Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Youngsun Oh

Munhwan Kim

Hana Choi

Younggu Jin

Moosup Lim

HyungJin Bae

Jongyoon Shin

Honghyun Jeon

Kyungho Lee

Youngchan Kim

Junghoon Park

JungChak Ahn

Yujung Choi

Seungho Shin

Dongyoung Jang

Jooyeong Gong

An image sensor includes a pixel isolation structure in a semiconductor substrate. The pixel isolation structure defines a plurality of pixel regions, a photoelectric conversion region in the semiconductor substrate on each of the pixel regions, a floating diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the photoelectric conversion region. A transfer gate electrode is disposed between the photoelectric conversion region and the floating diffusion region on each of the pixel regions. A dielectric layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and covers the transfer gate electrode. A plurality of active patterns spaced apart from each other is disposed on a top surface of the dielectric layer. A plurality of pixel transistors is disposed on corresponding active patterns. In a plan view, at least one of the active patterns overlaps a portion of the pixel isolation structure.

Image sensor having increased integration including active patterns overlapping a portion of a pixel isolation structure

An image sensor and a method of operating the same are provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a photoelectric conversion region provided in the semiconductor substrate and doped to have a second conductivity type; a first floating diffusion region provided to receive photocharges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion region; a transfer gate electrode disposed between and connected to the first floating diffusion region and the photoelectric conversion region; a dual conversion gain transistor disposed between and connected to the first floating diffusion region and a second floating diffusion region; and a reset transistor disposed between and connected to the second floating diffusion region and a pixel power voltage region, wherein a channel region of the reset transistor has a potential gradient increasing in a direction from the second floating diffusion region toward the pixel power voltage region.

Image sensor and method of operating the same

An image sensor includes a substrate including a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface, a first photodiode located in a first region of the substrate and generating photocharges from light incident on the first region, a second photodiode located in a second region of the substrate and generating photocharges from light incident on the second region, and an isolation structure defining the first region in which the first photodiode is located and the second region in which the second photodiode is located, and extending between the first photodiode and the second photodiode. An area of the second region is smaller than an area of the first region, a first end of the isolation structure is coplanar with the second surface, and the isolation structure extends in a vertical direction from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface of the substrate.

Image sensor

An image sensor including a pixel that includes: a first photodiode; a second photodiode having a larger light-receiving area than the first photodiode; a first floating diffusion node accumulating charges of the first photodiode; a second floating diffusion node accumulating charges of the second photodiode; a capacitor accumulating charges overflowing from the first photodiode; a first switch transistor having a first end connected to the first floating diffusion node and a second end connected to the capacitor; and a driving transistor configured to convert the accumulated charges into a pixel signal, the first switch transistor is turned on in a low conversion gain (LCG) mode of a readout section of the first photodiode, and is turned off in a high conversion gain (HCG) mode of the readout section of the first photodiode, and the readout circuit generates image data based on pixel signals from the first and second sections.

A depth pixel of a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor includes a common photogate disposed in a center region of the depth pixel, a plurality of floating diffusion regions disposed in a peripheral region surrounding the center region, a plurality of demodulation transfer gates disposed in the peripheral region, and a plurality of overflow gates disposed in the peripheral region. The demodulation transfer gates transfer a photo charge collected by the common photogate to the plurality of floating diffusion regions. The demodulation transfer gates are symmetric with respect to each of a horizontal line and a vertical line that pass through a center of the depth pixel and are substantially perpendicular to each other. The overflow gates drain the photo charge collected by the common photogate, and are symmetric with respect to each of the horizontal line and the vertical line.

Depth pixel having multi-tap structure and time-of-flight sensor including the same

An image sensor includes unit pixels of a first pixel group sharing a first floating diffusion region and associated with a single color filter, and unit pixels of a second pixel group sharing a second floating diffusion region and associated with the single color filter. Control logic may generate an image by obtaining capacitance having a first value from the first floating diffusion region at a first time, and obtaining capacitance having a second value different from the first value from the second floating diffusion region at a second time following the first time. The first pixel group and the second pixel s group have different sensitivity levels.

Image sensor and operating method

An image sensor may include a plurality of first pixels arranged on a substrate along a first axis and a second axis, the plurality of first pixels connected to a first output line, a plurality of second pixels arranged on the substrate along the first axis and the second axis, the plurality of second pixels being mirror-symmetric to the plurality of first pixels along the first axis, and the plurality of second pixels connected to the first output line, a plurality of first color filters, and a plurality of second color filters.

Image sensor including pixels mirror symmetric with each other

An image sensor includes a substrate including a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region, and a first device isolation layer disposed in the substrate to define a plurality of unit pixels that are adjacent to each other in a first direction in the pixel region. Each of the plurality of unit pixels includes at least one light sensing element disposed in the substrate. The image sensor includes an interlayer insulating structure on the substrate, and a first blocking structure disposed on the first device isolation layer and penetrating the interlayer insulating structure. The first blocking structure is disposed between the plurality of unit pixels when viewed from a plan view. The first blocking structure extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction when viewed from a plan view.

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Hwaseong-si, South Korea

Youngsun Oh