公开(公告)号：US11678082B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-13

申请号：US17139427

申请日：2020-12-31

Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Inventor： Eun Sub Shim ,  Kyungho Lee

IPC: H04N5/58 ,  H04N25/589 ,  H04N23/10 ,  H04N23/76 ,  H04N25/44 ,  H04N25/59 ,  H04N25/585 ,  H04N25/616 ,  H04N25/778

CPC classification number: H04N25/589 ,  H04N23/10 ,  H04N23/76 ,  H04N25/44 ,  H04N25/585 ,  H04N25/59 ,  H04N25/616 ,  H04N25/778

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels arranged along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each of the unit pixels includes a photoelectric conversion element generating and accumulating photocharges, a charge detection node receiving the photocharges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element, a readout circuit converting the photocharges accumulated in and output from the charge detection node into an electrical pixel signal, the readout circuit outputting the electrical pixel signal, a capacitive element, and a switching element controlling connection between the charge detection node and the capacitive element. Each of the rows of the pixel array includes first pixels connected to a first conversion gain control line and second pixels connected to a second conversion gain control line.

公开(公告)号：US11581344B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-14

申请号：US17399282

申请日：2021-08-11

Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Jung Bin Yun ,  Eun Sub Shim ,  Kyung Ho Lee ,  Sung Ho Choi ,  Jung Hoon Park ,  Jung Wook Lim ,  Min Ji Jung

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/374

Abstract: Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a substrate including first, second, third and fourth regions, a first photoelectric conversion element in the first region, a second photoelectric conversion element in the second region, a third photoelectric conversion element in the third region, a fourth photoelectric conversion element in the fourth region, a first microlens at least partially overlapping both the first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and a second microlens at least partially overlapping both the third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensors may also include a floating diffusion region and first, second and third pixel transistors configured to perform different functions from each other. Each of the first, second and third pixel transistors may be disposed in at least one of first, second, third and fourth pixel regions. The first pixel transistor may include multiple first pixel transistors.

公开(公告)号：US10964734B2

公开(公告)日：2021-03-30

申请号：US16564143

申请日：2019-09-09

Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Eun Sub Shim

IPC: H01L27/146

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensor including a first device isolation layer in a semiconductor layer and defining a plurality of pixel regions, a first photoelectric conversion device and a second photoelectric conversion device that are in each of the pixel regions, and a second device isolation layer in the semiconductor layer vertically overlapping the first photoelectric conversion device and the second photoelectric conversion device.

公开(公告)号：US10785432B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-22

申请号：US16122215

申请日：2018-09-05

Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Jung wook Lim ,  Sung Soo Choi ,  Eun Sub Shim ,  Jung Bin Yun ,  Sung-Ho Choi

IPC: H04N5/359 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photoelectric converter to generate charges in response to incident light and to provide the generated charges to a first node, a transfer transistor to provide a voltage of the first node to a floating diffusion node based on a first control signal, a source follower transistor to provide a voltage of the floating diffusion node as a unit pixel output, a correlated double sampler (CDS) to receive the unit pixel output and to convert the unit pixel output into a digital code. The first control signal having first, second, and third voltages is maintained at the second voltage in a period between when the voltage of the first node is provided to the floating diffusion node and when the CDS is provided with the voltage of the first node as the unit pixel output.

公开(公告)号：US20240129649A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-18

申请号：US18315841

申请日：2023-05-11

Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Myeongeon KIM ,  Eun Sub Shim

IPC: H04N25/77

CPC classification number: H04N25/77

Abstract: An example embodiment provides an image sensor including: a pixel array including a first floating diffusion and a second floating diffusion, the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion configured to store charges generated by a first phase detecting pixel and a second phase detecting pixel adjacent to each other in a first direction and covered with one micro lens, and the pixel array is configured to output a first signal based on a charge that is generated by the first phase detecting pixel to be accumulated in the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion; and a row driver configured to apply a boosting control signal to the second floating diffusion to transfer charges stored in the second floating diffusion to the first floating diffusion, after the pixel array outputs the first signal.

公开(公告)号：US20240030260A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-25

申请号：US18112202

申请日：2023-02-21

Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Inventor： Taeyoung Song ,  Eun Sub Shim

IPC: H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H01L27/1463 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H01L27/14614 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H01L27/14689

Abstract: A method of fabricating an image sensor includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a trench in the semiconductor substrate to define pixel regions, doping the trench with dopants of a first conductivity type, doping the trench with dopants of a second conductivity type after doping the trench with dopants of the first conductivity type, forming an insulating liner pattern in the trench after the doping of the trench, performing a first thermal treatment process on the semiconductor substrate after forming the insulating liner pattern, and forming a filling pattern filling an inner space of the trench after performing the first thermal treatment process. A diffusion coefficient of the dopants of the first conductivity type is greater than a diffusion coefficient of the dopants of the second conductivity type. The first thermal treatment process diffuses the dopants of the first and second conductivity types into the semiconductor substrate simultaneously.

公开(公告)号：US11817465B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US18155785

申请日：2023-01-18

Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Jung Bin Yun ,  Eun Sub Shim ,  Kyung Ho Lee ,  Sung Ho Choi ,  Jung Hoon Park ,  Jung Wook Lim ,  Min Ji Jung

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N25/70 ,  H04N25/778

CPC classification number: H01L27/14605 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H01L27/14641 ,  H04N25/70 ,  H04N25/778

Abstract: Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a substrate including first, second, third and fourth regions, a first photoelectric conversion element in the first region, a second photoelectric conversion element in the second region, a third photoelectric conversion element in the third region, a fourth photoelectric conversion element in the fourth region, a first microlens at least partially overlapping both the first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and a second microlens at least partially overlapping both the third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensors may also include a floating diffusion region and first, second and third pixel transistors configured to perform different functions from each other. Each of the first, second and third pixel transistors may be disposed in at least one of first, second, third and fourth pixel regions. The first pixel transistor may include multiple first pixel transistors.

公开(公告)号：US11627277B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-11

申请号：US17586892

申请日：2022-01-28

Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Inventor： Eun Sub Shim ,  Kyung Ho Lee

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged along rows and columns; and a row driver which drives the plurality of pixels for each of the rows, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of sub-pixels, each of the plurality of sub-pixels includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements sharing a floating diffusion area with each other, and a micro lens disposed to overlap the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a readout area is defined on the pixel array in accordance with a preset readout mode, and the row driver generates a drive signal for reading out signals provided from a photoelectric conversion element included in the readout area from among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and provides the drive signal to the pixel array.

公开(公告)号：US20210375965A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-02

申请号：US17399282

申请日：2021-08-11

Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Inventor： Jung Bin Yun ,  Eun Sub Shim ,  Kyung Ho Lee ,  Sung Ho Choi ,  Jung Hoon Park ,  Jung Wook Lim ,  Min Ji Jung

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a substrate including first, second, third and fourth regions, a first photoelectric conversion element in the first region, a second photoelectric conversion element in the second region, a third photoelectric conversion element in the third region, a fourth photoelectric conversion element in the fourth region, a first microlens at least partially overlapping both the first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and a second microlens at least partially overlapping both the third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensors may also include a floating diffusion region and first, second and third pixel transistors configured to perform different functions from each other. Each of the first, second and third pixel transistors may be disposed in at least one of first, second, third and fourth pixel regions. The first pixel transistor may include multiple first pixel transistors.

公开(公告)号：US11089253B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-10

申请号：US16511159

申请日：2019-07-15

Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Inventor： Eun Sub Shim ,  Kyungho Lee

IPC: H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H03M1/12 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/355

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel that includes a photoelectric conversion element converting an incident light to an electrical signal, a switch adjusting a capacitance of a floating diffusion (FD) node at which charges corresponding to the electrical signal are stored, and a readout circuit outputting an output voltage based on the FD node. An A/D converter may sample the output voltage transferred from the readout circuit through an output line respectively at a first time and a second time and generate a digital code based on a difference therebetween. A conversion gain controller may generate a conversion gain control signal by comparing the output voltage transferred from the readout circuit through the output line with a threshold voltage at a third time between the first and second times and provide the conversion gain control signal to the switch to set conversion gain of the pixel.