Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nano-metric Single-Photon Detector for Biochemical Chips

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Nano-Bio-Sensing

  • 1061 Accesses

Abstract

We present a family of single-photon detectors integrated in standard CMOS processes. The devices are designed by means of standard masks but using unconventional geometries. This is necessary to accommodate the high electric fields involved. Single-photon detection, combined with fast electronics for counting and time-of-arrival evaluation, is useful in a number of applications requiring photon counting and time-resolved imaging. In this chapter, we focus on applications involving molecular imaging techniques that can be assisted by single-photon detection. The current trend is to migrate the designs with nanometric feature sizes and to push integration to new heights, so as to enable placing more functionality and more processing on pixel and chip. Examples of these new trends are given in the context of industrial and bio-applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. E. Charbon, “Will CMOS Imagers Ever Need Ultra-High Speed?”, IEEE Int. Conf. Solid-State Integrated-Circuit Technol., pp. 1975–1980, Oct. 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  2. J. McPhate, J. Vallerga, A. Tremsin, O. Siegmund, B. Mikulec, A. Clark, “Noiseless Kilohertz-Frame-Rate Imaging Detector Based on Microchannel Plates Readout with Medipix2 CMOS Pixel Chip”, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 5881, pp. 88–97, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  3. R. H. Haitz, “Studies on Optical Coupling between Silicon p-n Junctions”, Solid-State Electron., Vol. 8, pp. 417–425, 1965.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. C. Niclass, A. Rochas, P. A. Besse, E. Charbon, “Design and Characterization of a CMOS 3-D Image Sensor Based on Single Photon Avalanche Diodes”, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 40, N. 9, pp 1847–1854, Sept. 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. C. Niclass, M. Sergio, E. Charbon, “A Single Photon Avalanche Diode Array Fabricated on Deep-Submicron CMOS Technology”, Design Test Europe (DATE), Mar. 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  6. D. Mosconi, D. Stoppa, L. Pacheri, L. Gonzo, A. Simoni, “CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Array for Time-Resolved Fluorescence Detection”, Proc. ESSCIRC, Oct. 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  7. C. Niclass, M. Sergio, E. Charbon, “A CMOS 64x48 Single Photon Avalanche Diode Array with Event-Driven Readout”, Proc. ESSCIRC, Oct. 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  8. M. Sergio, C. Niclass, E. Charbon, “A 128x2 CMOS Single-Photon Streak Camera with Timing-Preserving Latchless Pipeline Readout”, Proc. ISSCC, pp. 120–121, Feb. 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  9. A. V. Agronskaia, L. Tertoolen, H. C. Gerritsen, “Fast Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Calcium in Living Cells”, J. Biomed. Optics, Vol. 9, N. 6, pp. 1230–1237, Nov./Dec. 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. P. Schwille, U. Haupts, S. Maiti, W. W. Webb, “Molecular Dynamics in Living Cells Observed by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy with One- and Two-Photon Excitation”, Biophys. J., Vol. 77(4), pp. 2251–2265, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. A. Grinvald, D. Shoham, A. Shmuel, D. Glaser, I. Vanzetta, E. Shtoyerman, H. Slovin, A. Sterkin, C. Wijnbergen, R. Hildesheim and A. Arieli, “In-Vivo Optical Imaging of Cortical Architecture and Dynamics”, Modern Techniques in Neuroscience Research, U. Windhorst and H. Johansson (Eds), Springer, 2001 pp. 893–969. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jonathan A. N. Fisher, Eugene F. Civillico, Diego Contreras, and Arjun G. Yodh, “In Vivo Fluorescence Microscopy of Neuronal Activity in Three Dimensions by Use of Voltage-Sensitive Dyes”, Optics Lett., Vol. 29, N. 1, pp 71–73, Jan. 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. S. Eisenberg, W. Reckers, B. Wieneke, “Visualization and PIV Measurements of High-Speed Flows and Other Phenomena with Novel Ultra-High-Speed CCD Camera”, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 4948, pp. 671–676, 2002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Reckers W., Schwab H, Weiten C, Befrui B, Kneer R, “Investigation of Flame Propagation and Cyclic Combustion Variations in a DISI Engine Using Synchronous High-Speed Visualization and Cylinder Pressure Analysis”, Proc. Intl. Symposium für Verbrennungdiagnostik, pp. 27–32, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  15. C. Niclass, M. Sergio, E. Charbon, “A Single Photon Avalanche Diode Array Fabricated in 0.35um CMOS and Based on an Event-Driven Readout for TCSPC Experiments”, SPIE Optics East, Boston, Oct. 2006

    Google Scholar 

  16. C. Niclass, C. Favi, T. Kluter, M. Gersbach, E. Charbon, “A 128×128 Single-Photon Imager with on-Chip Column-Level 10-bit Time-to-Digital Converter Array”, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 43, N. 12, pp. 2977–2989, Dec. 2008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. L. Carrara, C. Niclass, N. Scheidegger, H. Shea, E. Charbon, “A Gamma, X-Ray and High Energy Proton Radiation-Tolerant CMOS Image Sensor for Space Applications”, IEEE Intl. Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), pp. 40–41, Feb. 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  18. M. Gersbach, J. Richardson, C. Niclass, L. Grant, R. Henderson, E. Charbon, “A Low-Noise Single-Photon Detector Implemented in a 130nm CMOS Imaging Process”, Solid-State Electron., Vol. 53, N. 7, pp. 803–808, July 2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. J. Richardson, R. Walker, L. Grant, D. Stoppa, F. Borghetti, E. Charbon, M. Gersbach, R. K. Henderson, “A 32x32 50ps Resolution 10 Bit Time to Digital Converter Array in 130nm CMOS for Time Correlated Imaging”, Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, pp. 77–80, Sep. 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  20. M. Gersbach, Y. Maruyama, E. Labonne, J. Richardson, R. Walker, L. Grant, R. K. Henderson, F. Borghetti, D. Stoppa, E. Charbon, “A Parallel 32x32 Time-to-Digital Converter Array Fabricated in a 130nm Imaging CMOS Technology”, IEEE European Solid-State Circuits Conference (ESSCIRC), pp. 196–199, Sep 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  21. D. Stoppa, F. Borghetti, J. Richardson, R. Walker, L. Grant, R. K. Henderson, M. Gersbach, E. Charbon, “A 32x32-Pixel Array with In-Pixel Photon Counting and Arrival Time Measurement in the Analog Domain”, IEEE European Solid-State Circuits Conference (ESSCIRC), pp. 204–207, Sep. 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  22. A. Rochas, “Single photon avalanche diodes in CMOS technology,” Ph.D. Thesis, EPF-Lausanne, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  23. A. Spinelli, A. L. Lacaita, “Physics and Numerical Simulation of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes”, Trans. Electron. Devices, Vol. 44, N. 11, Nov. 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  24. M. Gersbach, D. L. Boiko, C. Niclass, C. Petersen, E. Charbon, “Fast Fluorescence Dynamics in Nonratiometric Calcium Indicators”, Optics Lett., Vol. 34, N. 3, pp. 362–364, Feb. 2009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. C. Stagni, C. Guiducci, L. Benini, B. Ricco, S. Carrara, B. Samori, C. Paulus, M. Schienle, M. Augustyniak, R. Thewes, “CMOS DNA Sensor Array With Integrated A/D Conversion Based on Label-Free Capacitance Measurement”, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuit, Vol. 41, pp. 2956–2964, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. P. Bergveld, Sens. Actuator B Chem, “Thirty years of ISFETOLOGY. What Happened in the Past 30 Years and What May Happen in the Next 30 Years”, Vol. 88, pp. 1–20, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. F. Uslu, S. Ingebrandt, D. Mayer, S. Bocker-Meffert, M. Odenthal, A. Offenhausser, Biosens. Bioelectron, “Labelfree Fully Electronic Nucleic Acid Detection System based on a Field-effect Transistor Device”, Vol. 19, pp. 1723–1731, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. T. Sakata, M. Kamahori, Y. Miyahara, “DNA Analysis Chip Based on Field-Effect Transistors” Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 44, pp. 2854–2859, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. D. Goncalves, D. M. F. Frazeres, V. Chu, J. P. Conde, “Detection of DNA and Proteins using Amorphous Silicon Ion-sensitive Thin-film Field Effect Transistors”, Biosens. Bioelectron., Vol. 24, pp. 545–551, 2008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. D. S. Kim, Y. T. Jeong, H. J. Park, J. K. Shin, P. Choi, J. H. Lee, G. Lim, “An FET-type Charge Sensor for Highly Sensitive Detection of DNA Sequence”, Biosens. Bioelectron., Vol. 20, pp. 69–74, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. M. Barbaro, A. Bonfiglio, L. Raffo, A. Alessandrini, P. Facci, I. Barak, “A CMOS, Fully Integrated Sensor for Electronic Detection of DNA Hybridization”, IEEE Electron Device Lett., Vol. 27, pp. 595–597, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. K. Sawada, S. Miura, K. Tomita, T. Nakanishi, H. Tanabe, M. Ishida, T. Ando, “Novel CCD-Based pH Imaging Sensor”, IEEE Electron. Device., Vol. 46, pp.1846–1849, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. T. Hizawa, K. Sawada, H. Takao, M. Ishida, Sens. Actuator B Chem., “Fabrication of a Two-dimensional pH Image Sensor using a Charge Transfer Technique”,Vol. 117, pp. 509–515, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. M. Gersbach, Y. Maruyama, C. Niclass, K. Sawada, E. Charbon, “A Room Temperature CMOS Single Photon Sensor for Chemiluminescence Detection”,Proc. TAS, pp. 744–746, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  35. M. J. Milgrew, P. A. Hammond, D. R. S. Cumming, “The Development of Scalable Sensor Arrays Using Standard CMOS Technology”,Sens. Actuator B Chem., Vol. 103, pp. 34–42, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. H. Lee, Y. Liu, R. M. Westervelt, D. Ham, “IC/Microfluidic Hybrid System for Magnetic Manipulation of Biological Cells”,IEEE J. Solid-State Circuit, Vol. 41, pp. 1471–1479, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. R. Pal, M. Yang, R. Lin, B. N. Johnson, N. Srivastava, S. Z. Razzacki, K. J. Chomistek, D. C. Heldsinger, R. M. Haque, V. M. Ugaz, P. K. Thwar, Z. Chen, K. Alfano, M. B. Yim, M. Krishnan, A. O. Fuller, R. G. Larson, D. T. Burked, M. A. Burns, “An Integrated Microfluidic Device for Influenza and Other Genetic Analyses”,Lab Chip, Vol. 5, pp.1024–1032, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. H-W. Lee, A. R. Hawkins, “Solid-state Current Amplifier based on Impact Ionization”, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 87, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the AQUA group’s graduate students and alumni, Dmitri L. Boiko, Lucio Carrara, Matt Fishburn, Marek Gersbach, Mohammad A. Karami, Estelle Labonne, Cristiano Niclass, Maximilian Sergio, as well as Emile Dupont, Ulrike Lehmann, Martin Lanz, and Giovanni Nicoletti, and to the members of the MEGAFRAME consortium.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. TU Delft, Delft, The Netherlands

    Edoardo Charbon & Yuki Maruyama

Authors
  1. Edoardo Charbon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yuki Maruyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edoardo Charbon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Informatique et Communications, Labo. Systèmes Intégrés (LSI), EPFL, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland

    Sandro Carrara

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Charbon, E., Maruyama, Y. (2011). Nano-metric Single-Photon Detector for Biochemical Chips. In: Carrara, S. (eds) Nano-Bio-Sensing. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6169-3_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6169-3_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-6168-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-6169-3

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation