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:
Dec. 24, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 20, 1995
Applicant:
Inventors:
Min-Hwa Chi, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Albert Bergemont, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Hosam Haggag, Mountain View, CA (US);
Assignee:
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
257223 ; 257290 ; 257291 ; 257292 ; 257445 ; 257462 ;
Abstract
The size of an active pixel sensor cell is reduced by utilizing a single MOS transistor formed in a well to perform the functions conventionally performed by a photogate/photodiode, a sense transistor, and an access transistor. Light energy striking the well varies the potential of the well which, in turn, varies the threshold voltage of the transistor. As a result, the current sourced by the transistor is proportional to the received light energy.