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:
Jan. 20, 2015
Filed:
May. 21, 2012
Jaroslav Hynecek, Allen, TX (US);
Jaroslav Hynecek, Allen, TX (US);
Aptina Imaging Corporation, George Town, KY;
Abstract
An image sensor pixel suitable for use in a back-side-illuminated or a front-side-illuminated sensor arrangement is provided. The image sensor pixel may be a small size pixel that includes a source follower implemented using a vertical junction field effect (JFET) transistor. The vertical JFET source follower may be integrated directly into the floating diffusion node, thereby eliminating excess metal routing and pixel area typically allocated for the source follower in conventional pixel configurations. Pixel area may instead be allocated for increasing the charge storage capacity of the photodiode or can be used to reduce pixel size while maintaining pixel performance. Using a vertical junction field effect transistor in this way simplifies pixel addressing operations and minimizes random telegraph signal (RTS) noise associated with small size metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors.