CMOS image sensors produced by the existing CMOS manufacturing process usually have difficulty achieving complete charge transfer owing to the introduction of potential barriers or Si/SiO₂ interface state traps in the charge transfer path, which reduces the charge transfer efficiency and image quality. Until now, scholars have only considered mechanisms that limit charge transfer from the perspectives of potential barriers and spill back effect under high illumination condition. However, the existing models have thus far ignored the charge transfer limitation due to Si/SiO₂ interface state traps in the transfer gate channel, particularly under low illumination. Therefore, this paper proposes, for the first time, an analytical model for quantifying the incomplete charge transfer caused by Si/SiO₂ interface state traps in the transfer gate channel under low illumination. This model can predict the variation rules of the number of untransferred charges and charge transfer efficiency when the trap energy level follows Gaussian distribution, exponential distribution and measured distribution. The model was verified with technology computer-aided design simulations, and the results showed that the simulation results exhibit the consistency with the proposed model.

研究了传输栅掺杂，即N+TG和P+TG，对满阱容量以及暗电流的影响。沟道电势分布受传输栅与衬底功函数差的影响，随着钳位光电二极管和浮动扩散节点之间的势垒高度的增加，feedforward效应被抑制，满阱容量增加。另一方面，处于电荷积累状态的沟道可以降低暗电流。基于四管有源像素工作过程进行仿真，结果表明，在曝光期间不加负栅压的情况下，基于P+TG的像素的满阱容量相对N+TG的提高了26.9%，其暗电流为N+TG的0.377倍。当电荷转移效率大于99.999%时，N+TG的开启电压需高于2.3 V，而P+TG的开启电压需高于3.0 V。

For the non-stop demands for a better and smarter society, the number of electronic devices keeps increasing exponentially; and the computation power, communication data rate, smart sensing capability and intelligence are always not enough. Hardware supports software, while the integrated circuit (IC) is the core of hardware. In this long review paper, we summarize and discuss recent trending IC design directions and challenges, and try to give the readers big/cool pictures on each selected small/hot topics. We divide the trends into the following six categories, namely, 1) machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) chips, 2) communication ICs, 3) data converters, 4) power converters, 5) imagers and range sensors, 6) emerging directions. Hope you find this paper useful for your future research and works.For the non-stop demands for a better and smarter society, the number of electronic devices keeps increasing exponentially; and the computation power, communication data rate, smart sensing capability and intelligence are always not enough. Hardware supports software, while the integrated circuit (IC) is the core of hardware. In this long review paper, we summarize and discuss recent trending IC design directions and challenges, and try to give the readers big/cool pictures on each selected small/hot topics. We divide the trends into the following six categories, namely, 1) machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) chips, 2) communication ICs, 3) data converters, 4) power converters, 5) imagers and range sensors, 6) emerging directions. Hope you find this paper useful for your future research and works.