Eastman-kodak Company

Robert Leroy Nielsen

Gilbert Allan Hawkins

David L Losee

David N Nichols

Ronald W Wake

Michael John Hanrahan

Gilbert Alan Hawkins

Edward J Ozimek

Edward Carnall, Jr

An imager, including: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of spaced image pixels formed in the substrate; and a dielectric layer formed over the image pixels, the dielectric layer having a top surface. The imager further includes a plurality of depressions formed in the top surface; and a plurality of lenses having top surfaces, each lens formed in the depression corresponding to an underlying image pixel, the top surface of each lens being optically planar with the top surface of the dielectric.

Solid state imager with inorganic lens array

An image sensor and method of making such sensor is described. The sensor includes an integral color filter array, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having an optically planar top surface; a plurality of spaced image pixels formed in the substrate; and an array of physically contiguous color filter elements embedded in the substrate whose top and bottom surfaces are coplanar and which have no overlap of color filter layers between adjacent color filter elements.

Planar color filter array for CCDs with embedded color filter elements

A method of making an imager including the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a plurality of spaced image pixels in the substrate; depositing a dielectric layer over the image pixels and making this layer optically planar by chemical mechanical polishing, thereby forming an optically flat surface. The method further includes forming a plurality of depressions in the optically flat surface; uniformly depositing a lens material on the optically flat surface, entirely filling the depressions; and forming the lens material.

Method for forming inorganic lens array for solid state imager

A method of making a fully self-aligned, planar, two phase charge coupled device comprises the steps of first forming upon a semiconductive substrate a uniform dielectric; then implanting ions of a second conductivity type into the substrate, then patterning closely spaced first conductive strips of a first conductive layer on the dielectric, then further implanting ions of the first or second conductivity type in the regions between said first conductive strips, then depositing uniformly a second conductive layer electrically isolated from the first conductive strips by an insulative region, then entirely removing by uniform planarization those portions of the second conductive layer disposed over regions of the first conductive strips so as to form coplanar, alternating first and thick electrically isolated conductive strips, then depositing a second insulative layer, then electrically connecting selected adjacent first and second conductive strips together to form first and second composite gate electrodes, then further connecting selected composite gate electrodes together with a planar metallic conductor.

Method of making a planar charge coupled device with edge aligned

An image sensor which includes an integral color filter array and a method of making such sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having an overlying support layer with an optically planar surface, a plurality of spaced image pixels formed in the substrate; and an array of contiguous color filter elements overlying the planar surface whose top surfaces are coplanar and which have no overlap of color filter material between adjacent color filter elements.

Method of making a planar color filter array for CCDS from dyed and

Planar color filter array for CCDs from dyed and mordant layers

Method for making planar color filter array for image sensors with

A method of making a fully self-aligned, planar, two phase charge coupled device comprises the steps of first forming upon a semiconductive substrate a uniform insulative layer; then implanting ions of a second conductivity type into the substrate, then patterning closely spaced strips of a first conductive layer on the insulative layer, then further implanting ions of a second conductivity type in the regions between said first conductive strips, then depositing uniformly a second conductive layer electrically isolated from the first conductive strips, then entirely removing by uniform planarization those portions of the second conductive layer disposed over regions of the first conductive strips so as to form closely spaced, coplanar, alternating first and second electrically isolated conductive strips, then electrically connecting alternate pairs of strips by a planar process of depositing and oxidizing a conductive material.

A method of making a fully self-aligned, planar, two phase charge coupled device comprises the steps of first forming upon a semiconductive substrate a uniform first insulative dielectric layer; then depositing and patterning in the form of a trench extending to the first insulative layer a second insulative layer; then implanting ions of a second conductivity type into the substrate, then patterning closely spaced strips of a first conductive layer on the first and second insulative layer, then further implanting ions of a second conductivity type in the regions between said first conductive strips, then depositing uniformly a second conductive layer electrically isolated from the first conductive strips, then entirely removing by uniform planarization those portions of the second conductive layer disposed over regions of the first conductive strips or over regions of the second insulative layer so as to form closely spaced, coplanar, alternating first and second electrically isolated conductive strips, then electrically connecting alternate pairs of strips by a planar process of depositing and oxidizing a conductive material, then removing portions of the second insulative layer.

Method of making a confined planar charge coupled device with edge

A modular image sensor array is disclosed which includes a plurality of tiles each of which has an image sensor mounted thereon. The tiles are mounted on a base plate such that the image sensors form a predetermined pattern. In order to precisely locate the tiles relative to each other and to provide for the replacement of defective tiles, the tiles are assembled in an interlocking pattern on the base plate. The top surface of the tiles is formed by ceramic plates, and electrical conductors for the image sensors are formed on one of the ceramic plates. A transparent cover is mounted over all of the image sensors in the array.

Modular image sensor array

A process is disclosed of preparing a charge coupled device containing charge transfer direction biasing implants wherein the steps and materials for patterning electrodes and implants promote accurate edge alignments of implants and electrodes while minimizing strains and avoiding temperatures that permit unwanted lattice or intersticial ion migration in the semiconductive substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsford, NY, United States of America

Robert Leroy Nielsen