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TOF Range-Imaging Cameras pp 11–38Cite as

SPAD-Based Sensors

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Abstract

3D imaging and multi-pixel rangefinding constitute one of the most important and innovative fields of research in image sensor science and engineering in the past years. In rangefinding, one computes the Time-Of-Flight of a ray of light, generated by a mono-chromatic or wide-spectral source, from the source through the reflection of a target object and to a detector. There exist at least two techniques to measure the Time-Of-Flight (TOF): a direct and an indirect technique. In direct techniques (D-TOF), the time difference between a START pulse, synchronized with the light source, and a STOP signal generated by the detector is evaluated. In indirect techniques (I-TOF), a continuous sinusoidal light wave is emitted and the phase difference between outgoing and incoming signals is measured. From the phase difference, the time difference is derived using well-known formulae.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The preposition “above” is used because researchers working with APDs consider the cathode to be the terminal with the higher voltage.

  2. 2.

    Termed after the similarity to a Geiger counter.

  3. 3.

    PDE is defined as the multiplication of fill facto and PDP.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Government sponsored Nano-Tera and MICS grants, and Xilinx Inc.’s University Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. TU Delft, Mekelweg 4, 2628CD, Delft, The Netherlands

    Edoardo Charbon & Matt Fishburn

  2. The University of Edinburgh, Faraday Bldg., King’s Buildings, EH9 3JL, Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K

    Richard Walker & Robert K. Henderson

  3. EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Cristiano Niclass

Authors
  1. Edoardo Charbon
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  2. Matt Fishburn
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  3. Richard Walker
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  4. Robert K. Henderson
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  5. Cristiano Niclass
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edoardo Charbon .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , 3D Optical Metrology (3DOM), Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy

    Fabio Remondino

  2. , Smart Optical Sensors and Interfaces, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy

    David Stoppa

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Charbon, E., Fishburn, M., Walker, R., Henderson, R.K., Niclass, C. (2013). SPAD-Based Sensors. In: Remondino, F., Stoppa, D. (eds) TOF Range-Imaging Cameras. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27523-4_2

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