Empirical dark current modeling for complementary metal oxide semiconductor active pixel sensor

Igor Shcherback Alexander Belenky Orly Yadid-Pecht, MEMBER SPIE Ben Gurion University The VLSI Systems Center P.O.B. 653 Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel Abstract. We present an empirical dark current model for CMOS active pixel sensors (APSs). The model is based on experimental data taken of a 256 3 256 APS chip fabricated via HP in a standard 0.5-mm CMOS technology process. This quantitative model determines the pixel dark current dependence on two contributing factors: the ‘‘ideal’’ dark current determined by the photodiode junction, introduced here as a stable shot noise influence of the device active area, and a leakage current due to the device active area shape, i.e., the number of corners present in the photodiode and their angles. This part is introduced as a processinduced structure stress effect. © 2002 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [DOI: 10.1117/1.1475995]