Low-noise Transimpedance Amplifier for Pixelated CMOS Photon Detector in the Scanning Electron Microscope

Abstract

In this paper, a low-noise transimpedance amplifier for pixelated CMOS photon detector for the use in the scanning electron microscope is presented. From simulation, this optimized circuit exhibits a total input-referred noise of 1.77 × 10⁻¹⁰ A with a bandwidth of 3.5 MHz or equivalent to 95 fA/VHz. The TIA was fabricated in a 0.35 ¼m CMOS technology and dissipates 56.43 mW from a 3.3 V supply. The prototype TIA was proven experimentally to work at a frequency in excess of 3.5 MHz and produce a transimpedance gain of 127.68 dBΩ.

Keywords:

• Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor photon detector
• Low-noise transimpedance amplifier
• Pixelated design
• Scanning electron microscope

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joon Huang Chuah

Joon Huang Chuah received his B.Eng. from UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia, M.Eng. from the National University of Singapore and M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, in 1999, 2001, and 2008, respectively. He has worked as an IC Design Engineer at Intel contributing to the creation of next generation of network processors. He was also a Product Engineer as well as Test Engineer at Freescale Semiconductor overseeing a number of automotive microcontrollers. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, where his research areas are analog IC design and scanning electron microscopy. E-mail: [email protected]

David Holburn

David Holburn is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge and leads the Scientific Imaging Group. He received the B.A. degree in electrical sciences and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Cambridge, U.K., in 1975 and 1979, respectively. From 1979 to 1986, he worked first as a Research Associate in Microelectronics, then as Lecturer in Computer Science at Westfield College and Kings College, University of London, London, U.K. He is a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Chartered Engineer. E-mail: [email protected]