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:
Mar. 11, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 14, 2002
Chi-Hsiang Lee, Hua-Lien, TW;
An Ming Chiang, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Wei-Kun Yeh, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Hua-Yu Yang, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
An active pixel sensor cell, and the process for forming the active pixel sensor cell, featuring a pinned photodiode structure, and a readout region, located in a region of the pinned photodiode structure, has been developed. The process features the formation of a N+ readout region, performed simultaneously with the formation of the N+ source/drain region of the reset transistor, however with the N+ readout region placed in an area to be used for the pinned photodiode structure. The pinned photodiode structure is next formed via formation of a lightly doped N type well region, used as the lower segment of the pinned photodiode structure, followed by the formation of P+ region, used as the top segment of the pinned photodiode structure, with the N+ readout region, surrounded by the P+ region. The placement of the N+ readout region, in a region of the pinned photodiode structure, eliminates the need for a transfer transistor, for the active pixel sensor cell, and results in a higher signal to noise ratio, as well as lower dark current generation, than counterparts fabricated without the use of the process, and structure, of this invention.