Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Display Co., Ltd.

Samsung Sdi Co., Inc.

Intellectual Keystone Technology LLC

Min-Seok Oh

Sang-Gab Kim

Hong-Kee Chin

Seung-Ha Choi

Yu-Gwang Jeong

Moo-Sup Lim

Shi-Yul Kim

Eun-Sub Shim

Shin-Il Choi

Jang-Soo Kim

Young-chan Kim

Woo-Geun Lee

Seung-Jae Jung

Myung-Hun Shin

Yuk-Hyun Nam

Min Cheol Park

Hee-Hwan Choe

Czang-Ho Lee

Byoung-Kyu Lee

Joon-Young Seo

Mi-Hwa Lim

Dong-Joo Yang

Sung-Hoon Yang

Seung-sik Kim

Jeong-Min Park

Young-Wook Lee

Hye-Young Ryu

Tae-Han Kim

Byoung-June Kim

Yun-Seok Lee

Nam-Kyu Song

Ki-Hun Jeong

Jung-Chak Ahn

Jae-Ho Choi

Jin-Ho Ju

Ji-Won Lee

Kap-Soo Yoon

Joo-han Kim

Seung-Hwan Shim

Jung-Tae Kim

Dong-Seop Kim

Sang-Woo Whangbo

Ku-Hyun Kang

Hae-Kyung Kong

Chang-Oh Jeong

Jun-Young Lee

Je-Hun Lee

Hong-Sick Park

Hi-Kuk Lee

Sung-wook Kang

Tae-Chan Kim

Beom-Seok Cho

Eun-Guk Lee

Dong-Uk Choi

Yang-Ho Bae

Dong-Ju Yang

Yong-Mo Choi

Doo-Hee Jung

Kyung-Il Kim

Cho-Young Lee

Bong-Kyu Shin

Han-Soo Lee

Sung-Ho Choi

Tae-Hoon Kim

Young-Jin Kim

Jong-Hyun Choung

Byeong-Beom Kim

Tae Chan Kim

Jung Chak Ahn

Joo-Ae Youn

Pil-Sang Yun

Yoon-Ho Kang

Young-Su Kim

Min Young Park

Ki-Yeup Lee

Moo Sup Lim

Joo-Han Kim

Se-Jin Chung

Hyung-Jin Bae

Doo-Youl Lee

Young-Sang Park

Chan-Bin Mo

Jun-Ki Hong

Byoung-june Kim

Chan-Yoon Jung

Yeon-Ik Jang

Hoon-Ha Jeon

Sang-Joo Lee

Chang-Ho Jeong

Moo-Sub Lim

Dong-seop Kim

Dong Choi

A method of measuring the distance to an object by radiating a periodic amplitude-modulated optical signal to the object and detecting the phase difference between the radiated optical signal and a reflected optical signal from the object includes: generating a first photo-detection control signal to control the periodic amplitude-modulation of the radiated optical signal; generating a mask signal activated at least during a shuttering duration for resetting the voltage level at a sensing node; and generating a second photo-detection control signal based on Boolean combination of the first photo-detection signal and the mask signal such that the second photo-detection signal is deactivated or masked at least during the shuttering duration.

Method and device of measuring the distance to an object

An image sensor includes a pixel array including at least one unit pixel configured to generate accumulated charges, a correlated double sampler configured to perform a correlated double sampling operation to extract an effective signal component based on a signal component and a reset component from the unit pixel for at least first and second read-out periods, the correlated double sampler configured to read out an image signal during the first read-out period and to read out a light noise signal during the second read-out period, an analog-digital converter configured to convert the image signal into a first digital signal and to convert the light noise signal into a second digital signal and an image compensator configured to generate a compensated image signal based on the second digital signal and the first digital signal.

Method of driving an image sensor, image sensor employing the same, and portable electronic device including the same

A shared pixel includes a plurality of photo diode regions, a shared floating diffusion region, a plurality of transfer gates and a blooming layer. Each of the photo diode regions generates photo-charges in response to incident light. The photo diode regions are formed in a semiconductor substrate. The shared floating diffusion region is shared by the plurality of photo diode regions. The shared floating diffusion region is separated from the plurality of photo diode regions in the semiconductor substrate. Each of the transfer gates transfers the photo-charges of a corresponding photo diode region to the shared floating diffusion region in response to a transfer control signal. The blooming layer transfers overflow photo-charges to a power supply voltage node.

Shared pixel and an image sensor including the same

An image sensor is provided including a pixel array, a correlated double sampling (CDS) unit, an analog-digital converting (ADC) unit, a control unit, and an overflow power voltage control unit. The pixel array includes at least one unit pixel that generates accumulated charges corresponding to incident light in a photoelectric conversion period and outputs an analog signal based on the accumulated charges in a readout period. The CDS unit generates an image signal by performing a CDS operation on the analog signal. An ADC unit converts the image signal into a digital signal. A control unit controls the pixel array, the CDS unit, and the ADC unit. An overflow power voltage control unit controls an overflow power voltage to have a low voltage level in the photoelectric conversion period and controls the overflow power voltage to have a high voltage level in the readout period.

Image sensors and related methods and electronic devices

Example embodiments relate to an image sensor supporting a global shutter for minimizing image distortion. An example image sensor includes a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other; a photosensitive device, which is formed in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and accumulates charges based on light incident via the second surface; a charge storage device, which is formed in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and temporarily stores charges accumulated by the photosensitive device; a first transmission transistor, which transmits charges accumulated by the photosensitive device to the charge storage device and includes a first gate formed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer; and a leakage photogenerated charge drain region, which is formed in the semiconductor layer near the second surface, is apart from the charge storage device, and is arranged above the charge storage device.

Image sensor

Pixel arrays of an image sensor that include a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent the first pixel are provided. The first pixel may include a first photoelectric conversion device, a first charge storage device, a first floating diffusion node and a first transfer gate. The second pixel may include a second photoelectric conversion device, a second charge storage device, a second floating diffusion node and a second transfer gate. The pixel arrays may also include a storage gate on both the first charge storage device and the second charge storage device. The storage gate may have a unitary structure.

Pixel arrays of image sensors, and image sensors including the pixel arrays

Provided are an image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same. The method may include forming a photo-electric conversion region and a charge storage region in a semiconductor layer; forming a transistor on a front surface of the semiconductor layer; forming a recess by etching a portion of the semiconductor layer between the charge storage region and a rear surface of the semiconductor layer; and forming on a bottom surface of the recess a shield film that blocks light incident on the charge storage region.

Image sensor and method of manufacturing the same

To measure the distance to points on an object by radiating a periodic amplitude-modulated optical signal to the object and detecting the phase difference between the radiated optical signal and a reflected optical signal from the object, a first photo-detection control signal is generated to control the radiation of the optical signal. A mask signal is generated such that the mask signal is activated at least during a shuttering duration for resetting the voltage level at a sensing node (associated with an operation of a previous frame). A second photo-detection control signal is generated based on the first photo-detection signal and the mask signal such that the second photo-detection signal is deactivated or masked at least during the shuttering duration.

A method of processing signals from an image sensor outputting signals from rows of pixels in the image sensor having optical signals, outputting signals from rows of pixels in the image sensor not having optical signals, and correcting the signals from the rows of pixels having optical signals based on the signals corresponding to the rows of pixels not having optical signals.

Image sensor and method of correcting output signal of the image sensor based on signals from different pixel rows

A linear-logarithmic image sensor includes a pixel array, a signal generation unit, and a control unit. The pixel array includes at least one unit pixel that generates a leakage signal corresponding to leakage photo-charges and that sequentially generates a first analog signal corresponding to a portion of accumulated photo-charges and a second analog signal corresponding to a whole of the accumulated photo-charges by resetting a floating diffusion node and transferring the accumulated photo-charges from a storage node to the floating diffusion node in response to first and second transfer control signals that are sequentially activated. The signal generation unit includes at least one signal generation block that generates a final analog signal based on the leakage signal, the first analog signal, and the second analog signal. The control unit controls the pixel array and the signal generation unit.

Linear-logarithmic image sensors and electronic devices including the same

A photovoltaic device includes a semiconductor substrate; an amorphous first conductive semiconductor layer on a first region of a first surface of the semiconductor substrate and containing a first impurity; an amorphous second conductive semiconductor layer on a second region of the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and containing a second impurity; and a gap passivation layer located between the first region and the second region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first conductive semiconductor layer is also on the gap passivation layer.

Photovoltaic device including gap passivation layer and method of manufacturing the same

A pixel array includes an array of pixels to receive light, a first pixel to be blocked from receiving the light, and a circuit to adjust signals output from pixels in the array based on a signal from the first pixel. The signals output from the pixels in the array include a first error value. The circuit reduces the first error value in the signals from the pixels in the array based on the signal from the first pixel. The circuit may also reduce a second error value in the signals output from the pixels in the array based on a signal from a second pixel. The first and second pixels may be outside of the pixel array. The first and second error values may be storage diode leakage value and a dark current value.

Image sensor and method of correction output signal of the image sensor

A depth pixel includes a photo detection region, first and second photo gates and first and second floating diffusion regions. The photo detection region collects photo charges based on light reflected by an object. The collected photo charges are drifted in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction based on an internal electric field in the photo detection region. The first photo gate is activated in response to a first photo control signal. The first floating diffusion region accumulates first photo charges drifted in the first direction if the first photo gate is activated. The second photo gate is activated in response to the first photo control signal. The second floating diffusion region accumulates second photo charges drifted in the second direction if the second photo gate is activated.

Depth pixel included in three-dimensional image sensor and three-dimensional image sensor including the same

A solar cell including a first conductive type semiconductor substrate; a first intrinsic semiconductor layer on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive type first semiconductor layer on at least one surface of the first intrinsic semiconductor layer; a second conductive type second semiconductor layer on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate; a second intrinsic semiconductor layer between the second semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive type third semiconductor layer on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, the third semiconductor layer being spaced apart from the second semiconductor layer; and a third intrinsic semiconductor layer between the third semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate.

Solar cell

A unit pixel for an image sensor includes an accumulation circuit configured to generate an accumulated dark current by accumulating a charge corresponding to a dark current during a time of flight (TOF), the accumulation circuit being optically shaded to generate the dark current, an output voltage generation circuit configured to generate and output an output voltage corresponding to the TOF based on a charge corresponding to the accumulated dark current, a control circuit configured to control an operation of the output voltage generation circuit based on a light signal that is input to the unit pixel after being reflected by an object, the light signal being emitted by a light source, and an initialization circuit configured to initialize the accumulation circuit at a predetermined cycle.

Image sensor apparatus using shaded photodetector for time of flight determination

Growing community of inventors

Yongin-si, South Korea

Min-Seok Oh