Eastman-kodak Company

Peter M Zeitzoff

Badhri Narayan

Teh-Hsuang Lee

Thomas Kelly

Bruce C Burkey

David J Statt

Rajinder P Khosla

A light sensing device comprises a photoconductive layer overlaying an array of PN junction diodes integrated within a semiconductor substrate. When a voltage is applied to the device to reverse bias the diodes, the voltage divides across the device in accordance with the capacitance of capacitive elements formed by the photoconductive layer and the junction capacitance of the diodes. When light impinges on the device, charge transfers from the photoconductive layer and accumulates at the underlying junctions at a rate that is directly dependent on the intensity of light incident on the corresponding portion of the photoconductive layer. When a diode reverse breakdown voltage is reached, the corresponding diode conducts. This causes an increase in current through the device, thereby signaling that a desired localized exposure has been attained.

Light sensing device

A multiple, superposed-channel, solid-state, color image sensor of the 'parallel transfer' type includes a plurality of superposed generally 'ladder shaped' channels in a semiconductor substrate. One 'side rail' of the ladder shape provides the channel structure for a multiple, superposed-channel signal handling device, such as a charge coupled shift register. The 'rungs' of the ladder shape provide a plurality of multiple, superposed-channel color image sensing sites, and the other 'side rail' of the ladder shape provides a plurality of superposed 'anti-bloom' drains, one drain per channel. Electrical contact to a buried channel is provided by a V-groove etching technique. A V-groove extending from the surface of the device into the buried channel provides physical access to the buried channel. A conductor, in ohmic contact with the channel, extends from the bottom of the V-groove to the surface of the device to provide electrical contact with the buried channel.

Multiple, superposed-channel color image sensor

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Peter M Zeitzoff