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5024-0115","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vincent","family":"Goiffon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISAE-SUPAERO, Universit\u00e9 de Toulouse, 31055 Toulouse, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Hasegawa, T., Watanabe, K., Jung, Y.J., Tanaka, N., Nakashikiryo, T., Yang, W.-Z., Hsiung, A.C.-W., Lin, Z., Manabe, S., and Venezia, V.C. (2019, January 24\u201327). A new 0.8 \u03bcm CMOS image sensor with low RTS noise and high full well capacity. Proceedings of the 2019 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Snowbird, UT, USA."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Lee, Y., Park, J., Kim, B., Kim, J., Yoo, H., Nah, S., Park, D., Lee, T., Kim, B., and Keum, D. (2019, January 24\u201327). World first mass productive 0.8 \u03bcm pixel size image sensor with new optical isolation technology to minimize optical loss for high sensitivity. Proceedings of the 2019 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Snowbird, UT, USA."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Jang, D., Park, D., Cha, S., Kwon, H., Kim, M., Lee, S., Lee, H., Kim, S., Lee, N., and Han, J. (2019, January 24\u201327). 0.8 \u03bcm pitch CMOS image sensor with dual conversion gain pixel for mobile applications. Proceedings of the 2019 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Snowbird, UT, USA."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"(2019, March 29). Sony IMX586, 48 MP, 0.8 \u03bcm pixel pitch, stacked BI CIS from the Huawei V20 Pro real Camera. TechInsights Device Essentials Plus Summary. DEP-1901-801. Available online: https:\/\/www.techinsights.com\/products\/dep-1901-801."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"(2018, July 23). Sony Releases Stacked CMOS Image Sensor for Smartphones with Industry\u2019s Highest 48 Effective Megapixels, Featuring World First Ultra-Compact Pixel Size of 0.8 \u03bcm. Available online: https:\/\/www.sony.net\/SonyInfo\/News\/Press\/201807\/18-060E\/index.html."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"(2019, September 24). Samsung Introduces Industry\u2019s First 0.7 \u03bcm-Pixel Mobile Image Sensor. Available online: https:\/\/news.samsung.com\/global\/samsung-introduces-industrys-first-0-7\u03bcm-pixel-mobile-image-sensor."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ackerson, K., Musante, C., Gambino, J., Ellis-Monaghan, J., Maynard, D., Rassel, R.J., Ogg, K., and Jaffe, M. (2008, January 5\u20137). Characterization of \u201cblinking pixels\u201d in CMOS image sensors. Proceedings of the 2008 IEEE Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC), Cambridge, MA, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/ASMC.2008.4529048"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Pain, B., Cunningham, T.J., Hancock, B., Sun, C., and Wrigley, C. (2007, January 6\u201310). Twinkling pixels: random telegraph signals at reset gate edge. Proceedings of the 2007 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Ogunquit, ME, USA."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Peters, I., Bogaart, E., Manoury, E.-J., Mierop, A., and Bosiers, J. (2011, January 8\u201311). Analysis of blinking pixels in CCD imagers with and without surface pinning. Proceedings of the 2011 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Hokkaido, Japan."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, X., Rao, P.R., Mierop, A., and Theuwissen, A.J.P. (2006, January 11\u201313). Random telegraph signal in CIS pixels. Proceedings of the 2006 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), San Francisco, CA, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/IEDM.2006.346973"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, X., Snoeij, M.F., Rao, P.R., Mierop, A., and Theuwissen, A.J.P. (2008, January 3\u20137). A CMOS image sensor with a buried-channel source follower. Proceedings of the 2008 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), San Francisco, CA, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/ISSCC.2008.4523057"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2390","DOI":"10.1109\/TED.2009.2030600","article-title":"A CMOS image sensor with in-pixel buried-channel source follower and optimized row selector","volume":"56","author":"Chen","year":"2009","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Electron Devices"},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"743907","article-title":"Fundamental performance differences between CMOS and CCD imagers; Part I","volume":"6276","author":"Janesick","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77420B","DOI":"10.1117\/12.862491","article-title":"Fundamental performance differences between CMOS and CCD imagers; Part IV","volume":"7742","author":"Janesick","year":"2010","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Abe, K., Sugawa, S., Kuroda, R., Watabe, S., Miyamoto, N., Teramoto, A., Ohmi, T., Kamata, T., and Shibusawa, K. (2007, January 6\u201310). Analysis of source follower random telegraph signal using nMOS and pMOS array TEG. Proceedings of the 2007 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Ogunquit, ME, USA."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04DC06","DOI":"10.1143\/JJAP.49.04DC06","article-title":"Analysis of hundreds of time constant ratios and amplitudes of random telegraph signal with very large scale array test pattern","volume":"49","author":"Fujisawa","year":"2010","journal-title":"Jpn. J. Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3555","DOI":"10.1109\/TED.2013.2278980","article-title":"A statistical evaluation of random telegraph noise of in-pixel source follower equivalent surface and buried channel transistors","volume":"60","author":"Kuroda","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Electron Devices"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04ECI9","DOI":"10.7567\/JJAP.53.04EC19","article-title":"Extraction of time constants ratio over nine orders of magnitude for understanding random telegraph noise in MOSFETs","volume":"53","author":"Obara","year":"2014","journal-title":"Jpn. J. Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Kuroda, R., Teramoto, A., and Sugawa, S. (June, January 30). Impact of random telegraph noise with various time constants and number of states in CMOS image sensors. Proceedings of the 2017 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Hiroshima, Japan."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1109\/JEDS.2016.2623799","article-title":"CMOS image sensor random telegraph noise time constant extraction from correlated to uncorrelated double sampling","volume":"5","author":"Chao","year":"2017","journal-title":"IEEE J. Electron Devices Soc."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Chao, C.Y.-P., Tu, H., Wu, T.M.-H., Chou, K.-Y., Yeh, S.-F., and Hsueh, F.-L. (Jun, January 30). Random telegraph noise pixel classification and time constant extraction for a 1.1 \u03bcm pitch 8.3 MP CMOS image sensor. Proceedings of the 2017 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Hiroshima, Japan."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chao, C.Y.-P., Tu, H., Wu, T.M.-H., Chou, K.-Y., Yeh, S.-F., Yin, C., and Lee, C.-L. (2017). Statistical analysis of the random telegraph noise in a 1.1 \u03bcm pixel, 8.3 MP CMOS image sensor using on-chip time constant extraction method. Sensors, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/s17122704"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1109\/JEDS.2019.2893299","article-title":"Random telegraph noises in CMOS image sensors caused by variable gate-induced sense node leakage due to X-Ray irradiation","volume":"7","author":"Chao","year":"2019","journal-title":"IEEE J. Electron Devices Soc."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Simoen, E., and Claeys, C.L. (2016). Random Telegraph Signals in Semiconductor Devices, IOP Publishing Ltd.","DOI":"10.1088\/978-0-7503-1272-1"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Goiffon, V., Virmontois, C., and Magnan, P. (2011, January 5\u20137). Investigation of dark current random telegraph signal in pinned photodiode CMOS image sensors. Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Washington, DC, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/IEDM.2011.6131514"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Goiffon, V., Magnan, P., Martin-Gonthier, P., Virmontois, C., and Gaillardin, M. (2011, January 8\u201311). New source of random telegraph signal in CMOS image sensors. Proceedings of the IEEE International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Hokkaido, Japan.","DOI":"10.1109\/LED.2011.2125940"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1686","DOI":"10.1109\/TED.2012.2189115","article-title":"In-pixel source follower transistor RTS noise behavior under ionizing radiation in CMOS image sensors","volume":"59","author":"Goiffon","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Electron Devices"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4323","DOI":"10.1109\/TNS.2013.2290236","article-title":"Dark current random telegraph signals in solid-state image sensors","volume":"60","author":"Virmontois","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1109\/TNS.2016.2633333","article-title":"In-depth analysis on radiation induced multi-level dark current random telegraph signal in silicon solid state image sensors","volume":"64","author":"Durnez","year":"2017","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1109\/TNS.2017.2779979","article-title":"Total ionizing dose radiation-induced dark current random telegraph signal in pinned photodiode CMOS image sensors","volume":"65","author":"Durnez","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Le Roch, A., Goiffon, V., Paillet, P., Belloir, J.A., Magnan, P., and Virmontois, C. (2019, January 24\u201327). Leakage current non-uniformity and random telegraph signal in CMOS image sensor floating diffusions used for in-pixel charge storage. Proceedings of the 2019 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Snowbird, UT, USA.","DOI":"10.3390\/s19245550"},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"616","article-title":"Radiation-induced leakage current and electric field enhancement in CMOS image sensor sense node floating diffusions","volume":"48","author":"Virmontois","year":"2019","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Chao, C.Y.-P., Wu, M.-H., Yeh, S.-F., Chou, K.-Y., Tu, H., Lee, C.-H., Yin, C., Paillet, P., and Goiffon, V. (2019, January 24\u201327). Identifying the sources of random telegraph noises in pixels of CMOS image sensor. Proceedings of the 2019 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Snowbird, UT, USA."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Yeh, S.-F., Wu, M.-H., Lee, C.-L., Yin, C., Chou, K.-Y., and Chao, C.Y.-P. (2019, January 24\u201327). Random telegraph noise caused by MOSFET channel traps and variable gate induced leakage with multiple-sampling readout. Proceedings of the 2019 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Snowbird, UT, USA."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Mori, Y., Ohyu, K., Okonogi, K., and Yamada, R. (2005, January 7\u20139). The origin of variable retention time in DRAM. Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Baltimore, MD, USA."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ohyu, K., Umeda, T., Okonogi, K., Tsukada, S., Hidaka, M., Fujieda, S., and Mochizuki, Y. (2006, January 11\u201313). Quantitative identification for the physical origin of variable retention time: A vacancy-oxygen complex defect model. Proceedings of the 2006 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), San Francisco, CA, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/IEDM.2006.346792"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"913","DOI":"10.1109\/TED.2010.2041871","article-title":"Investigation of random telegraph noise in gate-induced drain leakage and gate edge direct tunneling currents of high-k MOSFETs","volume":"57","author":"Lee","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Electron Devices"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1063\/1.3268479","article-title":"Random telegraph noise of junction leakage current in submicron devices","volume":"107","author":"Mori","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"Shimizu, S., Aikawa, H., Okamoto, S., Kakehi, K., Ohsawa, K., Yoshimura, H., Asami, T., and Ishimaru, K. (2011, January 14\u201316). Comprehensive Study of Systematic and Random Variation in Gate-Induced Drain Leakage for LSTP Applications. Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology (VLSI-T), Honolulu, HI, USA."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104513","DOI":"10.1063\/1.4721658","article-title":"Mechanism of RTN in junction leakage current of MOSFET","volume":"111","author":"Mori","year":"2012","journal-title":"Jpn. J. Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1268","DOI":"10.1109\/TED.2013.2239299","article-title":"Capture cross section of traps causing random telegraph noise in gate-induced drain leakage current","volume":"60","author":"Yoo","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Electron Devices"},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"Kawahito, S., Suh, S., Shirei, T., Itoh, S., and Aoyama, S. (2009, January 25\u201328). Noise reduction effects of column-parallel correlated multiple sampling and source-follower driving current switching for CMOS image sensors. Proceedings of the 2009 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW), Bergen, Norway."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9139","DOI":"10.3390\/s101009139","article-title":"Column-parallel correlated multiple sampling circuits for CMOS image sensors and their noise reduction effects","volume":"10","author":"Suh","year":"2010","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Chen, Y., Xu, Y., Chae, Y., Mierop, A., Wang, X., and Theuwissen, A.J.P. (2012, January 19\u201323). A 0.7e\u2212rms temporal-readout-noise CMOS image sensor for low-light-level imaging. Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), San Francisco, CA, USA."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Yeh, S.-F., Chou, K.-Y., Tu, H., Chao, C.Y.-P., and Hsueh, F.-L. (2015, January 17\u201319). A 0.66e\u2212rms temporal-readout-noise 3D-stacked CMOS image sensor with conditional correlated multiple sampling (CCMS) technique. Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Circuits (VLSI-C), Kyoto, Japan."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kawahito, S., and Seo, M.-W. (2016). Noise reduction effect of multiple-sampling-based signal-readout circuits for ultra-low noise CMOS image sensors. Sensors, 16.","DOI":"10.3390\/s16111867"},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Shiraishi, K., Shinozuka, Y., Yamashita, T., Sugiura, K., Watanabe, N., Okamoto, R., Ashitani, T., Furuta, M., and Itakura, T. (February, January 31). A 1.2e- temporal noise 3D-stacked CMOS image sensor with comparator-based multiple-sampling PGA. Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), San Francisco, CA, USA."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04CF07","DOI":"10.7567\/JJAP.56.04CF07","article-title":"Noise reduction effect and analysis through serial multiple sampling in a CMOS image sensor with floating diffusion boost-driving","volume":"56","author":"Wakabayashi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Jpn. J. Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"527","DOI":"10.1109\/JSSC.2017.2765927","article-title":"A 0.66e\u2212rms temporal-readout-noise 3D-stacked CMOS image sensor with conditional correlated multiple sampling technique","volume":"53","author":"Yeh","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits"}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/19\/24\/5447\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:41:03Z","timestamp":1760190063000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/19\/24\/5447"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,10]]},"references-count":49,"journal-issue":{"issue":"24","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,12]]}},"alternative-id":["s19245447"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s19245447","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1424-8220","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,12,10]]}}}