MULTILAYER IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL STRUCTURE FOR REDUCING CROSSTALK
Granted: April 14, 2011
Application Number:
20110085067
An image sensor pixel includes a substrate, a first epitaxial layer, a collector layer, a second epitaxial layer and a light collection region. The substrate is doped to have a first conductivity type. The first epitaxial layer is disposed over the substrate and doped to have the first conductivity type as well. The collector layer is selectively disposed over at least a portion of the first epitaxial layer and doped to have a second conductivity type. The second epitaxial layer is…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED IMAGE PROCESSING
Granted: April 14, 2011
Application Number:
20110085062
A system and method for improving image processing. In one aspect of the invention the method includes receiving data indicating an intensity of light incident on a first pixel of a pixel array and determining from the received data if the intensity of incident light on the first pixel satisfies a first condition. A processing operation is performed on data received from a second, third and fourth pixel of the pixel array but skipped on the data received from the first pixel if the first…
IMAGE SENSOR WITH CONTACT DUMMY PIXELS
Granted: March 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110068429
An image sensor array includes a substrate layer, a metal layer, an epitaxial layer, a plurality of imaging pixels, and a contact dummy pixel. The metal layer is disposed above the substrate layer. The epitaxial layer is disposed between the substrate layer and the metal layer. The imaging pixels are disposed within the epitaxial layer and each include a photosensitive element for collecting an image signal. The contact dummy pixel is dispose within the epitaxial layer and includes an…
IMAGE SENSOR WITH TRANSFER GATE HAVING MULTIPLE CHANNEL SUB-REGIONS
Granted: February 10, 2011
Application Number:
20110032405
An image sensor pixel includes a photosensitive element, a floating diffusion region and a transfer transistor channel region. The transfer transistor channel region is disposed between the photosensitive region and the floating diffusion region. The transfer transistor channel region includes a first channel sub-region having a first doping concentration and a second channel sub-region having a second doping concentration that is different from the first doping concentration.
BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSOR HAVING DEEP LIGHT REFLECTIVE TRENCHES
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100323470
An array of pixels is formed using a semiconductor layer having a frontside and a backside through which incident light is received. Each pixel typically includes a photosensitive region formed in the semiconductor layer and a trench formed adjacent to the photosensitive region. The trench causes the incident light to be directed away from the trench and towards the photosensitive region.
CMOS PIXEL WITH DUAL-ELEMENT TRANSFER GATE
Granted: December 16, 2010
Application Number:
20100314667
Embodiments of a pixel that includes a photosensitive region, a floating diffusion region, and a transistor transfer gate disposed between the photosensitive region and the floating diffusion region. The transfer gate includes first and second transfer gate elements, the first transfer gate element having a different doping than the second transfer gate element. By controlling the doping of the first and second transfer gate elements a transfer gate can be provided with a greater…
HYBRID ON-CHIP REGULATOR FOR LIMITED OUTPUT HIGH VOLTAGE
Granted: December 16, 2010
Application Number:
20100315053
A driver circuit includes a pre-driver and an output driver. The pre-driver is coupled to receive an input signal and to generate first and second pre-driver output signals in response to the input signal. The output driver generates a driver output signal and includes first and second switches, a native mode transistor, and a driver output. The first switch has a first control terminal coupled to receive the first pre-driver output signal. The second switch has a second control terminal…
IMAGE SENSOR AND PIXEL THAT HAS POSITIVE TRANSFER GATE VOLTAGE DURING INTEGRATION PERIOD
Granted: November 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100289911
A pixel and image sensor formed in accordance with the present invention has two modes of operation: a normal mode and a low light mode. The present invention switches from a normal to a low light mode based upon the amount of illumination on the image sensor. Once the level of illumination is determined, a decision is made by comparing the level of illumination to a threshold whether to operate in normal mode or low light mode. In low light mode, the reset transistor (for a 3T pixel) or…
IMAGE SENSOR WITH GLOBAL SHUTTER
Granted: November 4, 2010
Application Number:
20100276574
An image sensor includes a photodiode to accumulate an image charge and a storage transistor to store the image charge. A transfer transistor is coupled between the photodiode and an input of the storage transistor to selectively transfer the image charge from the photodiode to the storage transistor. An output transistor is coupled to an output of the storage transistor to selectively transfer the image charge to a readout node and a reset transistor is coupled to the readout node. A…
MULTILAYER IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL STRUCTURE FOR REDUCING CROSSTALK
Granted: October 28, 2010
Application Number:
20100271524
An image sensor pixel includes a substrate, a first epitaxial layer, a collector layer, a second epitaxial layer and a light collection region. The substrate is doped to have a first conductivity type. The first epitaxial layer is disposed over the substrate and doped to have the first conductivity type as well. The collector layer is selectively disposed over at least a portion of the first epitaxial layer and doped to have a second conductivity type. The second epitaxial layer is…
PENINSULA TRANSFER GATE IN A CMOS PIXEL
Granted: July 15, 2010
Application Number:
20100176276
A pinned photodiode structure with peninsula-shaped transfer gate which decrease the occurrence of a potential barrier between the photodiode and the floating drain, prevents loss of full well capacity (FWC) and decreases occurrences of image lag.
BACKSIDE-ILLUMINATED (BSI) IMAGE SENSOR WITH BACKSIDE DIFFUSION DOPING
Granted: July 1, 2010
Application Number:
20100164042
Embodiments of a process comprising forming a pixel on a front side of a substrate, thinning the substrate, depositing a doped silicon layer on a backside of the thinned substrate, and diffusing a dopant from the doped silicon layer into the substrate. Embodiments of an apparatus comprising a pixel formed on a front side of a thinned substrate, a doped silicon layer formed on a backside of the thinned substrate, and a region in the thinned substrate, and near the backside, where a dopant…
TECHNIQUE FOR FABRICATION OF BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSOR
Granted: June 24, 2010
Application Number:
20100159632
An array of backside illuminated image sensors is fabricated using a number of processes. These processes include fabricating front side components of the backside illuminated image sensors into or onto a first side of an epitaxial layer disposed over a substrate layer. Dopants are diffused from the substrate through a second side of the epitaxial layer to create a dopant gradient band in the epitaxial layer adjacent to the substrate layer. The backside of the array is then thinned to…
AUTOMATIC WHITE BALANCING USING METER SENSORS
Granted: June 17, 2010
Application Number:
20100149403
An image sensor system includes an image sensor that can be exposed with light from an illuminated scene to produce a secondary image, a meter sensor that can be exposed with light from the illuminated scene to produce a meter secondary image, and an image processor. The image processor can be configured to determine an average pixel color in the secondary image. The image processor can also be configured to determine a white balancing point in response to the secondary image average…
CMOS IMAGE SENSOR WITH IMPROVED BACKSIDE SURFACE TREATMENT
Granted: June 10, 2010
Application Number:
20100140675
An apparatus and method for fabricating an array of backside illuminated (“BSI”) image sensors is disclosed. Front side components of the BSI image sensors are formed into a front side of the array. A dopant layer is implanted into a backside of the array. The dopant layer establishes a dopant gradient to encourage photo-generated charge carriers to migrate towards the front side of the array. At least a portion of the dopant layer is annealed. A surface treatment is formed on the…
IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL HAVING PHOTODIODE WITH MULTI-DOPANT IMPLANTATION
Granted: June 10, 2010
Application Number:
20100144081
An active pixel using a photodiode with multiple species of N type dopants is disclosed. The pixel comprises a photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate. The photodiode is an N? region formed within a P-type region. The N? region is formed from an implant of arsenic and an implant of phosphorus. Further, the pixel includes a transfer transistor formed between the photodiode and a floating node and selectively operative to transfer a signal from the photodiode to the floating node.…
BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGING SENSOR WITH IMPROVED ANGULAR RESPONSE
Granted: May 20, 2010
Application Number:
20100123069
A backside illuminated imaging pixel with improved angular response includes a semiconductor layer having a front and a back surface. The imaging pixel also includes a photodiode region formed in the semiconductor layer. The photodiode region includes a first and a second n-region. The first n-region has a centerline projecting between the front and back surfaces of the semiconductor layer. The second n-region is disposed between the first n-region and the back surface of the…
LIGHTLY-DOPED DRAINS (LDD) OF IMAGE SENSOR TRANSISTORS USING SELECTIVE EPITAXY
Granted: May 20, 2010
Application Number:
20100123174
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an image sensor having pixel transistors and peripheral transistors disposed in a silicon substrate. For some embodiments, a protective coating is disposed on the peripheral transistors and doped silicon is epitaxially grown on the substrate to form lightly-doped drain (LDD) areas for the pixel transistors. The protective oxide may be used to prevent epitaxial growth of silicon on the peripheral transistors during formation of the LDD…
IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL HAVING A LATERAL DOPING PROFILE FORMED WITH INDIUM DOPING
Granted: May 13, 2010
Application Number:
20100117123
An active pixel using a transfer gate that has a polysilicon gate doped with indium. The pixel includes a photosensitive element formed in a semiconductor substrate and an n-type floating node formed in the semiconductor substrate. An n-channel transfer transistor having a transfer gate is formed between the floating node and the photosensitive element. The pixel substrate has a laterally doping gradient doped with an indium dopant.
IMAGE SENSOR WITH BACKSIDE PHOTODIODE IMPLANT
Granted: May 6, 2010
Application Number:
20100109060
An array of pixels is formed using a substrate. Each pixel can be formed on the substrate, which has a backside and a frontside that includes metalization layers. A photodiode is formed in the substrate and frontside P-wells are formed using frontside processing that are adjacent to the photosensitive region. A first N-type region is formed in the substrate below the photodiode. A second N-type region is formed in a region of the substrate below the first N-type region and is formed…
