{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:21:19Z","timestamp":1760145679333,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,21]],"date-time":"2024-08-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1724198400000},"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>We present robust pixel design methodologies for a vertical avalanche photodiode-based CMOS image sensor, taking account of three critical practical factors: (i) \u201cguard-ring-free\u201d pixel isolation layout, (ii) device characteristics \u201cinsensitive\u201d to applied voltage and temperature, and (iii) stable operation subject to intense light exposure. The \u201cguard-ring-free\u201d pixel design is established by resolving the tradeoff relationship between electric field concentration and pixel isolation. The effectiveness of the optimization strategy is validated both by simulation and experiment. To realize insensitivity to voltage and temperature variations, a global feedback resistor is shown to effectively suppress variations in device characteristics such as photon detection efficiency and dark count rate. An in-pixel overflow transistor is also introduced to enhance the resistance to strong illumination. The robustness of the fabricated VAPD-CIS is verified by characterization of 122 different chips and through a high-temperature and intense-light-illumination operation test with 5 chips, conducted at 125 \u00b0C for 1000 h subject to 940 nm light exposure equivalent to 10 kLux.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s24165414","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,23]],"date-time":"2024-08-23T12:58:07Z","timestamp":1724417887000},"page":"5414","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Robust Pixel Design Methodologies for a Vertical Avalanche Photodiode (VAPD)-Based CMOS Image Sensor"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2585-0186","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Akito","family":"Inoue","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., 1006, Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma-shi 571-8506, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Naoki","family":"Torazawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., 1006, Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma-shi 571-8506, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shota","family":"Yamada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., 1006, Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma-shi 571-8506, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yuki","family":"Sugiura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., 1006, Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma-shi 571-8506, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Motonori","family":"Ishii","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., 1006, Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma-shi 571-8506, Osaka, 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