Chip-scALe visiBLE-iNfrared imaGing sEnsor

Project Information

CHEERS

Grant agreement ID: 101188959

DOI

10.3030/101188959

EC signature date 5 December 2024

Start date 1 December 2024

End date 30 November 2026

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 2 498 402,48

Coordinated by

EYE4NIR SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CHEERS (Chip-scALe visiBLE-iNfrared imaGing sEnsor)

Reporting period: 2024-12-01 to 2025-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

According to the World Health Organization, each year, more than 1.3 million lives are tragically lost, making it the eighth most significant cause of mortality worldwide, and 50 million injuries occur because of road accidents. Vehicles collisions stand as the primary cause of fatalities for individuals aged 15 to 29.
Furthermore, road crashes exert a substantial economic burden, contributing to a staggering annual cost of 180 billion euros in Europe alone. Adverse weather, hazardous road conditions, as well as distracted or fatigued driving, collectively contribute to nearly 70% of all accidents.

In recent years, Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have displayed their potential to enhance driving safety, however, these systems still fall short in compromised visibility conditions, precisely where their effectiveness holds the utmost importance. They use sensors which only operate in the VISIBLE spectrum whose information is read by augmented vision algorithms.

SWIR (short-wave infrared) imaging is what is missing. With its ability to ensure clear visibility in critical scenarios such as fog, heavy rain, and low-illumination, along with full immunity to sun glare and intricate shadow patterns, SWIR imaging technology is uniquely well-suited to address the challenges currently faced by DMS and ADAS systems catering for the enhancement of autonomous driving systems in the medium to long term.

SWIR imaging systems have been employed for decades, mainly in military and scientific domains, because of their very high manufacturing costs.

In this context, EYE4NIR is pioneering a game-changing imaging technology based on two pillars:
● Materials: the technology is based on silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) photodiodes, monolithically integrated into a single device which is sensitive to the SWIR and visible-near infrared (VIS-NIR) spectral bands. Si and Ge seamlessly integrate with standard silicon (Si) foundry processes, thus allowing for a sharp manufacturing cost decrease. Thanks to a unique patented electronic structure, the device allows to electronically select between the SWIR and VIS-NIR bands, thus enabling versatile multi-spectral operation in one single chip.
● CMOS read-out integrated circuit (ROIC): the signal from the device is read through a novel ROIC design concept, specifically developed to minimize the noise of the system (patent pending).

Within CHEERS project, EYE4NIR aims at laying the foundation for manufacturing high resolution VIS-NIR/SWIR imagers ready for commercialization in the automotive sectors and afterwards other domains such as industrial automation and consumer electronics.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first project year, the activities progressed according to the planned schedule, achieving significant technical milestones toward the development of the VGA-resolution VIS-NIR/SWIR dual-band image sensor.
Specifically:
- The first batch of silicon devices was received from the foundry. This initial fabrication run consisted of a dedicated short-flow process focused on the sensor structures, enabling early validation of the optoelectronic performance of the Ge-on-Si photodiode array before full imager integration.
- Comprehensive electro-optical characterization was performed on the delivered sensor structures. Key parameters in both VIS-NIR and SWIR operating modes, were measured. The characterization results were consolidated into the preliminary datasheet (Deliverable D3.1) documenting the main specifications and performance metrics of the sensor devices.
- The full layout of the second-generation image sensor, featuring VGA resolution (640×480 pixels) and integrated ROIC, was completed. Following successful design rule checking and verification against foundry specifications, tape-out procedures have been initiated (M3.1).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The CHEERS project has achieved significant advancements in the development of cost-effective VIS-NIR/SWIR multispectral imaging technology based on Ge-on-Si platforms. The main results accomplished within the project include:
1. Dual-band operation validation in foundry environment, with the successful demonstration of dual-band (VIS-NIR and SWIR) operation within a standard silicon foundry process.
2. The project has completed the design and EDA (Electronic Design Automation) validation of a novel CMOS read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) specifically engineered to minimize the effects of germanium dark current. The tape-out has been completed, representing the finalization of the design phase and readiness for fabrication.