A Low-Power Data Link for Stitched Pixel Sensors

This paper describes a power-efficient long-range on-chip data link for wafer-scale monolithic active pixel sensors (MAPS). Inter-symbol interference (ISI) due to limited channel bandwidth is reduced by implementing a multi-bit transmitter that supports line coding and pulse shaping. Power consumption is minimized by using a DC-coupled link design with current reuse between transmitter and receiver. Comparator offset is digitally calibrated by a custom state machine to enable ultra-low signal swings. Circuit-level simulations in a 65 nm CMOS process show a total power consumption of 596 μ W for a 160 Mb/s link operating across a 10 cm on-chip channel, corresponding to a link figure of merit (FoM) of 37.3 fJ/bit/mm.