Multi-band image sensor for providing three-dimensional color images
Granted: December 4, 2018
Patent Number:
10148936
An imaging system and method for generating a three-dimensional color image include an opening for allowing light from an object to enter the imaging system. Each sensor element in an array of sensor elements receives a portion of the light and generates a signal indicative of an intensity of the received portion of the light. Light from an optical element impinges on a filter comprising a plurality of filter regions, each filter region passes a predetermined band of wavelengths of the…
Backside illuminated image sensor with improved contact area
Granted: December 4, 2018
Patent Number:
10147754
An image sensor includes a semiconductor material having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The image sensor also includes a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure, an interlayer dielectric, an intermetal dielectric, and a contact area. The STI structure extends from the front side of the semiconductor material into the semiconductor material. The interlayer dielectric is disposed between the front side of the semiconductor material and the intermetal dielectric. The…
Edge reflection reduction
Granted: December 4, 2018
Patent Number:
10147751
A method of image sensor package fabrication includes providing an image sensor, including a pixel array disposed in a semiconductor material, and a transparent shield adhered to the semiconductor material. The pixel array is disposed between the semiconductor material and the transparent shield. The method further includes removing portions of the transparent shield to form recessed regions in the transparent shield, where lateral bounds of the transparent shield extend beyond lateral…
Vertical gate guard ring for single photon avalanche diode pitch minimization
Granted: November 27, 2018
Patent Number:
10141458
A photon detection device includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) including a multiplication junction defined at an interface between n doped and p doped layers of the SPAD in a first region of a semiconductor layer. A vertical gate structure surrounds the SPAD in the semiconductor layer to isolate the SPAD in the first region from a second region of the semiconductor layer on an opposite side of the vertical gate structure. The SPAD laterally extends within the first region of…
Isolated global shutter pixel storage structure
Granted: November 27, 2018
Patent Number:
10141360
An imaging system includes a pixel array of pixel cells with each one of the pixel cells including a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor material, a global shutter gate transistor, disposed in the semiconductor material and coupled to the photodiode, a storage transistor disposed in the semiconductor material, an optical isolation structure disposed in the semiconductor material to isolate a sidewall of the storage transistor from stray light and stray charge. The optical isolation…
HDR skimming photodiode with true LED flicker mitigation
Granted: November 20, 2018
Patent Number:
10136084
Apparatuses and methods for a skimming photodiode with high dynamic range (HDR) and reduced Light Emitting Diode (LED) flicker in imaging system are disclosed herein. A voltage generator provides a transfer gate voltage to a transfer transistor. The transfer gate voltage is a voltage selected one of a transfer-on, a transfer-off, and a skimming voltage. The transfer transistor transfers charges generated on a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) photodiode (PD) to a floating…
Dual VPIN HDR image sensor pixel
Granted: November 20, 2018
Patent Number:
10134788
A CMOS photodiode device for use in a dual-sensitivity imaging pixel contains at least two areas of differential doping. Transistors are provided in electrical contact with these areas to govern operation of signals emanating from the photodiode on two channels, each associated with a different sensitivity to light. A plurality of such photodiodes may be incorporate into a shared arrangement forming a single pixel, in order to enhance the signals.
Manufacturing method of image sensor including source follower contact to floating diffusion
Granted: November 13, 2018
Patent Number:
10128299
An image sensor includes a photodiode disposed in a first semiconductor material to absorb photons incident on the image sensor and generate image charge. A floating diffusion is disposed in the first semiconductor material and positioned to receive the image charge from the photodiode, and a transfer transistor is coupled between the photodiode and the floating diffusion to transfer the image charge out of the photodiode into floating diffusion in response to a transfer signal. A source…
Protective caps for small image sensor masking and mounting process
Granted: November 6, 2018
Patent Number:
10121820
A method of processing an image sensor system, comprising steps of placing a first cover member on top of an image sensor; coating the image sensor and the first cover member with a dark coating agent; removing the first cover member from the image sensor; placing a second cover member on top of the image sensor; affixing the image sensor on to a permanent mount to form an electrical coupling between the image sensor and the permanent mount; removing the second cover member from the…
Bezels for die level packaging of camera modules, and associated camera modules and methods
Granted: November 6, 2018
Patent Number:
10122903
A bezel for die level packaging of a camera module may include (a) a recessed lip surrounding an aperture of the bezel and facing in a first direction, wherein the recessed lip is configured for seating thereon an image sensor, and (b) a planar rim surrounding the aperture and facing in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the planar rim is configured for bonding thereto a wafer-level lens unit implementing a wafer-level lens for delivering light to the image sensor…
Backside-illuminated color image sensors with crosstalk-suppressing color filter array
Granted: November 6, 2018
Patent Number:
10121809
A backside-illuminated color image sensor with crosstalk-suppressing color filter array includes (a) a silicon layer including an array of photodiodes and (b) a color filter layer on the light-receiving surface of the silicon layer, wherein the color filter layer includes (i) an array of color filters cooperating with the array of photodiodes to form a respective array of color pixels and (ii) a light barrier grid disposed between the color filters to suppress transmission of light…
Fill factor enhancement for image sensor
Granted: November 6, 2018
Patent Number:
10121806
An image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material and a plurality of isolation structures disposed between individual photodiodes in the plurality of photodiodes. The plurality of isolation structures electrically isolate individual photodiodes in the plurality of photodiodes. A plurality of transistors are disposed proximate to the plurality of photodiodes and include a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor, and a row select transistor. An…
Bitline boost for fast settling with current source of adjustable bias
Granted: October 30, 2018
Patent Number:
10116892
A photodiode is adapted to accumulate image charges in response to incident light. The accumulate image charges are transferred to a floating diffusion, amplified, row selected and the amplified row selected signal is output to a bitline. A bitline enable transistor is coupled to link between the bitline and a bitline source node. A current source is coupled to connect between the bitline source node and a ground. The current source generator sinks adjustable current from the bitline…
Image sensor with two-dimensional split dual photodiode pairs
Granted: October 30, 2018
Patent Number:
10116889
An image sensor includes an array of split dual photodiode (DPD) pairs. First groupings of the array of split DPD pairs consist entirely of either first-dimension split DPD pairs or entirely of second-dimension split DPD pairs. Each first grouping of the array of split DPD pairs consisting of the first-dimension split DPD pairs is adjacent to an other first grouping of the array of split DPD pairs consisting of the second-dimension split DPD pairs. The first-dimension is orthogonal to…
Method and apparatus for data transmission in an image sensor
Granted: October 23, 2018
Patent Number:
10110837
Methods and apparatuses for data transmission in an image sensor are disclosed herein. An example data transmission circuit may include a plurality of transmission banks coupled in series with a first one of the plurality of transmission banks coupled to function logic, where each of the plurality of transmission banks are coupled to provide image data to a subsequent transmission bank in a direction toward the function logic in response to a clock signal, a plurality of delays coupled…
Image sensor precharge boost
Granted: October 23, 2018
Patent Number:
10110783
Image sensors with precharge boost are disclosed herein. An example image sensor may include pixels that each include a photodiode to receive image light and produce image charge in response, a floating diffusion to receive the image charge, a transfer gate to couple the photodiode to the floating diffusion in response to a transfer control signal, a reset gate to couple a reset voltage to the floating diffusion in response to a reset control signal, and a boost capacitor coupled between…
Liquid crystal display device with peripheral electrode
Granted: October 23, 2018
Patent Number:
10108053
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a pixel array formed on the first substrate, a transparent substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pixel array and the transparent substrate, a transparent electrode disposed between the transparent substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and an input electrode. The transparent electrode has a longer first edge and an orthogonal shorter second edge. The input electrode extends along, and is electrically coupled…
Lane departure warning system and associated methods
Granted: October 16, 2018
Patent Number:
10102435
A lane departure warning system includes a memory and a processor for validating a candidate region as including an image of a lane marker on the road is disclosed. The candidate region is identified within a latest road image of a temporal sequence of road images captured from the front of a vehicle traveling along a road. The memory stores non-transitory computer-readable instructions and adapted to store the road image. The image processor is adapted to execute the instructions to,…
Apparatus and method for low dark current floating diffusion
Granted: October 16, 2018
Patent Number:
10103193
An apparatus and method for a low dark current floating diffusion is discussed. An example method includes coupling a photodiode to a floating diffusion through a transfer gate where a gate terminal of the transfer gate is provided a first voltage, resetting the floating diffusion, repetitively sampling image charge on the photodiode a plurality of times, where the sampled image charge is coupled to the floating diffusion, and where the gate terminal of the transfer gate is provided a…
Graded-semiconductor image sensor
Granted: October 16, 2018
Patent Number:
10103185
A method of image sensor fabrication includes growing a semiconductor material having an illuminated surface and a non-illuminated surface, where the semiconductor material includes silicon and germanium and a germanium concentration increases in a direction of the non-illuminated surface. The method further includes forming a plurality of photodiodes, including a doped region and a heavily doped region, in the semiconductor material, where the doped region is of an opposite majority…
