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:
Jun. 02, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 08, 2004
Jaroslav Hynecek, Allen, TX (US);
Richard B. Merrill, Woodside, CA (US);
Russel A. Martin, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Jaroslav Hynecek, Allen, TX (US);
Richard B. Merrill, Woodside, CA (US);
Russel A. Martin, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Foveon, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention describes in detail the structure of a CMOS image sensor pixel that senses color of impinging light without having absorbing filters placed on its surface. The color sensing is accomplished by having a vertical stack of three-charge detection nodes placed in the silicon bulk, which collect electrons depending on the depth of their generation. The small charge detection node capacitance and thus high sensitivity with low noise is achieved by using fully depleted, potential well forming, buried layers instead of undepleted junction electrodes. Two embodiments of contacting the buried layers without substantially increasing the node capacitances are presented.