| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080203507 | Image sensors for zoom lenses and fabricating methods thereof - An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of photo diodes are formed. A plurality of interlayer dielectrics are formed above the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of metal lines are formed on each of the interlayer dielectrics. A plurality of micro lenses are formed above the uppermost one of the interlayer dielectrics. The light passing through the zoom lenses is incident on the respective micro lenses. The plurality metal lines formed on at least one of the plurality of interlayer dielectrics have the same width. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20090174799 | Method of driving an image sensor - For driving an image sensor having a pixel with a transfer gate formed between a photo-detector and a floating diffusion region, a noise-reducing voltage is applied on the transfer gate during a first period of an integration mode. A blooming current voltage is applied on the transfer gate during a second period of the integration mode. A read voltage is applied on the transfer gate during a read mode after the integration mode. The read voltage has a higher magnitude than the blooming current voltage. With application of the noise-reducing voltage, noise is reduced and a dynamic range is extended for the image sensor. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090189057 | CMOS image sensor with current mirror - An image sensor includes a pixel with a drive transistor and a select transistor. The drive transistor is driven according to a voltage at a floating diffusion node. The select transistor is coupled in series with the drive transistor for being turned on when the pixel is selected. The image sensor also includes a current mirror unit having first and second branches conducting mirrored currents. The first branch is coupled to the drive transistor, and the second branch is coupled to the select transistor at an output node of the pixel. With such biasing by the current mirror, gain drop in the drive transistor is minimized. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090200627 | Image sensor with high conversion efficiency - An image sensor includes a photoelectric converter, a reflector, and a charge carrier guiding region. The reflector is disposed under the photoelectric converter, and the charge carrier guiding region is disposed between the photoelectric converter and the reflector. The reflector reflects incident light passed by the photoelectric converter back through the photoelectric converter for increasing photoelectric conversion efficiency and reduced crosstalk. The charge carrier guiding region dissipates undesired charge carriers for further increasing photoelectric conversion efficiency. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090209058 | Method of fabricating image sensor - A method of manufacturing an image sensor is provided. In this method, a photoelectric conversion unit may be formed within a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes an active pixel region and an optical black region. An annealing layer may be formed on the active pixel region and the optical black region and etched so that the annealing layer covers at least a portion of the optical black region. A wiring pattern may be formed on the annealing layer. A light-blocking pattern may be formed on the wiring pattern so as to cover the entire photoelectric conversion unit of the optical black region, thereby blocking light from being incident upon the optical black region. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090219266 | Pixel circuit arrays - A pixel circuit array may include pixel circuits and/or a global reset transistor that has a first end connected to a second end of a reset transistor and is turned on or off in response a global reset signal. Each pixel circuit may include: a transmission transistor that may receive and/or transmit photocharges through ends of the transmission transistor in response to a transmission control signal; the reset transistor that may have a first end connected to the second end of the transmission transistor and may be turned on or off in response a reset control signal; a source-follower transistor that may receive a signal from the second end of the reset transistor and/or may be turned on or off in response the received signal; and/or a selection transistor that may be connected to the source-follower transistor and/or may be turned on or off in response a selection control signal. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090294816 | CMOS image sensor and driving method of the same - Provided are a CMOS image sensor and a driving method thereof. The CMOS image sensor may include a photodetector disposed in a semiconductor substrate to accumulate photocharges, a charge transfer element configured to control transfer of the photocharges accumulated in the photodetector, a detecting element configured to detect the photocharges transferred by the charge transfer element, and a well driving contact configured to increase a potential difference between the photodetector and the detecting element while the photocharges are transferred. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090321617 | Color filter array, method of fabricating the same, and image pickup device including the same - An image pickup device includes a pixel array including a plurality of photo sensitive devices and a color filter array including a plurality of color filters each disposed above a corresponding one of the plurality of photo sensitive devices. The color filters include a first type color filter formed on a glass substrate to filter light to pass a first spectrum and a second type color filter stacked on at least part of the first type color filter to filter light to pass a second spectrum. Accordingly, fabrication of a color filter array can be simplified and a color filter array having a small lay out can be fabricated. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100006968 | Image sensors and methods of manufacturing the same - Provided are image sensors and a methods of manufacturing image sensors. The image sensors may include a substrate, a pixel array region, and a peripheral circuit region. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The pixel array region may be formed on the first region. The peripheral circuit region may be formed on the second region. The first region may be located higher than the second region. According to the image sensor and the method of manufacturing the same, the vertical height of the pixel array region is decreased as compared to the prior art, and thus the aspect ratio at the pixel array region is minimized. As a result, condensing efficiency the image sensor may be improved. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100045836 | Image sensor and image sensing system including the same - An image sensor includes a conductive well in a semiconductor substrate, a photo sensitive device (PSD) in the semiconductor substrate below the conductive well, the PSD and conductive well overlapping each other, and a charge transmission unit in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the conductive well, the charge transmission unit having a structure of a recessed gate and being positioned in a recess region of the semiconductor substrate. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100103288 | Image sensor - Provided is an image sensor. The image sensor includes a first pixel. The image sensor may include a second pixel formed to be adjacent to the first pixel. The pixel includes a first photoelectric conversion unit formed on a semiconductor substrate and generates charges according to incident light. A first color filter formed over the first photoelectric conversion unit guides light through the first color filter to the first photoelectric conversion unit corresponding to the color filter. The image sensor includes at least one light reflection pattern formed reflecting externally-incident light to the first or second pixel corresponding to the at least one light reflection pattern. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100123771 | Pixel circuit, photoelectric converter, and image sensing system including the pixel circuit and the photoelectric converter - Provided are a pixel circuit, a photoelectric converter, and an image sensing system thereof. The pixel circuit includes a photodiode and an output unit. The photodiode generates a first photo charge to detect the distance from an object and a second photo charge to detect the color of the object. The output unit generates at least one depth signal used to detect the distance based on the first photo charge generated by the photodiode, and a color signal used to detect the color of the object based on the second photo charge. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100128155 | Image sensors and methods of manufacturing the same - Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors, the image sensors including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units formed within active regions defined in a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of light guides having structures for guiding light incident from an external source onto the semiconductor substrate and the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, the light guides having different widths. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100133635 | image sensor and image sensing system including the same - The image sensor and an image sensing system including the same are provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a pixel array formed at a pixel area located in the semiconductor substrate and comprising a plurality of photoelectric converts, a plurality of driver circuits formed at a circuit area defined in the semiconductor substrate. The image sensor includes at least one heat blocker or heat shield. The at least one heat blocker may be formed between the pixel area and the circuit area in the semiconductor substrate. The heat blocker or heat shield may block or dissipate heat generated at the circuit area from being transferred to the pixel area through the semiconductor substrate. The heat blocker or heat shield may be used in image sensors using a back-side illumination sensor (BIS) structure or image sensors using a silicon on insulator (SOI) semiconductor substrate. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100133638 | Image sensors and methods of manufacturing the same - An image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes, a plurality of wells isolating the plurality of photodiodes from each other, and a plurality of conductive layers or conductive lines for suppressing a dark current generated at the surface of the photodiodes and in the wells in response to a bias voltage. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100134668 | Image sensors - An image sensor includes a plurality of wells for isolating a plurality of photodiodes from each other. Each of the wells includes a P-type well region and an N-type well region configured to receive a positive bias voltage. The image sensor provides a clearer image by suppressing a blooming effect and a dark current. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100140733 | Back-side illuminated image sensor - In an example embodiment, the backside-illuminated image sensor includes a substrate including a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices being separated by a semiconductor. The backside-illuminated sensor further includes a transparent electrode layer or a metal layer formed on a surface of a substrate. As a positive bias voltage or a negative bias voltage is applied to the transparent electrode layer or the metal layer, generation of dark current in the surface of the silicon substrate may be reduced or suppressed. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100141821 | Image Sensor Devices Having Dual-Gated Charge Storage Regions Therein - An image sensor device may include a dual-gated charge storage region within a substrate. The dual-gated charge storage region includes first and second diodes within a common charge generating region. This charge generating region is configured to receive light incident on a surface of the image sensor device. The first and second diodes include respective first conductivity type regions responsive to first and second gate signals, respectively. These first and second gate signals are active during non-overlapping time intervals. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20110012011 | Color filter array, image sensor including the same, and electronic device including the color filter array - A color filter array is provided. The color filter array includes a plurality of basic filter blocks arranged in all directions. Each of the basic filter blocks include one or more color filters. The color filters include a first type color filter that passes through all light without filtering it or has a higher light transmittance than a second type color filter, a third type color filter, and a fourth type color filter. The second through fourth color filters being a red, green or blue filter. Accordingly, the color filter array increases sensitivity to incident light or increases brightness of outgoing light. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110018042 | UNIT PIXEL, AND CMOS IMAGE SENSOR HAVING THE SAME - A unit pixel of a CMOS image sensor include a photodiode that transforms light to an electric charge, and accumulates the electric charge, and a plurality of transistors that generate an electric signal based on the accumulated electric charge. The photodiode has a slope shape based on incident angle of the light in a semiconductor substrate. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110036969 | Unit pixels including boosting capacitors, pixel arrays including the unit pixels and photodetecting devices including the pixel arrays - A unit pixel capable of achieving full initialization of a floating diffusion area, a pixel array including the unit pixel, and a photodetecting device including the pixel array. The unit pixel includes a photodetector, a transmission transistor for transmitting charges generated from the photodetector to a floating diffusion area, a reset transistor for initializing the floating diffusion area, and a boosting capacitor having a first terminal connected to the floating diffusion area and a second terminal to which a boosting voltage is applied. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110037883 | Image sensors - Image sensors including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of photo detecting elements, a dielectric layer, a plurality of color filters, and a plurality of micro lenses. The photo detecting elements may be in the semiconductor substrate and may convert an incident light into an electric signal. The dielectric layer may be on the semiconductor substrate and may include a plurality of photo blocking regions on regions between the photo detecting elements. The color filters may be on the dielectric layer and may be disposed corresponding to the plurality of photo detecting elements, respectively. The micro lenses may be on the plurality of color filters and may be disposed corresponding to the plurality of photo detecting elements, respectively. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110063482 | IMAGE SENSOR FOR OUTPUTTING RGB BAYER SIGNAL THROUGH INTERNAL CONVERSION AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - The image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a non-red-green-blue (RGB) Bayer pattern, an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an analog pixel signal output from each of the pixels into a digital pixel signal, and an RGB converter configured to convert the digital pixel signal into an RGB Bayer signal. Accordingly, the image sensor is compatible with a universal image signal processor (ISP), which receives and processes RGB Bayer signals, without an additional compatible device or module. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110096215 | Image Sensors and Methods of Manufacturing Image Sensors - An image sensor includes a first substrate including a driving element, a first insulation layer on the first substrate and on the driving element, a second substrate including a photoelectric conversion element, and a second insulation layer on the second substrate and on the photoelectric conversion element. A surface of the second insulation layer is on an upper surface of the first insulation layer. The image sensor includes a conductive connector penetrating the second insulation layer and a portion of the first insulation layer. Methods of forming image sensors are also disclosed. | 04-28-2011 |
