High-power continuous-wave laser-induced damage to complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor

This paper presents the results of an experimental analysis of the high-power laser (HPL)-induced damage to a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. Although the laser-induced damages to metallic materials have been sufficiently investigated, the damages to electric-optic imaging systems, which are very sensitive to HPLs, have not been studied in detail. In this study, we experimentally analyzed the HPL-induced damages to a CMOS image sensor. A near-infrared continuous-wave (CW) fiber laser was used as the laser source. The influences of the irradiance and irradiation time on the permanent damages to a CMOS image sensor, such as the color error and breakdown, were investigated. The experimental results showed that the color error occurred first, and then the breakdown occurred with an increase in the irradiance and irradiation time. In particular, these damages were more affected by the irradiance than the irradiation time.