Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Young-woo Jung

Jung-Chak Ahn

Kyung-ho Lee

Yi-Tae Kim

Hee-geun Jeong

Seung-Wook Lee

An image sensor includes a substrate that further includes a sensor array and a heat spreading layer on a surface of the substrate. The heat spreading layer may include one or more of a synthetic diamond layer, a graphene layer, or a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer. The heat spreading layer enables substantially uniform distribution of heat through at least a portion of the sensor array. Such substantially uniform heat distribution may enable substantially uniform dark current in the portion of the sensor array, thereby reducing a probability of dark shading in the portion of the sensor array. The portion of the sensor array may include an active pixel sensor area. The portion of the sensor array may include an optical black sensor area.

Image sensor and method of manufacturing the same

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 row driver, a pixel array, an analog-to-digital converter, and an output compensating circuit. The row driver generates a photo-gate control signal, a storage control signal, a transfer control signal, a reset control signal and a row selecting signal. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixels, and each pixel uses a deep trench isolation (DTI) region as a photo gate. The pixel array receives optical signals, converts the optical signals to electric signals, and outputs the electric signals as image signals in response to the photo-gate control signal, the storage control signal, the transfer control signal, the reset control signal, and the row selecting signal. The analog-to-digital converter performs an analog-to-digital conversion on the image signals to generate first signals, and the output compensating circuit compensates the first signals.

Image sensor having pixels each with a deep trench isolation region as a photo gate for outputting image signals in response to control signals from a row driver and method of operating the image sensor

A pixel of an image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion region formed in a semiconductor substrate, a floating diffusion region formed in the semiconductor substrate, the floating diffusion region being spaced apart from the photoelectric conversion region, a vertical transfer gate extending from a first surface of the semiconductor substrate into a recess in the semiconductor substrate, and configured to form a transfer channel between the photoelectric conversion region and the floating diffusion region, and an impurity region surrounding the recess. The impurity region has a first impurity concentration at a region adjacent to a side of the recess, and a second impurity concentration higher than the first impurity concentration at a region adjacent to the bottom of the recess.

Growing community of inventors

Yongin-si, South Korea

Young-woo Jung