TOF NON-SPAD NON-SPAD PIXELS FOR DIRECT TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGE MEASUREMENT

摘要

Direct time-of-flight (DTOF) is coupled to analog amplitude modulation in each pixel of a pixel array. No single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) or avalanche photo diodes (APDs) are used. Instead, each pixel has a photo diode (PD) having a conversion gain of over 400 μV/e− and photon detection efficiency (PDE) of more than 45%, and operating with a pinned photo diode (PPD). TOF information is added to a received light signal by an analog domain-based single-differential converter in the pixel. An output of the PD in the pixel is used to control operation of the PPD. Charge transmission from the PPD is stopped. Therefore, a TOF value and a range for an object are recorded if the output from the PD of the pixel is triggered within a predefined time interval. Such pixels provide an improved autonomous driving system for drivers.