High-performance imagers for space applications: The strong benefits of CMOS image sensors processes

Space community has quickly understood the benefits that CMOS technology can procure for the design and manufacture of image sensors, with respect to CCDs which have been the detector of choice for most optical applications during the last 25 years. On the other hand, a majority of space applications is requesting high electro-optics performances to avoid payload oversizing. This was not reachable by CMOS monolithic devices built with standard mixed signal processes. Since the end of the 90s, foundries have developed outstanding CMOS processes optimised for Image Sensors. Combined with the intrinsic advantages of CMOS, they allow developing powerful imagers for space missions.After explaining specificity of CIS processes, the development of a first generation of CMOS Image Sensors for optical instrument will be detailed. Continuation of this route, thanks to the use of advanced CMOS processes, will then be presented.