STTR Phase I: Advancing Beyond the Photodiode - Deep Sub-micron Pixels for Next-generation Image Sensors

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力集中在革命性的医疗内窥镜检查上。微创手术的优点正得到广泛认可。特别是，它对患者恢复时间和终点的影响是开发新的微创工具的强烈动机。今天，广泛的复杂手术允许治疗各种各样的病理，但仍有许多手术受到手术可视化工具的大小和灵活性的限制。一种围绕新型成像传感器的尖端芯片内窥镜将通过显著减小整个光学系统的尺寸，极大地扩大微创手术的范围。更小、分辨率更高的成像设备将使外科医生能够到达目前无法到达的身体部位。这样的装置也将增加范围的可操作性，并允许在内窥镜内添加其他操作工具。这些改进的结合将在具有挑战性的外科走廊内实现更复杂的手术。小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在发展中国家？最小的内窥镜相机。医疗从业者不断推动更小、更智能的可视化工具。由于传统的像素结构随着像素尺寸的减小而产生的噪声增加，现有的成像技术在像素尺寸徘徊在1微米时正接近基本障碍。因此，随着相机的小型化，图像质量急剧下降。该提案研究了深亚微米成像像素，其功能使用一种新机制，其中光驱动在弹道和扩散载流子输运之间的转换。将这些图像传感器应用于实践需要了解驱动设备的弹道传输机制，以及将深亚微米像素与兼容支持技术集成的可行性。计算机模拟将用于探测影响载体运输的外部和内部驱动力。利用这种半导体技术，图像传感器像素的尺寸可以缩小到数百纳米，从而实现新型超薄？chip-on-the小费吗?内窥镜克服了尺寸、图像质量和功能方面的性能障碍。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project centers on revolutionizing medical endoscopy. Advantages of minimally invasive surgery are becoming broadly appreciated. In particular, its effects on both the time and end-points of patient recovery are strong incentives to develop new, minimally invasive tools. Today, a broad range of complex surgeries allow for treatment of a wide variety of pathologies, yet there are still many procedures that are limited by the size and flexibility of the surgical visualization tools. A chip-on-the tip endoscope built around a new imaging sensor will dramatically expand the range of minimally invasive surgery by significantly reducing the size of the entire optical train. Smaller imaging devices with higher resolution will extend the reach of the surgeon to currently inaccessible areas of the body. Such a device will also give rise to increased scope maneuverability and allow the addition of other operating tools within the endoscope. This combination of improvements will enable more complicated procedures within challenging surgical corridors.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is aimed at developing the world?s smallest endoscopic cameras. Medical practitioners continuously push for smaller, smarter visualization tools. Existing imaging technologies are approaching fundamental barriers with pixel sizes hovering at one micron because noise increases as pixel size decreases for traditional pixel architectures. As a result, with the miniaturization of cameras there is a sharp decrease in image quality. This proposal investigates deep sub-micron imaging pixels that function using a novel mechanism where light drives transitions between ballistic and diffusive carrier transport. Reducing these image sensors to practice requires an understanding of the ballistic transport mechanisms that drive the devices and the feasibility of integrating deep sub-micron pixels with compatible supporting technologies. Computer simulations will be used to probe external and internal driving forces that affect carrier transport. Using this semiconductor technology, the size of the image sensor pixels can be shrunk to hundreds of nanometers, enabling a new class of ultra-thin ?chip-on-the tip? endoscopes that overcomes performance barriers of size, image quality and functionality.