Ultra-high resolution wireless CMOS imaging with multiple-band millimeter waves and multiplexed guided light waves: why this approach is better than traditional CMOS image sensors and III-V/II-VI diode sensors

Traditionally, CMOS is not considered a light nor microwave generating device. Optoelectronic CMOS includes tunnel threshold-less ultra-low resistance lasers and microwave diodes in the drain region, and photon sensors in the drain, well, and channel regions. All these devices are fabricated as one integral transistor. The Photonic CMOS, similar to lasers, and microwave diodes, can generate both light waves and millimeter waves. The CMOS pixel array and ROIC (Read Out Integrated Circuit) are connected, not with metals, but with microwaves and light waves. The Photonic CMOS pixel array is divided to multiple 2D sections corresponding to various bands of microwave and light wave frequencies. The Photonic ROIC is also divided to multiple 2D sections corresponding to the incoming bands of microwaves and light waves. The wireless imaging is achieved by analyzing the effects of a combination of both light waves and microwaves, not with charging and discharging the sensors in ROIC as in the traditional sensors. We will discuss the performance advantages of one integral device: “LitRaDAR” = Lidar + Radar = Microwave Photonic Wireless CMOS Imaging + Millimeter Wave Photonic Integrated Circuits. Both light waves and microwaves are generated through photon accelerated and modulated millimeter operations, detected and processed with Wireless Microwave Photonic Imaging.