Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Korea Institute of Science and Technology

Seoul National University

Tae-Yon Lee

Gwi-Deok Ryan Lee

Masaru Ishii

Cheol-Kyu Kim

Dong-mo Im

Yibing Michelle Wang

Ki-Joon Kim

Kwang-Min Lee

Yoon-Dong Park

Yoon-Ho Khang

Byung-ki Cheong

Sang-Chul Sul

Beom-suk Lee

Youn-seon Kang

Myung-won Lee

Eric R Fossum

Sung-Jin Park

Ilia Ovsiannikov

Ki Bum Kim

Jung-Chak Ahn

Jun-Ho Lee

Young-Gu Jin

Tae-Chan Kim

Won Mok Kim

Dae-Hwan Kang

In Ho Kim

Kyoung-won Na

Dong-seok Suh

Tae-Seok Oh

Kwang-Hyun Lee

Dong Ki Min

Sung-Kwon Hong

Jeung-hyun Jeong

Yoon Dong Park

Je Il Ryu

Taek Sung Lee

Min-Sun Keel

Ju Hwan Jung

Yong-Jei Lee

Taek-Sung Lee

Won-Mok Kim

Seok Yong Hong

Matthias Wuttig

Joo-yeong Gong

Jung-Kyu Jung

Daniel Wamwangi

Soon-Gwang Kim

Seoung-Hyun Kim

Joo-Yeong Gong

Sehyeon Kang

Dong Ho Anh

Ki-Bum Kim

An image sensor includes a first sensor pixel and a second sensor pixel that vertically overlap each other. The first sensor pixel includes a first signal generation circuit, and a first photoelectric converter that is connected to the first signal generation circuit and configured to generate first information from light having a first wavelength. The second sensor pixel includes a second signal generation circuit, and a second photoelectric converter that is connected to the second signal generation circuit and configured to generate second information from light having a second wavelength. A first horizontal surface area of the first photoelectric converter is different from a second horizontal surface area of the second photoelectric converter. An image sensor module includes the image sensor, a light source configured to emit light to a target object, and a dual band pass filter configured to selectively pass light reflected from the target object.

Image sensors with multiple functions and image sensor modules including the same

An image sensor includes a color filter on a substrate, first and second organic photodiodes on the color filter, and first and second capacitors connected to the first and second organic photodiodes, respectively. The color filter is spaced apart from a first surface of the substrate. Each of the first and second organic photodiodes face an upper surface of the color filter. The first capacitor includes a first conductive pattern and a first insulating space. The first conductive pattern extends through the substrate, and the first insulating spacer surrounds a sidewall of the first conductive pattern and has a first thickness. The second capacitor includes a second conductive pattern and a second insulating spacer. The second conductive pattern extends through the substrate, and the second insulating spacer surrounds a sidewall of the second conductive pattern and has a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.

Image sensor

An image sensor of reduced chip size includes a semiconductor substrate having an active pixel region in which a plurality of active pixels are disposed and a power delivery region in which a pad is disposed. A plurality of first transparent electrode layers is disposed over the semiconductor substrate, respectively corresponding to the plurality of active pixels. A second transparent electrode layer is integrally formed across the active pixels. An organic photoelectric layer is disposed between the plurality of first transparent electrode layers and the second transparent electrode layer. An interconnection layer is located at a level that is the same as or higher than an upper surface of the pad with respect to an upper main surface of the semiconductor substrate. The interconnection layer extends from the pad to the second transparent electrode layer, and includes a connector electrically connecting the pad and the second transparent electrode layer.

Image sensor having an interconnection layer connecting to stacked transparent electrodes and covering a black pixel region

Provided is an image sensor including an organic photoelectric layer capable of enhancing color reproduction. An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of pixel regions spaced apart from each other and an isolation region therebetween. Each of the plurality of pixel regions has a unit pixel. The image sensor also includes a device isolation layer in the isolation region and surrounding the unit pixel, a first transparent electrode layer, an organic photoelectric layer, and a second transparent electrode layer. The image sensor further includes a via plug electrically connected to the first transparent electrode layer, and arranged between the device isolation layers in the isolation region. The via plug passes through the isolation region. The first transparent electrode layer, the organic photoelectric layer and the second transparent electrode layer are sequentially arranged over the semiconductor substrate.

Image sensor including a plurality of pixel regions and an isolation region including device isolation structures

The Time-of-Flight (TOF) technique is combined with analog amplitude modulation within each pixel in an image sensor. The pixel may be a two-tap pixel or a one-tap pixel. Two photoelectron receiver circuits in the pixel receive respective analog modulating signals. The distribution of the received photoelectron charge between these two circuits is controlled by the difference (or ratio) of the two analog modulating voltages. The differential signals generated in this manner within the pixel are modulated in time domain for TOF measurement. Thus, the TOF information is added to the received light signal by the analog domain-based single-ended to differential converter inside the pixel itself. The TOF-based measurement of range and its resolution are controllable by changing the duration of modulation. An autonomous navigation system with these features may provide improved vision for drivers under difficult driving conditions like low light, fog, bad weather, or strong ambient light.

Time-of-flight (TOF) image sensor using amplitude modulation for range measurement

An image sensor includes a plurality of row lines extending in a first direction, a plurality of column lines including a plurality of first column lines and a plurality of second column lines, the plurality of column lines intersects the plurality of row lines, and a plurality of pixels arranged along the plurality of row lines and the plurality of column lines, the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of pixel groups, each of the plurality of pixel groups includes two or more pixels. Each pixel includes a first photoelectric element, a second photoelectric element, a first pixel circuit connected to the first photoelectric element, and a second pixel circuit connected to the second photoelectric element. In each pixel group, the first pixel circuits share one of the plurality of first column lines and the second pixel circuits share one of the plurality of second column lines.

Semiconductor device

Image sensor having an interconnection covering a black pixel region surrounding an active pixel region

An image sensor includes a substrate comprising a first face and a second surface which faces the first surface and on which light is incident, a semiconductor photoelectric conversion device on the substrate, a gate electrode located between the first surface of the substrate and the semiconductor photoelectric conversion device and extending in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface, and an organic photoelectric conversion device stacked on the second surface of the substrate.

Image sensor including photoelectric conversion devices

The inventive concepts relate to image sensors. The image sensor includes a substrate including a floating diffusion region and a pixel circuit, an interlayer insulating layer on the substrate, a contact node and a first electrode on the interlayer insulating layer, a dielectric layer on a top surface of the first electrode, a channel semiconductor pattern on the dielectric layer and connected to the contact node, and a photoelectric conversion layer on the channel semiconductor pattern. The channel semiconductor pattern includes a semiconductor material having an electron mobility that is higher than an electron mobility of the photoelectric conversion layer.

Image sensors including semiconductor channel patterns

An image sensor includes a semiconductor layer, an organic photoelectric conversion portion disposed on an upper surface of the semiconductor layer and that converts a color component of incident light into a corresponding electrical signal, a transistor layer disposed on a lower surface of the semiconductor layer and including a pixel circuit that receives the electrical signal, and penetration wiring that laterally penetrates a side surface of the semiconductor layer between the upper and lower surfaces and that electrically connects the organic photoelectric conversion portion with the pixel circuit to communicate the electrical signal.

Image sensor and image processing device

A unit pixel of a stacked image sensor includes a stacked photoelectric conversion unit, a first and second signal generating units. The stacked photoelectric conversion unit includes first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements that are stacked on each other. The first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements collect first, second and third photocharges based on first, second and third components of incident light. The first signal generating unit generates a first pixel signal based on the first photocharges and a first signal node and generates a second pixel signal based on the second photocharges and the first signal node. The second signal generating unit generates a third pixel signal based on the third photocharges and a second signal node. At least a portion of the second signal generating unit is shared by the first signal generating unit.

Unit pixel of stacked image sensor and stacked image sensor including the same

In a method of operating a depth pixel included in a three-dimensional (3D) image sensor, a plurality of sampling values are obtained by sampling a reception light reflected by an object based on a transfer control signal having a first initial activation level. The depth pixel includes a photo detection region, a transfer gate and a floating diffusion region. The transfer control signal is applied to the transfer gate. A first final activation level of the transfer control signal is determined based on the plurality of sampling values and at least one reference value. A distance between the depth pixel and the object is calculated based on the reception light and the transfer control signal having the first final activation level.

Methods of operating depth pixel included in three-dimensional image sensor and methods of operating three-dimensional image sensor

A depth pixel includes a photo detection unit, an ambient light removal current source, a driving transistor and a select transistor. The photo detection unit is configured to generate a light current based on a received light reflected from a subject, the received light including an ambient light component. The ambient light removal current source configured to generate a compensation current indicating the ambient light component in response to a power supply and at least one compensation control signal. The driving transistor is configured to amplify an effective voltage corresponding to the light current and the compensation current. The select transistor configured to output the amplified effective voltage in response to a selection signal, the amplified effective voltage indicating a depth of the subject.

Depth pixel of three-dimensional image sensor and three-dimensional image sensor including the same

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Seoul, South Korea

Tae-Yon Lee