Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Yi-Tae Kim

Jung-Chak Ahn

Young-chan Kim

Kyung-ho Lee

Sung-Ho Choi

Sae-Young Kim

Hae-Kyung Kong

Dong-young Jang

Sang-il Jung

Kyung-Ho Lee

Bum-Suk Kim

Young-sun Oh

Dong-Young Lee

Tetsuo Asaba

Jun-taek Lee

Yun-Ho Jang

Young-woo Jung

Tae-Sub Jung

Kyoung-Sik Moon

Jun-Suk Lee

Sang-Il Jung

Kang-Sun Lee

Seung-Wook Lee

Young-Sun Oh

Yu-Jung Choi

Woon-Phil Yang

Kwang-il Jung

Young-Bae Kee

Sung-hoon Oh

A pixel array in an image sensor includes a first pixel group. The first pixel group includes unit pixels that include photoelectric conversion units and a first signal generation unit shared by the photoelectric conversion units. The first signal generation unit includes transfer transistors connected to the photoelectric conversion units, respectively, a first floating diffusion node connected to the transfer transistors, a plurality of driving transistors connected to the first floating diffusion node and connected in parallel with one another, and a plurality of selection transistors connected in parallel between a first output terminal and the plurality of driving transistors. The first output terminal outputs pixel signals that correspond to photo charges collected by the photoelectric conversion units, respectively. A number of the plurality of selection transistors is equal to a number of the plurality of driving transistors.

Pixel array included in image sensor and image sensor including the same

An image sensor according to inventive concepts includes a substrate including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a unit pixel having four sides; a photoelectric conversion device formed in the unit pixel; a floating diffusion region formed contacting the first surface in the unit pixel and overlapping with a center region of the photoelectric conversion device in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface; a gate electrode, in the unit pixel, overlapping with some portions of the floating diffusion region and formed along a first set of sides that comprises at least one side of the four sides; and a set of transistors, in the unit pixel, overlapping with some portions of the floating diffusion region and formed along a second set of sides that comprises at least two sides of the four sides, which are different from the first set of sides.

Image sensor

Provided are unit pixels for image sensors and pixel arrays including the same. The unit pixels include a first pixel including first and second photo diodes which are adjacent to each other, and a first deep trench isolation (DTI) fully surrounding sides of the first and second photo diodes and electrically separating the first pixel from other pixels adjacent to the first pixel. The first pixel includes a second DTI positioned between the first photo diode and the second photo diode and having one side formed to be spaced apart from the first DTI. The first pixel also includes a color filter positioned on the first and second photo diodes and fully overlapping the first and second photo diodes. The first pixel further includes a floating diffusion node electrically connected with the first and second photo diodes. The first and second photo diodes share one floating diffusion node.

Unit pixels for image sensors and pixel arrays comprising the same

An image sensor includes a first substrate, a photodiode array, a first wiring structure, a second wiring structure, a third wiring structure and a light blocking layer pattern. The photodiode array is disposed in the first substrate. The photodiode array includes first photodiodes in a first region, second photodiodes in a second region and third photodiodes in a third region. The first wiring structure is disposed in the first region. The first wiring structure is electrically connected to the first photodiodes. The second wiring structure is disposed in the second region. The second wiring structure includes power supply wiring. The third wiring structure is disposed in the third region. The third wiring structure is electrically connected to the third photodiodes. The light blocking layer pattern is disposed on the first substrate. The light blocking layer pattern covers the third region and the fourth region.

Image sensor and methods of manufacturing the same

An image sensor includes first pixels and a first source follower transistor, which are disposed adjacent to each other in a first pixel area in a column direction, and second pixels and a second source follower transistor, which are formed in a second pixel area adjacent to the first pixel area in a row direction by the same number of the first pixels, wherein when the first pixels share the first source follower transistor and the second pixels share the second source follower transistor, while pixels selected from the same row are activated, the first source follower transistor and the second source follower transistor being activated are disposed so that locations thereof have a diagonal symmetry.

Image sensors having reduced interference between pixels

A unit pixel of an image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion region, a floating diffusion region, and a transfer gate. The photoelectric conversion region is in an active region defined by an isolation region of a semiconductor substrate. The photoelectric conversion region generates electric charges corresponding to incident light. The transfer gate transfers the electric charges to the floating diffusion region, which is located in the active region. The transfer gate includes first and second portions divided relative to a reference line, and at least one of the first or second portions does not overlap the isolation region.

Unit pixel of image sensor and image sensor including the same

A pixel cell includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, and a photo converting device in the epitaxial layer. The epitaxial layer has a doping concentration profile of embossing shape, and includes a plurality of layers that are stacked on the substrate. The photo converting device does not include a neutral region that has a constant potential in the vertical direction. Therefore, the image sensor including the pixel cell has high quantization efficiency, and a crosstalk between photo-converting devices is decreased.

Image sensor including a pixel cell having an epitaxial layer, system having the same, and method of forming a pixel cell

A CMOS image sensor includes a photosensitive device, a floating diffusion region, a transfer transistor, and a pocket photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The floating diffusion region is of a second conductivity type. The transfer transistor has a channel region disposed between the photosensitive device and the floating diffusion region. The pocket photodiode is of the second conductivity type and is formed under a first portion of a bottom surface of the channel region such that a second portion of the bottom surface of the channel region abuts the semiconductor substrate.

Method for fabricating CMOS image sensor with pocket photodiode for minimizng image lag

An image sensor includes a substrate, an anti-reflection board and a light shielding film. The substrate includes first pixels to receive a light, and second pixels to provide a black level compensation. The first pixels are formed in an active region and the second pixels are formed in a first region spaced apart from the active region in a row direction. The anti-reflection board is formed in a second region above the substrate, and the second region is between the active region and the first region. The light shielding film is formed above the anti-reflection board, and the light shielding film covers an optical black region including the first and second regions. Therefore, the image sensor may be used in a CCD type image sensor and a CMOS type image sensor to provide a stabilized black level, thereby improving a quality of a displayed image.

Image sensor and method of stabilizing a black level in an image sensor

Example embodiments may provide a CMOS image sensor. The CMOS image sensor may include a plurality of unit blocks each including two unit pixels. Each unit block may include two photodiodes having a hexagonal shape, a floating diffusion shared by the two unit pixels, a first transfer transistor and a second transfer transistor between the floating diffusion and the two photodiodes, respectively, a reset transistor connected with the floating diffusion, a drive transistor with a gate connected with the floating diffusion, and/or a selection transistor connected to the drive transistor in series. Example embodiment CMOS image sensors may be used in digital cameras, mobile devices, computer cameras, or the like.

CMOS image sensor and image sensing method using the same

A pixel circuit of an image sensor includes a floating diffusion node and a reset transistor. The reset transistor is coupled between the floating diffusion node and a reset control signal node of another pixel circuit of the image sensor. A voltage applied on the reset control signal node of the other pixel circuit is a reset voltage transmitted to the floating diffusion node via the reset transistor.

Pixel circuit with reduced wiring

Contacts and/or a transistor are shared by neighboring pixel circuits in an image sensor. In addition, a common interconnect line provides common control signals for minimizing metal wiring. Such minimization of space for the shared contacts, transistor, and control signals enhances the fill factor of photodiodes in the image sensor.

Pixel driving circuit and method of driving the same having shared contacts with neighboring pixel circuits

A CMOS active pixel sensor includes a photodiode, a transmitting transistor, a reset transistor, a fingered type source follower transistor and a selecting transistor, where the photodiode generates charge in response to incident light, the transmitting transistor transmits the charge stored in the photodiode to a sensing node, the reset transistor, coupled to a power supply voltage, resets a voltage of the sensing node so that the sensing node has substantially a level of the power supply voltage, the fingered type source follower transistor amplifies the voltage of the sensing node, the selecting transistor transmits a voltage of a source electrode of the fingered type source follower transistor into an internal circuit in response to a selection signal, thus, the channel width of the source follower transistor may be increased, and the MOS device noise due to the source follower transistor may be reduced.

CMOS active pixel sensor and active pixel sensor array using fingered type source follower transistor

An image sensor and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a floating diffusion region disposed at a predetermined region of a substrate, a photodiode region, and a source plug disposed on the floating diffusion region. Further, the sensor includes conductive patterns that may be used as gate electrodes of transistors. The conductive pattern and the source plug may have the same thickness and composition. Preferably, the source plug and the conductive pattern are made of polysilicon containing impurities. The fabricating method includes forming an insulating pattern on the semiconductor substrate having an opening exposing a predetermined region of the substrate, and forming a conductive pattern across the opening on the resultant structure. The conductive pattern may be made of polysilicon containing impurities. The impurities contained in the gate conductive pattern may be diffused to the substrate through the opening in the gate insulating pattern to form the floating diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate below the opening. As a result, lattice defects and etch damage in the floating diffusion region are minimized.

Growing community of inventors

Hwaseong-si, South Korea

Yi-Tae Kim