Methods for transferring charge in an image sensor

    公开(公告)号:US10943935B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-03-09

    申请号:US15682255

    申请日:2017-08-21

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for charge transfer in image sensors are disclosed. One example of an image sensor pixel may include a first charge storage node and a second charge storage node. A transfer circuit may be coupled between the first and second charge storage nodes, and the transfer circuit may have a first region proximate the first charge storage node and configured to have a first potential. The transfer circuit may also have a second region proximate the second charge storage node configured to have a second, higher potential. An input node may be configured to control the first and second potentials based on a transfer signal provided to the input node.

    Image sensor having full well capacity beyond photodiode capacity

    公开(公告)号:US10462402B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-10-29

    申请号:US15992484

    申请日:2018-05-30

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Inventor: Xiaofeng Fan

    Abstract: A vertically stacked image sensor having a photodiode chip and a transistor array chip. The photodiode chip includes at least one photodiode and a transfer gate extends vertically from a top surface of the photodiode chip. The image sensor further includes a transistor array chip stacked on top of the photodiode chip. The transistor array chip includes the control circuitry and storage nodes. The image sensor further includes a logic chip vertically stacked on the transistor array chip. The transfer gate communicates data from the at least one photodiode to the transistor array chip and the logic chip selectively activates the vertical transfer gate, the reset gate, the source follower gate, and the row select gate.

    VCSEL structure with embedded heat sink

    公开(公告)号:US10454241B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-10-22

    申请号:US16106037

    申请日:2018-08-21

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate, having front and back sides and having at least one cavity extending from the back side through the semiconductor substrate into proximity with the front side. At least one optoelectronic emitter is formed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate in proximity with the at least one cavity. A heat-conducting material at least partially fills the at least one cavity and is configured to serve as a heat sink for the at least one optoelectronic emitter.

    Creating arbitrary patterns on a 2-D uniform grid VCSEL array

    公开(公告)号:US10153614B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-12-11

    申请号:US15844662

    申请日:2017-12-18

    Applicant: APPLE INC.

    Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate and an array of optoelectronic cells, formed on the semiconductor substrate. The cells include first epitaxial layers defining a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack; second epitaxial layers formed over the lower DBR stack, defining a quantum well structure; third epitaxial layers, formed over the quantum well structure, defining an upper DBR stack; and electrodes formed over the upper DBR stack, which are configurable to inject an excitation current into the quantum well structure of each optoelectronic cell. A first set of the optoelectronic cells are configured to emit laser radiation in response to the excitation current. In a second set of the optoelectronic cells, interleaved with the first set, at least one element of the optoelectronic cells, selected from among the epitaxial layers and the electrodes, is configured so that the optoelectronic cells in the second set do not emit the laser radiation.

    Image sensor with a cross-wafer capacitor

    公开(公告)号:US10026771B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-07-17

    申请号:US14611917

    申请日:2015-02-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: One or more cross-wafer capacitors are formed in an electronic component, circuit, or device that includes stacked wafers. One example of such a device is a stacked image sensor. The image sensor can include two or more wafers, with two wafers that are bonded to each other each including a conductive segment adjacent to, proximate, or abutting a bonding surface of the respective wafer. The conductive segments are positioned relative to each other such that each conductive element forms a plate of a capacitor. A cross-wafer capacitor is formed when the two wafers are attached to each other.

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