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US 6,441,357 B2Granted
Using cascaded gain stages for high-gain and high-speed readout of pixel sensor data
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsLin Ping Ang, Sandor L. Barna
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sampling and readout system including a cascaded stage charge amplifier samples, amplifies, and outputs pixel sensor data from an array of pixel sensors. The charge amplifier divides the gain into several gain stages. Each gain stage amplifies the pixel sensor data.
Claims4
A method for reading out data from pixel sensor array, comprising:
- sequentially sampling pixel sensor data from an array of pixel sensors, said pixel sensor data representing photons integrated as charge and collected by said pixel sensors;
- first amplifying the pixel sensor data in a first gain stage of a charge amplifier;
- second amplifying the pixel sensor data in a second gain stage of the charge amplifier;
- sequentially outputting analog voltage corresponding to output of said first and second amplifying;
- and
- providing a buffer having an input and an output between said first and second amplifying, said buffer operating to isolate high-resistance preceding gain of said first amplifying from the low-resistance succeeding gain of said second amplifying.
3 more elements
A method for reading out data from pixel sensor array, comprising:
- sequentially sampling pixel sensor data from an array of pixel sensors, said pixel sensor data representing photons integrated as charge and collected by said pixel sensors;
- first amplifying the pixel sensor data in a first gain stage of a charge amplifier;
- second amplifying the pixel sensor data in a second gain stage of the charge amplifier;
- sequentially outputting analog voltage corresponding to output of said first and second amplifying;
- and
- providing a source-follower buffer having an input and an output between said first and second amplifying, said buffer operating to isolate high-resistance preceding gain of said first amplifying from the low-resistance succeeding gain of said second amplifying.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.