Omnivision Technologies, Inc.

Quantum-si Incorporated

Eric A G Webster

Todd Rearick

Dajiang Yang

Changhoon Choi

Gerard M Schmid

Ali Kabiri

Xin Ru Wang

Kyle Preston

Xin Wang

Thomas Raymond Thurston

Peter J Lim

Zhaoyu He

Howard E Rhodes

Duli Mao

Gang Chen

Dyson Hsinchih Tai

Vincent Venezia

Dominic Massetti

Olivier Bulteel

Keith Glen Fife

Tiejun Dai

Sohei Manabe

Boyd Fowler

Keiji Mabuchi

Brian Reed

Farshid Ghasemi

Lindsay Alexander Grant

Sing-Chung Hu

Takayuki Goto

Zhenhong Fu

Aspects of the technology described herein relate to improved semiconductor-based image sensor designs. In some aspects, an integrated circuit described herein may include a first pixel and a second pixel, wherein the first pixel is proximate the second pixel in a mirrored configuration. In some aspects, an integrated circuit described herein may include a first pixel and a second pixel that is proximate to the first pixel along a row direction, and a conductive line extending along a column direction that intersects with the row direction, wherein the conductive line is in electrical communication with a first component of the first pixel and a second component of the second pixel.

Integrated circuit having mirrored pixel configuration

The present disclosure provides techniques for improving the rate and efficiency of charge transfer within an integrated circuit configured to receive incident photons. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits that are configured to induce one or more intrinsic electric fields that increase the rate and efficiency of charge transfer within the integrated circuits. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits configured to induce a charge carrier depletion in the photodetection region(s) of the integrated circuits. In some embodiments, the charge carrier depletion in the photodetection region(s) may be intrinsic, in that the depletion is induced even in the absence of external electric fields applied to the integrated circuit. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to processes for operating and/or manufacturing integrated devices as described herein.

Integrated circuit with improved charge transfer efficiency and associated techniques

Some aspects relate to integrated devices for obtaining timing and/or spectral information from incident light. In some embodiments, a pixel may include one or more charge storage regions configured to receive charge carriers generated responsive to incident photons from a light source, with charge carriers stored in the charge storage region(s) indicative of spectral and timing information. In some embodiments, a pixel may include regions having different depths, each configured to generate charge carriers responsive to incident photons. In some embodiments, a pixel may include multiple charge storage regions having different depths, and one or more of the charge storage regions may be configured to receive the incident photons and generate charge carriers therein. In some embodiments, a pixel may include an optical sorting element configured to direct at least some incident photons to one charge storage region and other incident photons to another charge storage region.

Sensor for lifetime plus spectral characterization

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for reducing skew in an integrated device, such as a CMOS imaging device. In some aspects, multiple pixels of an integrated circuit may be configured to receive a same control signal and conduct charge carriers responsive to the control signal substantially at the same time. In some aspects, an integrated circuit may have modulated charge transfer channel voltage thresholds, such as by having different charge transfer channel lengths, and/or a doped portion configured to set a voltage threshold for charge transfer. In some aspects, an integrated circuit may have a via structure having a plurality of vias extending between continuous portions of at least two metal layers. In some aspects, an integrated circuit may include a row of pixels and a voltage source configured to provide a voltage to bias a semiconductor substrate of the integrated circuit along the row of pixels.

Integrated sensor with reduced skew

Described herein are techniques that improve the collection and readout of charge carriers in an integrated circuit. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having pixels with a plurality of charge storage regions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits configured to substantially simultaneously collect and read out charge carriers, at least in part. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having a plurality of pixels configured to transfer charge carriers between charge storage regions within each pixel substantially at the same time. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having three or more sequentially coupled charge storage regions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits capable of increased charge transfer rates. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for manufacturing and operating integrated circuits according to the other techniques described herein.

Integrated circuit with sequentially-coupled charge storage and associated techniques

In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes multiple charge storage regions configured to receive charge carriers from a photodetection region in response to a single excitation of a sample. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes first and second charge transfer paths configured to electrically couple a photodetection region to first and second charge storage regions, with the second charge transfer path bypassing the first charge storage region. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes a photodetection region configured to induce an intrinsic electric field having a vector component in at least three substantially perpendicular directions. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes multiple transfer gates configured to control charge carrier transfer out of a photodetection region in different directions. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes a photodetection region and multiple transfer gates configured to control charge carrier transfer from the photodetection region to one or more drain regions.

Backside illuminated structures with parallel charge transfer

Aspects of the technology described herein relate to improved semiconductor-based image sensor designs. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may comprise a photodetection region and a drain region electrically coupled to the photodetection region, and the photodetection region may be configured to induce an intrinsic electric field in a direction from the photodetection region to the drain region(s). In some embodiments, a charge storage region and the drain region may be positioned on a same side of the photodetection region. In some embodiments, at least one drain layer may be configured to receive incident photons and/or charge carriers via the photodetection region. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may comprise a plurality of pixels and a control circuit configured to control a transfer of charge carriers in the plurality of pixels.

Integrated sensor for lifetime characterization

Described herein are techniques to reduce or remove the impact of secondary path photons and/or charge carriers on storage bins of an integrated device to improve noise performance, and thus, sample analysis. Some embodiments relate to optical rejection techniques such as including an optical barrier positioned to block at least some photons from reaching the storage bins. Some embodiments relate to electrical rejection techniques such as including an electrical barrier configured to block at least some charge carriers from reaching the storage bins along at least one secondary path. Some embodiments relate to an integrated device in which at least one storage bin is shaped and/or positioned relative to the photodetector to facilitate receipt of some charge carriers (e.g., fluorescent emission charge carriers) and/or photons and to impede receipt of other charge carriers (e.g., noise charge carriers) and/or photons.

Optical and electrical secondary path rejection

Some aspects relate to an integrated circuit, comprising at least one photodetection region configured to generate charge carriers responsive to incident photons emitted from a sample, at least one charge storage region configured to receive the charge carriers from the photodetection region, and at least one controller configured to obtain information about the incident photons, the information comprising at least one member selected from the group comprising pulse duration and interpulse duration and at least one member selected from the group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, and intensity information. In some embodiments, the information comprises at least three, four, and/or five members selected from the group comprising wavelength information, luminescence lifetime information, intensity information, pulse duration information, and interpulse duration information. In some embodiments, the information obtained may be used to identify the sample.

Integrated sensor for multi-dimensional signal analysis

Integrated circuit with sequentially-coupled charge storage and associated techniques comprising a photodetection region and charge storage regions to induce an intrinsic electric field

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Eric A G Webster