Dartmouth College

Varex Imaging Corporation

Donald B Hondongwa

Eric R Fossum

Jiaju Ma

Embodiments include a device, comprising: a column line; a plurality of pixels; each pixel coupled to the column line; a comparator having an input coupled to the column line and configured to compare a signal from the column line to a threshold; and control logic coupled to the pixels and configured to selectively couple each pixel to the column line after a sampling period for each pixel.

Counting and integrating pixels, detectors, and methods

Image sensor pixels having low full-well capacity and high sensitivity for applications such as DIS, qDIS, single/multi bit QIS. Some embodiments provide an image sensor pixel architecture, comprises a transfer gate, a floating diffusion region both formed on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate and a buried-well vertically pinned photodiode having a charge accumulation/storage region disposed substantially or entirely beneath the transfer gate. Image sensor may also comprise an array of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises: a vertical bipolar structure including an emitter, base, collector configured for storing photocarriers in the base; and a reset transistor coupled to the base, configured to be completely reset of all free carriers using the reset transistor. The emitter may be configured as a pinning layer to facilitate full depletion of the base. Such image sensor pixels may have a full well capacity less than that giving good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Growing community of inventors

Hanover, NH, United States of America

Donald B Hondongwa