Compact camera incorporating microlens arrays for ultra-short distance imaging
Granted: May 14, 2024
Patent Number:
11985435
A compact camera includes an image sensor, a transparent layer, and a microlens (ML) layer, between the image sensor and the transparent layer. The ML layer forms (a) a first ML array having a plurality of first MLs, and (b) a second ML array with a plurality of second MLs interleaved with the plurality of first MLs. The compact camera also includes a baffle layer, between the ML layer and the image sensor, that forms a plurality of first aperture stops each aligned with a different one…
CMOS image sensor having front side and back side trench isolation structures enclosing pixel regions and a capacitor for storing the image charge
Granted: May 14, 2024
Patent Number:
11984464
Examples of the disclosed subject matter propose disposing trench isolation structure around the perimeter of the pixel transistor region of the pixel cell. The trench isolation structure includes front side (e.g., shallow and deep) trench isolation structure and back side deep trench isolation structure that abut against or contacts the bottom of front side deep trench isolation structure for isolating the pixel transistor channel of the pixel cell's pixel transistor region. The…
Flare-reducing image sensor
Granted: May 14, 2024
Patent Number:
11984463
A flare-reducing image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, NP in number, and a plurality of microlenses, NML in number, where each of the plurality of microlenses is aligned to a respective one of the plurality of pixels, such that NP=NML. The flare-reducing image sensor further includes a plurality of phase-shifting layers, NL, in number, where each phase-shifting layer is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of microlenses, where NL, is less than or equal to NML.
Process to release silicon stress in forming CMOS image sensor
Granted: May 7, 2024
Patent Number:
11978753
Process to release Silicon stress in forming CMOS image sensor. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing an image sensor includes providing a first wafer that is a semiconductor substrate, where the first wafer has a first side and a second side opposite from the first side. The method also includes attaching a second wafer to the second side of the first wafer. The method further includes forming isolation structures in the second wafer by etching. The isolation structures are…
Dam of image sensor module having sawtooth pattern and inclined surface on its inner wall and method of making same
Granted: April 30, 2024
Patent Number:
11973098
An image sensor module comprises an image sensor having a light sensing area, a cover glass for covering the light sensing area, a dam between the image sensor and the cover glass, which surrounds the light sensing area, and has an outer wall and an inner wall, where a cross-section of the inner wall parallel to the surface of the light sensing area of the image sensor forms a sawtooth pattern and/or, where a cross-section of the inner wall orthogonal to the surface of the light sensing…
Calibration circuit for ramp settling assist circuit in local ramp buffer circuit
Granted: April 23, 2024
Patent Number:
11968468
A ramp buffer circuit includes a ramp buffer input device having an input coupled to receive a ramp signal. A current monitor is circuit coupled to a power line and the ramp buffer input device to generate a current monitor signal in response to an input current conducted through the ramp buffer input device. A corner bias circuit is coupled to the current monitor circuit to generate an assist bias voltage in response to the current monitor signal. A bias current source is coupled to an…
Image sensor with multi-pixel detector and partial isolation structure
Granted: April 23, 2024
Patent Number:
11967602
A multi-pixel detector of an image sensor is described. The multi-pixel detector includes a first photodiode region disposed within a semiconductor substrate to form a first pixel, a second photodiode region disposed within the semiconductor substrate to form a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel, and a partial isolation structure extending from a first side of the semiconductor substrate towards a second side of the semiconductor substrate between the first photodiode region and…
Uneven-trench pixel cell and fabrication method
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11948965
An uneven-trench pixel cell includes a semiconductor substrate that includes a floating diffusion region, a photodiode region, and, between a front surface and a back surface: a first sidewall surface, a shallow bottom surface, a second sidewall surface, and a deep bottom surface. The first sidewall surface and a shallow bottom surface define a shallow trench, located between the floating diffusion region and the photodiode region, that extends into the semiconductor substrate from the…
Stack chip air gap heat insulator
Granted: March 26, 2024
Patent Number:
11942504
Image sensors include a pixel die that is stacked on a logic die. The logic die includes at least one function logic element disposed on a bond side thereof, and a logic oxide array of raised logic oxide features also disposed on the bond side. The pixel die includes a pixel array disposed on a light receiving side thereof, and a pixel oxide array of raised pixel oxide features disposed on a bond side of the pixel die. A plurality of outer bonds is disposed between an outer region of the…
Electronic camera module with integral LED and light-pipe illuminator
Granted: March 26, 2024
Patent Number:
11943525
An electronic camera assembly includes a camera chip cube bonded to camera bondpads of an interposer; at least one light-emitting diode (LED) bonded to LED bondpads of the interposer at the same height as the camera bondpads; and a housing extending from the interposer and LEDs to the height of the camera chip cube, with light guides extending from the LEDs through the housing to a top of the housing. In embodiments, the electronic camera assembly includes a cable coupled to the…
Transistor having increased effective channel width
Granted: February 13, 2024
Patent Number:
11901383
Methods of forming transistors include providing a substrate material, forming a recess to a first depth in the substrate material, the recess corresponding to a gate region and extending in a channel length direction and a channel width direction that is perpendicular to the channel length direction, forming a trench structure in the substrate material by deepening the recess to a second depth using an isotropic process, forming an isolation layer on the substrate material, forming a…
Transistor having increased effective channel width
Granted: February 13, 2024
Patent Number:
11901383
Methods of forming transistors include providing a substrate material, forming a recess to a first depth in the substrate material, the recess corresponding to a gate region and extending in a channel length direction and a channel width direction that is perpendicular to the channel length direction, forming a trench structure in the substrate material by deepening the recess to a second depth using an isotropic process, forming an isolation layer on the substrate material, forming a…
Passive speckle-suppressing diffusers and associated methods and illuminators
Granted: February 6, 2024
Patent Number:
11892654
A passive speckle-suppressing diffuser includes a microlens array for diffusing a light field originating from one or more coherent light beams, and a diffractive optical element mounted in series with the microlens array and having a pixelated thickness distribution, characterized by a spatial variation across the diffractive optical element, to impose a spatially varying phase shift on the light field. The pixelated thickness distribution may be configured such that the spatially…
SiGe photodiode for crosstalk reduction
Granted: January 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11876110
SiGe photodiode for crosstalk reduction. In one embodiment, an image sensor includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns of a pixel array disposed in a semiconductor material. Each pixel includes a plurality of photodiodes. The plurality of pixels are configured to receive an incoming light through an illuminated surface of the semiconductor material. Each pixel includes a first photodiode comprising a silicon (Si) material; and a second photodiode having the Si material…
Circuit and method for image artifact reduction in high-density, high-pixel-count, image sensor with phase detection autofocus
Granted: January 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11871135
In an embodiment, a method of reducing resistance-capacitance delay along photodiode transfer lines of an image sensor includes forking a plurality of photodiode transfer lines each into a plurality of sublines coupled together and to a first decoder-driver at a first end of each subline; and distributing selection transistors of a plurality of multiple-photodiode cells among the plurality of sublines. In embodiments, the sublines may be recombined at a second end of the sublines and…
Devices and methods for obtaining three-dimensional shape information using polarization and time-of-flight detection pixel cells
Granted: January 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11871132
In some embodiments, an imaging system is provided. The imaging system comprises an image sensor, a light source, control circuitry, and function logic. The image sensor comprises a pixel array that includes a plurality of polarization pixel cells and a plurality of time-of-flight pixel cells. The light source is configured to emit light pulses to an object. The control circuitry is coupled to the light source and the pixel array, and is configured to synchronize a timing of the emission…
Signal-charge estimator and method
Granted: January 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11871129
A method for estimating a signal charge collected by a pixel of an image sensor includes determining an average bias that depends on the pixel's floating-diffusion dark current and pixel-sampling period. The method also includes determining a signal-charge estimate as the average bias subtracted from a difference between a weighted sum of a plurality of N multiple-sampling values each multiplied by a respective one of a plurality of N sample-weights.
Image sensor with elevated floating diffusion
Granted: January 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11869906
A pixel cell with an elevated floating diffusion region is formed to reduce diffusion leakage (e.g., gate induced drain leakage, junction leakage, etc.). The floating diffusion region can be elevated by separating a doped floating diffusion region from the semiconductor substrate by disposing an intervening layer (e.g., undoped, lightly doped, etc.) on the semiconductor substrate and beneath the doped floating diffusion region. For instance, the elevated floating diffusion region can be…
Thin, multi-lens, optical fingerprint sensor adapted to image through cell phone displays
Granted: January 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11869267
A multiple-lens optical fingerprint reader for reading fingerprints through a display has a spacer; and multiple microlenses with concave and convex surfaces in a microlens array, each microlens of multiple lenses focuses light arriving at that microlens from a finger adjacent the display through the spacer forms an image on associated photosensors on a photosensor array of an image sensor integrated circuit. A method of verifying identity of a user includes illuminating a finger of the…
Light-trapping image sensors
Granted: January 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11862651
A light-trapping image sensor includes a pixel array and a lens array. The pixel array is formed in and on a semiconductor substrate and including photosensitive pixels each including a reflective material forming a cavity around a portion of semiconductor material to at least partly trap light that has entered the cavity. The cavity has a ceiling at a light-receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the ceiling forms an aperture for receiving the light into the cavity. The…
