Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Eun Sub Shim

Kyung Ho Lee

Jung Wook Lim

Jung Bin Yun

Sung Ho Choi

Kyungho Lee

Jung Hoon Park

Min Ji Jung

Chang Hyun Kim

Hyun Jin Choi

Ki Hwan Choi

Dong Hwa Lee

Changhyun Park

Sung-Ho Choi

Young Chan Kim

Ji Won Lee

Bumsuk Kim

Tae Han Kim

Moo Sup Lim

Seung Sik Kim

Sung Soo Choi

Min Seok Oh

Taeyoung Song

Dong Joo Yang

Myeongeon Kim

An example embodiment provides an image sensor including: a pixel array including a first floating diffusion and a second floating diffusion, the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion configured to store charges generated by a first phase detecting pixel and a second phase detecting pixel adjacent to each other in a first direction and covered with one micro lens, and the pixel array is configured to output a first signal based on a charge that is generated by the first phase detecting pixel to be accumulated in the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion; and a row driver configured to apply a boosting control signal to the second floating diffusion to transfer charges stored in the second floating diffusion to the first floating diffusion, after the pixel array outputs the first signal.

Image sensor

An image sensor includes: a pixel including a boosting capacitor with one electrode connected to a first node to which a charge generated from a photoelectric element is transmitted, and outputting a pixel voltage based on the first node; a row driver outputting a reset-signal that resets the first node, a boosting control-signal applied to the other electrode, and a transmission-signal transmitting the charge to the first node; a read-out-circuit receiving the pixel voltage as a first-signal before the transmission-signal is output to the pixel, and receiving the pixel voltage as a second-signal after the transmission-signal is output to the pixel. A controller controlling the row driver to change the boosting control-signal from a first-level to a second-level lower than the first-level after changing the reset-signal from an enable to a disable, and controlling the read-out-circuit to receive the first-signal and the second-signal during which the boosting control-signal is at the second-level.

Image sensor including a capacitor having a boosting control signal transitioned from a first level to a lower second level

An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes: a pixel array of pixels arranged in a row and column directions. A first pixel provided in a first row of the pixel array includes a first sub-pixel connected with a first metal line, a second sub-pixel connected with a second metal line, a third sub-pixel connected with a third metal line, and a fourth sub-pixel connected with a fourth metal line. When a read-out operation is performed on the first pixel, signals applied to the first through fourth metal lines are sequentially enabled. Based on the applied signals, at least a part of charges accumulated in the first through fourth sub-pixels is diffused to a first floating diffusion node. The first sub-pixel and the third sub-pixel are adjacent in the column direction, and the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel are adjacent in the row direction.

An image sensor includes a pixel including a first floating diffusion and a second floating diffusion, generating a first pixel signal based on a quantity of charge of the first floating diffusion, and generating a second pixel signal based on the quantity of charge of the first floating diffusion and a quantity of charge of the second floating diffusion; a column line connected to the pixel and transmitting the first pixel signal or the second pixel signal; and a readout circuit connected to the column line and generating an image signal based on a plurality of comparison results including a first comparison result obtained by comparing the first pixel signal with a first reference signal, a second comparison result obtained by comparing the second pixel signal with a first reference signal, and a third comparison result obtained by comparing the second pixel signal with a second reference signal.

An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged along rows and columns; and a row driver which drives the plurality of pixels for each of the rows, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of sub-pixels, each of the plurality of sub-pixels includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements sharing a floating diffusion area with each other, and a micro lens disposed to overlap the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a readout area is defined on the pixel array in accordance with a preset readout mode, and the row driver generates a drive signal for reading out signals provided from a photoelectric conversion element included in the readout area from among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and provides the drive signal to the pixel array.

Image sensor with pixel structure including floating diffusion area shared by plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a signal readout mode

Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a substrate including first, second, third and fourth regions, a first photoelectric conversion element in the first region, a second photoelectric conversion element in the second region, a third photoelectric conversion element in the third region, a fourth photoelectric conversion element in the fourth region, a first microlens at least partially overlapping both the first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and a second microlens at least partially overlapping both the third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensors may also include a floating diffusion region and first, second and third pixel transistors configured to perform different functions from each other. Each of the first, second and third pixel transistors may be disposed in at least one of first, second, third and fourth pixel regions. The first pixel transistor may include multiple first pixel transistors.

Image sensors

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels arranged along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each of the unit pixels includes a photoelectric conversion element generating and accumulating photocharges, a charge detection node receiving the photocharges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element, a readout circuit converting the photocharges accumulated in and output from the charge detection node into an electrical pixel signal, the readout circuit outputting the electrical pixel signal, a capacitive element, and a switching element controlling connection between the charge detection node and the capacitive element. Each of the rows of the pixel array includes first pixels connected to a first conversion gain control line and second pixels connected to a second conversion gain control line.

An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface with a pixel region having photoelectric conversion regions, a gate electrode disposed on the pixel region and adjacent to the first surface, a first isolation structure extending from the first surface toward the second surface, the first isolation structure comprising a first pixel isolation pattern enclosing the pixel region, and a first inner isolation pattern spaced apart from the first pixel isolation pattern and positioned between the photoelectric conversion regions, and a second isolation structure extending from the second surface toward the first surface with a top surface vertically spaced apart from at least a portion of a bottom surface of the first isolation structure. The bottom surface of the first isolation structure is closer to the second surface of the semiconductor substrate than to the first surface thereof.

An image sensor including: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels connected to a plurality of row lines and a plurality of column lines, each of the plurality of pixels including a photodiode for generating an electric charge in response to light, and a pixel circuit having a floating diffusion for storing the electric charge; and a controller configured to adjust a capacitance of the floating diffusion to a first value and obtain a first pixel signal from the pixel circuit during a first time period, adjust the capacitance of the floating diffusion to a second value greater than the first value and obtain a second pixel signal from the pixel circuit during a second time period subsequent to the first time period, and generate a result image using the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal.

Image sensor configured to dynamically adjust conversion gain of a pixel in accordance with exposure time

An image sensor is provided comprising a substrate comprising first and second surfaces opposite to each other. A first isolation layer is disposed on the substrate and forms a boundary of a sensing region. A second isolation layer is disposed at least partially in the substrate within the sensing region and has a closed line shape. A photoelectric conversion device is disposed within the closed line shape of the second isolation layer, and a color filter is disposed on the first surface of the substrate.

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Hwaseong-si, South Korea

Eun Sub Shim