| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20100038523 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH BURIED SELF ALIGNED FOCUSING ELEMENT - An image sensor includes an optical sensor region, a stack of dielectric and metal layers, and an embedded layer. The optical sensor is disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The stack of dielectric and metal layers are disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate above the optical sensor region. The embedded focusing layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate in a Backside Illuminated (BSI) image sensor, supported by a support grid, or a support grid composed of the semiconductor substrate. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100323470 | BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSOR HAVING DEEP LIGHT REFLECTIVE TRENCHES - An array of pixels is formed using a semiconductor layer having a frontside and a backside through which incident light is received. Each pixel typically includes a photosensitive region formed in the semiconductor layer and a trench formed adjacent to the photosensitive region. The trench causes the incident light to be directed away from the trench and towards the photosensitive region. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110068429 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH CONTACT DUMMY PIXELS - An image sensor array includes a substrate layer, a metal layer, an epitaxial layer, a plurality of imaging pixels, and a contact dummy pixel. The metal layer is disposed above the substrate layer. The epitaxial layer is disposed between the substrate layer and the metal layer. The imaging pixels are disposed within the epitaxial layer and each include a photosensitive element for collecting an image signal. The contact dummy pixel is dispose within the epitaxial layer and includes an electrical conducting path through the epitaxial layer. The electrical conducting path couples to the metal layer above the epitaxial layer. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110085067 | MULTILAYER IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL STRUCTURE FOR REDUCING CROSSTALK - An image sensor pixel includes a substrate, a first epitaxial layer, a collector layer, a second epitaxial layer and a light collection region. The substrate is doped to have a first conductivity type. The first epitaxial layer is disposed over the substrate and doped to have the first conductivity type as well. The collector layer is selectively disposed over at least a portion of the first epitaxial layer and doped to have a second conductivity type. The second epitaxial layer is disposed over the collector layer and doped to have the first conductivity type. The light collection region collects photo-generated charge carriers and is disposed within the second epitaxial layer. The light collection region is also doped to have the second conductivity type. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110089311 | TRENCH TRANSFER GATE FOR INCREASED PIXEL FILL FACTOR - An image sensor provides high scalability and reduced image lag. The sensor includes a first imaging pixel that has a first photodiode region formed in a substrate of the image sensor. The sensor also includes a first vertical transfer transistor coupled to the first photodiode region. The first vertical transfer transistor can be used to establish an active channel. The active channel typically extends along the length of the first vertical transfer transistor and couples the first photodiode region to a floating diffusion. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110089517 | CMOS IMAGE SENSOR WITH HEAT MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES - An image sensor includes a device wafer substrate of a device wafer, a device layer of the device wafer, and optionally a heat control structure and/or a heat sink. The device layer is disposed on a frontside of the device wafer substrate and includes a plurality of photosensitive elements disposed within a pixel array region and peripheral circuitry disposed within a peripheral circuits region. The photosensitive elements are sensitive to light incident on a backside of the device wafer substrate. The heat control structure is disposed within the device wafer substrate and thermally isolates the pixel array region from the peripheral circuits region to reduce heat transfer between the peripheral circuits region and the pixel array region. The heat sink conducts heat away from the device layer. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110115002 | BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGING SENSOR WITH REINFORCED PAD STRUCTURE - A backside illuminated imaging sensor with reinforced pad structure includes a device layer, a metal stack, an opening and a frame. The device layer has an imaging array formed in a front side of the device layer and the imaging array is adapted to receive light from a back side of the device layer. The metal stack is coupled to the front side of the device layer where the metal stack includes at least one metal interconnect layer having a metal pad. The opening extends from the back side of the device layer to the metal pad to expose the metal pad for wire bonding. The frame is disposed within the opening to structurally reinforce the metal pad. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110140221 | IMAGE SENSOR HAVING CURVED MICRO-MIRRORS OVER THE SENSING PHOTODIODE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING - The invention involves the integration of curved micro-mirrors over a photodiode active area (collection area) in a CMOS image sensor (CIS) process. The curved micro-mirrors reflect light that has passed through the collection area back into the photo diode. The curved micro-mirrors are best implemented in a backside illuminated device (BSI). | 06-16-2011 |
