Ams Sensors USA Inc.

Ams Sensors Belgium Bvba

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Denver Lloyd

Adi Xhakoni

Scott Johnson

Manuel H Innocent

Muhammad Maksudur Rahman

In an embodiment a method for operating a pixel arrangement includes, during an exposure period, accumulating, by a photodetector, in a first integration period, charge carriers, pulsing, at an end of the first integration period, a transfer transistor to a first voltage level for transferring a portion of the accumulated charge carriers to a diffusion node, wherein the portion is configured to be drained to a supply voltage, continuing, by the photodetector, to accumulate, in a second integration period, charge carriers, after the second integration period, pulsing the transfer transistor to a respective further voltage level with at least one additional pulse, wherein, with each additional pulse, an additional portion of the accumulated charge carriers is configured to be drained to the supply voltage, and wherein each additional pulse is followed by an additional continued accumulation of charge carriers in a respective additional integration period with the photodetector.

Self calibrating barrier modulation pixel

In an embodiment a pixel arrangement includes a photodetector configured to accumulate charge carriers by converting electromagnetic radiation, a transfer transistor electrically coupled to the photodetector, a diffusion node electrically coupled to the transfer transistor, a reset transistor electrically coupled to the diffusion node and to a pixel supply voltage and a sample-and-hold stage including at least a first capacitor and a second capacitor, an input of the sample-and-hold stage being electrically coupled to the diffusion node via an amplifier, wherein the transfer transistor is configured to be pulsed to different voltage levels for transferring parts of the accumulated charge carriers to the diffusion node, wherein at least the second capacitor is configured to store a low conversion gain signal representing a first part of the accumulated charge carriers, and wherein the first capacitor is configured to store a high conversion gain signal representing a remaining part of the accumulated charge carriers.

In an embodiment a pixel arrangement includes at least one photodiode configured to convert electromagnetic radiation into a respective charge signal, a transfer gate between the photodiode and a capacitance for transferring the respective charge signal to the capacitance, a reset gate electrically coupled to the capacitance, the reset gate configured to reset the capacitance, an amplifier electrically connected to the capacitance and configured to generate, based on the respective charge signal and on a sensitivity mode, a respective amplified signal being a low sensitivity signal or a high sensitivity signal, respectively, wherein the low sensitivity signal and the high sensitivity signal are based on a common noise level, a first capacitor configured to store the high sensitivity signal, a second capacitor configured to store the low sensitivity signal, a first switch between an output terminal of the amplifier and the first capacitor and a second switch between the output terminal of the amplifier and the second capacitor.

Pixel arrangement, image sensor and method of operating a pixel arrangement

A pixel arrangement comprises a photodiode, a circuit node, a transfer transistor coupled to the photodiode and to the circuit node, an amplifier with an input coupled to the circuit node, a first and a second capacitor, a first transistor coupled to an output of the amplifier and to the first capacitor, a second transistor coupled to the first transistor and to the second capacitor, and a coupling transistor coupled to the circuit node and to the second capacitor.

Pixel arrangement and method for operating a pixel arrangement

Some image sensors include pixels with capacitors. The capacitor may be used to store charge in the imaging pixel before readout. The capacitor may be a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor that is susceptible to dielectric relaxation. Dielectric relaxation may cause lag in the signal on the capacitor that impacts the signal on the capacitor during sampling. The image sensor may include dielectric relaxation correction circuitry that leverages the linear relationship between voltage stress and lag signal to correct for dielectric relaxation. The image sensor may include shielded pixels that operate with a similar timing scheme as the imaging pixels in the active array. Measured lag signals from the shielded pixels may be used to correct imaging data.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Denver Lloyd