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. 30, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 09, 2004
Applicants:
Tomohisa Ishida, Tokyo, JP;
Atsushi Kamashita, Kawasaki, JP;
Satoshi Suzuki, Tokyo, JP;
Inventors:
Assignee:
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/84 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A solid-state image sensor of the present invention has a plurality of pixel cells that generate signal charges in accordance with incident light. It is characterized by having a gettering region within the area of a pixel cell. The gettering region, which is disposed closely to the photoelectrical conversion layer, makes direct and efficient use of gettering capability in the pixel region in the solid-state image sensor. As a result, it is possible to effectively eliminate metal contaminant contained in the pixel region, thereby remarkably reducing dark outputs occurring from the metal contaminant.