A 8-bit Variable Gain Single-slope ADC for CMOS Image Sensor

A new 8-bit single-slope ADC using analog RAMP generator with digitally controllable dynamic range has been proposed and simulated for column level or per-pixel CMOS image sensor application. The conversion gain of ADC can he controlled easily by using frequency divider with digitally controllable diviber ratio, coarse/fine RAMP with class-AB op-amp, resistor strings, decoder, comparator, and etc. The chip area and power consumption can be decreased by simplified analog circuits and passive components. Proposed frequency divider has been implemented and verified with 0.65um, 2-poly, 2-metal standard CMOS process. And the functional verification has been simulated and accomplished in a 0.35m standard CMOS process.