Wafer-scale Cluster Image Sensor Chip and Method with Replicated Gapless Pixel Line and Signal Readout Circuit Segments

摘要

A multi-pixel row wafer-scale cluster image sensor chip (WCISC) is proposed. Expressed in X-Y-Z coordinates with its pixel rows along X-axis, the WCISC converts areal image frame (IMFM) into areal image frame signal (AIFS). The WCISC includes multiple imaging pixel rows PXRW₁, . . . , PXRW_M. Each PXRW_i has photoelectrical sensing elements spanning pixel row width PRW_i and producing a pixel row image signal PRIS_i. Each PXRW_i is offset from PXRW₁ by distance XOFST_i and spaced from PXRW_i−1 by distance SP_i−1,I such that X- and Y-extremities of (PXRW₁, . . . , PXRW_M) define IMFM. The WCISC is so configured that any image pixel sweeping through IMFM will be sensed by at least one imaging pixel row. In the presence of Y-directional relative motion between WCISC and IMFM and an external electronic imaging controller (EEIC) interfacing with the WCISC, the EEIC can extract all PRIS_i from WCISC and reconstruct the AIFS.