A sensitivity and linearity improvement of a 100 dB dynamic range CMOS image sensor using a lateral overflow integration capacitor

In a CMOS image sensor featuring a lateral overflow capacitor in a pixel, which integrates the overflowed charges from a frilly depleted photodiode during the same exposure, the sensitivity in non-saturated signal and the linearity in saturated overflow signal have been improved by introducing a new pixel circuit and its operation. A 1/3" VGA color CMOS image sensor has fabricated through 0.35 /spl mu/m 2P3M CMOS process results in a 100 dB dynamic range characteristic, with improved sensitivity and linearity.