Noise simulation flow for low noise CMOS image sensor design

A system for performing noise simulation of a CMOS image sensor, comprising:

• a computing device programmed with executable instructions that, when executed:
• perform a frequency domain noise simulation for a readout circuit of the CMOS image sensor, wherein the readout circuit includes a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit for noise reduction, the frequency domain noise simulation including a CDS transfer function in the frequency domain noise simulation to refer a noise introduced by the CDS circuit back to an input node of the readout circuit;
• calculate noise at the input node of the readout circuit based on the referred back noises caused by one or more components in the readout circuit;
• and
• estimate noise of the CMOS imaging sensor by comparing the calculated noise at the input node of the readout circuit to an original input signal to the readout circuit of the CMOS imaging sensor.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

• perform a frequency domain noise simulation for a readout circuit of the CMOS image sensor, wherein the readout circuit includes a CDS circuit for noise reduction, the frequency domain noise simulation including a CDS transfer function in the frequency domain noise simulation to refer a noise introduced by the CDS circuit back to an input node of the readout circuit;
• calculate noise at the input node of the readout circuit based on the referred back noises caused by one or more components in the readout circuit;
• and
• estimate noise of the CMOS imaging sensor by comparing the calculated noise at the input node of the readout circuit to an original input signal to the readout circuit of the CMOS imaging sensor.