The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 08, 2019
Filed:
Sep. 22, 2017
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Shingo Mandai, Mountain View, CA (US);
Cristiano L. Niclass, San Jose, CA (US);
Nobuhiro Karasawa, Tokyo, JP;
Xiaofeng Fan, San Jose, CA (US);
Arnaud Laflaquiere, Grenoble, FR;
Gennadiy A. Agranov, San Jose, CA (US);
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor includes a sensor wafer stacked vertically over a circuit wafer. The sensor wafer includes one or more SPAD regions, with each SPAD region including an anode gradient layer, a cathode region positioned adjacent to a front surface of the SPAD region, and an anode avalanche layer positioned over the cathode region. Each SPAD region is connected to a voltage supply and an output circuit in the circuit wafer through inter-wafer connectors. Deep trench isolation elements are used to provide electrical and optical isolation between SPAD regions.