CMOS Pixels Directly Sensitive to Both Visible and Near-Infrared Radiation

This paper proposes a pixel topology for the joint capture of visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) signals in a monolithic CMOS sensor, with neither optical nor IR-blocking filters, in a single shot and with the same sensor resolution for the VIS and NIR channels. The topology exploits the radiation absorption depth dependence on the wavelength and is based on the principle of the Transverse Field Detector. The device principle, finite element simulation, and design are presented with validation of the working principle through experimental tests on a prototype with an overall four-band passive pixel width of 6.4 μm.