CMOS active pixel sensor with on-chip successive approximation analog-to-digital converter

The first CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) with on-chip column-parallel successive-approximation analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is reported. A 64/spl times/64 element CMOS APS implemented in a 1.2-/spl mu/m n-well single-poly, double-metal process with 24-/spl mu/m pixel pitch is integrated with a 64/spl times/1 array of column parallel successive approximation 8-b ADCs. Good image quality was observed. The capacitively-coupled ADCs dissipate approximately 1 /spl mu/W-s/ksample and occupy 0.05 mm/sup 2/ of chip area.