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:
Apr. 08, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 06, 2001
Danny Scheffer, Clinge, NL;
Fillfactory, Mechelen, BE;
Abstract
The present invention provides an active pixel including a semiconductor layer ( ) having dopants of a first conductivity type, wherein said semiconductor layer ( ) comprises a first region ( ) and a second region ( ) both having dopants of a second conductivity type, said first region ( ) and said second region ( ) being adapted for collecting charge carriers in said semiconductor layer ( ) generated by electromagnetic radiation, said first region ( ) having an area and a boundary of this area, said semiconductor layer ( ) further comprising a third region ( ) having dopants of the first conductivity type at a higher doping level than the semiconductor layer ( ), the third region ( ) forming a barrier for substantially impeding the diffusion of said charge carriers to said second region ( ). Over a part of its boundary, the first region ( ) is separated from the third region ( ) by a zone of the semiconductor layer ( ) for creation of a depletion zone ( ). The effect of the separation is to improve the gain of the device.