{"id":{"repo_id":"trento","oai_identifier":"oai:iris.unitn.it:11572/483873"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/trento/oai:iris.unitn.it:11572/483873","repository":{"repo_id":"trento","name":"Università degli Studi di Trento","base_url":"https://iris.unitn.it/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"ADVANCED CMOS SINGLE-PHOTON IMAGER ARCHITECTURES FOR QUANTUM AND SCIENTIFIC IMAGING APPLICATIONS","abstract":"This thesis presents the design, modeling, and characterization of advanced Single- Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) imager architectures, specifically tailored for quantum and scientific imaging applications. While SPADs offer unmatched picosecond-scale timing precision and single-photon sensitivity, their integration into large-scale arrays has traditionally been hindered by massive data bandwidth requirements and limited in-pixel functionality. To address these bottlenecks, this research introduces three primary innovations in three different fields targeting Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI), high-speed scientific imaging, and Flash-LiDAR for space applications. First, for QGI, the \"Looking Back\" mechanism is proposed and implemented in the two sensor prototypes, namely Casper and Slimer sensors. By integrating in-pixel electrical delay lines and asynchronous correlation circuits, these sensors compensate for optical path delays and perform real-time coincidence detection, enabling a resolution increase of nearly two orders of magnitude while reducing acquisition times by over 10× compared to traditional scanning systems. Second, a hardware-friendly on-chip compression scheme is developed for high-speed imaging. Leveraging temporal and spatial redundancies through a shot-noise-based Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM) technique and cluster-level suppression, the architecture achieves compression ratios up to 96% while maintaining high image fidelity (PSNR 29 dB). Finally, two Flash-LiDAR sensor prototypes , namely Wallie64 and Wallie256 sensors are designed for space-grade applications, including landing, rendezvous and target approaching operations. These sensors incorporate reconfigurable Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) and a distributed digital Silicon PhotoMultiplier (d2SiPM) mechanism to ensure robust 3D imaging in harsh, high-ambient-light environments. Collectively, these contributions demonstrate a shift toward \"smart\" focal plane arrays that alleviate back-end computational burdens and enable next-generation scientific and autonomous applications.","abstract_html":"This thesis presents the design, modeling, and characterization of advanced Single- Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) imager architectures, specifically tailored for quantum and scientific imaging applications. While SPADs offer unmatched picosecond-scale timing precision and single-photon sensitivity, their integration into large-scale arrays has traditionally been hindered by massive data bandwidth requirements and limited in-pixel functionality. To address these bottlenecks, this research introduces three primary innovations in three different fields targeting Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI), high-speed scientific imaging, and Flash-LiDAR for space applications. First, for QGI, the "Looking Back" mechanism is proposed and implemented in the two sensor prototypes, namely Casper and Slimer sensors. By integrating in-pixel electrical delay lines and asynchronous correlation circuits, these sensors compensate for optical path delays and perform real-time coincidence detection, enabling a resolution increase of nearly two orders of magnitude while reducing acquisition times by over 10× compared to traditional scanning systems. Second, a hardware-friendly on-chip compression scheme is developed for high-speed imaging. Leveraging temporal and spatial redundancies through a shot-noise-based Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM) technique and cluster-level suppression, the architecture achieves compression ratios up to 96% while maintaining high image fidelity (PSNR 29 dB). Finally, two Flash-LiDAR sensor prototypes , namely Wallie64 and Wallie256 sensors are designed for space-grade applications, including landing, rendezvous and target approaching operations. These sensors incorporate reconfigurable Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) and a distributed digital Silicon PhotoMultiplier (d2SiPM) mechanism to ensure robust 3D imaging in harsh, high-ambient-light environments. Collectively, these contributions demonstrate a shift toward "smart" focal plane arrays that alleviate back-end computational burdens and enable next-generation scientific and autonomous applications.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Manuzzato, Enrico"],"institution":"Università degli studi di Trento","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Passerone, Roberto"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-04-29","date_published":"2026-04-29","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:04:24Z","subjects":["Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD)","Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconduc- tor (CMOS)","Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI)","Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM)","Run Length Encoding (RLE)","Direct time-of-flight (d-ToF)","Light Detec- tion and Ranging (LiDAR)."],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess","license:Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)","license uri:iris.PRI01"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/11572/483873","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Manuzzato, Enrico","Passerone, Roberto"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Manuzzato, Enrico"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2026-04-29"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Università degli studi di Trento","place:TRENTO"]},{"key":"dc:relation","label":"Dc Relation","values":["firstpage:1","lastpage:127","numberofpages:127"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD)","Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconduc- tor (CMOS)","Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI)","Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM)","Run Length Encoding (RLE)","Direct time-of-flight (d-ToF)","Light Detec- tion and Ranging (LiDAR)."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess","license:Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)","license uri:iris.PRI01"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/11572/483873"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["This thesis presents the design, modeling, and characterization of advanced Single- Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) imager architectures, specifically tailored for quantum and scientific imaging applications. While SPADs offer unmatched picosecond-scale timing precision and single-photon sensitivity, their integration into large-scale arrays has traditionally been hindered by massive data bandwidth requirements and limited in-pixel functionality. To address these bottlenecks, this research introduces three primary innovations in three different fields targeting Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI), high-speed scientific imaging, and Flash-LiDAR for space applications. First, for QGI, the \"Looking Back\" mechanism is proposed and implemented in the two sensor prototypes, namely Casper and Slimer sensors. By integrating in-pixel electrical delay lines and asynchronous correlation circuits, these sensors compensate for optical path delays and perform real-time coincidence detection, enabling a resolution increase of nearly two orders of magnitude while reducing acquisition times by over 10× compared to traditional scanning systems. Second, a hardware-friendly on-chip compression scheme is developed for high-speed imaging. Leveraging temporal and spatial redundancies through a shot-noise-based Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM) technique and cluster-level suppression, the architecture achieves compression ratios up to 96% while maintaining high image fidelity (PSNR 29 dB). Finally, two Flash-LiDAR sensor prototypes , namely Wallie64 and Wallie256 sensors are designed for space-grade applications, including landing, rendezvous and target approaching operations. These sensors incorporate reconfigurable Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) and a distributed digital Silicon PhotoMultiplier (d2SiPM) mechanism to ensure robust 3D imaging in harsh, high-ambient-light environments. Collectively, these contributions demonstrate a shift toward \"smart\" focal plane arrays that alleviate back-end computational burdens and enable next-generation scientific and autonomous applications."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["ADVANCED CMOS SINGLE-PHOTON IMAGER ARCHITECTURES FOR QUANTUM AND SCIENTIFIC IMAGING APPLICATIONS"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Manuzzato, Enrico","Passerone, Roberto"],"dc:creator":["Manuzzato, Enrico"],"dc:date":["2026-04-29"],"dc:description":["This thesis presents the design, modeling, and characterization of advanced Single- Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) imager architectures, specifically tailored for quantum and scientific imaging applications. While SPADs offer unmatched picosecond-scale timing precision and single-photon sensitivity, their integration into large-scale arrays has traditionally been hindered by massive data bandwidth requirements and limited in-pixel functionality. To address these bottlenecks, this research introduces three primary innovations in three different fields targeting Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI), high-speed scientific imaging, and Flash-LiDAR for space applications. First, for QGI, the \"Looking Back\" mechanism is proposed and implemented in the two sensor prototypes, namely Casper and Slimer sensors. By integrating in-pixel electrical delay lines and asynchronous correlation circuits, these sensors compensate for optical path delays and perform real-time coincidence detection, enabling a resolution increase of nearly two orders of magnitude while reducing acquisition times by over 10× compared to traditional scanning systems. Second, a hardware-friendly on-chip compression scheme is developed for high-speed imaging. Leveraging temporal and spatial redundancies through a shot-noise-based Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM) technique and cluster-level suppression, the architecture achieves compression ratios up to 96% while maintaining high image fidelity (PSNR 29 dB). Finally, two Flash-LiDAR sensor prototypes , namely Wallie64 and Wallie256 sensors are designed for space-grade applications, including landing, rendezvous and target approaching operations. These sensors incorporate reconfigurable Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) and a distributed digital Silicon PhotoMultiplier (d2SiPM) mechanism to ensure robust 3D imaging in harsh, high-ambient-light environments. Collectively, these contributions demonstrate a shift toward \"smart\" focal plane arrays that alleviate back-end computational burdens and enable next-generation scientific and autonomous applications."],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/11572/483873"],"dc:language":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Università degli studi di Trento","place:TRENTO"],"dc:relation":["firstpage:1","lastpage:127","numberofpages:127"],"dc:rights":["info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess","license:Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)","license uri:iris.PRI01"],"dc:subject":["Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD)","Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconduc- tor (CMOS)","Quantum Ghost Imaging (QGI)","Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM)","Run Length Encoding (RLE)","Direct time-of-flight (d-ToF)","Light Detec- tion and Ranging (LiDAR)."],"dc:title":["ADVANCED CMOS SINGLE-PHOTON IMAGER ARCHITECTURES FOR QUANTUM AND SCIENTIFIC IMAGING APPLICATIONS"],"dc:type":["info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:04:24Z"}