公开(公告)号：US20200235158A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-23

申请号：US16255194

申请日：2019-01-23

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Xianmin Yi ,  Jingming Yao ,  Philip Cizdziel ,  Eric Webster ,  Duli Mao ,  Zhiqiang Lin ,  Jens Landgraf ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Kevin Johnson ,  Sohei Manabe ,  Dyson H. Tai ,  Lindsay Grant ,  Boyd Fowler

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L27/148 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: A sensor includes a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor material to receive light and convert the light into charge, and a first floating diffusion coupled to the photodiode to receive the charge. A second floating diffusion is coupled to the photodiode to receive the charge, and a first transfer transistor is coupled to transfer the charge from the photodiode into the first floating diffusion. A second transfer transistor is coupled to transfer the charge from the photodiode into the second floating diffusion, and an inductor is coupled between a first gate terminal of the first transfer transistor and a second gate terminal of the second transfer transistor. The inductor, the first gate terminal, and the second gate terminal form a resonant circuit.

公开(公告)号：US09818791B1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-14

申请号：US15285408

申请日：2016-10-04

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Duli Mao ,  Zhiqiang Lin ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Gang Chen ,  Dyson H. Tai ,  Bill Phan ,  Oray Orkun Cellek ,  Dajiang Yang

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/235

CPC classification number: H01L27/14647 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14623 ,  H01L27/1463 ,  H01L27/14632 ,  H01L27/14634 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H01L27/1464 ,  H01L27/14685 ,  H01L27/14687 ,  H01L27/1469 ,  H04N5/2355 ,  H04N5/35563 ,  H04N5/37457 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A stacked image sensor includes a first plurality of photodiodes, including a first photodiode and a second photodiode, disposed in a first semiconductor material. A thickness of the first semiconductor material proximate to the first photodiode is less than the thickness of the first semiconductor material proximate to the second photodiode. A second plurality of photodiodes is disposed in a second semiconductor material. The second plurality of photodiodes is optically aligned with the first plurality of photodiodes. An interconnect layer is disposed between the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material. The interconnect layer includes an optical shield disposed between the second photodiode and a third photodiode included in the second plurality of photodiodes. The optical shield prevents a first portion of image light from reaching the third photodiode.

公开(公告)号：US12289553B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-29

申请号：US18457015

申请日：2023-08-28

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Yoshiyuki Matsunaga ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Lindsay Alexander Grant

IPC: H04N25/77 ,  H04N25/57 ,  H04N25/63 ,  H10F30/282

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes: a phototransistor configured to receive, by one region of a source and a drain, inflow of photo-carriers generated by light entering a substrate, and configured to output a voltage signal from the one region; and a blocking layer provided on another region of the drain and the source and on a side of a channel far from a surface, and configured to prevent the photo-carriers from directly flowing into the other region. The phototransistor causes a sub-threshold current to flow between the source and the drain in a pinch-off state. Each of the source and the drain of the phototransistor is periodically reset to a reset voltage. The reset voltage is set to a voltage between a voltage at which a dark current of the phototransistor becomes zero and a voltage at which a bias voltage of the phototransistor becomes zero.

公开(公告)号：US12185000B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-31

申请号：US17810966

申请日：2022-07-06

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Keiji Mabuchi ,  Tiejun Dai

IPC: H04N25/59 ,  H04N25/46 ,  H04N25/585 ,  H04N25/621 ,  H04N25/771 ,  H04N25/778 ,  H04N25/79

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a first photodiode and a second photodiode. The first and second photodiodes photogenerate charge in response to incident light. A first transfer transistor is coupled to the first photodiode. A first floating diffusion is coupled to the first transfer transistor. A second transfer transistor is coupled to the second photodiode. A second floating diffusion is coupled to the second transfer transistor. A dual floating diffusion transistor is coupled between the first and second floating diffusions. An overflow transistor is coupled to the second photodiode. A capacitor is coupled between a voltage source and the overflow transistor. A capacitor readout transistor is coupled between the capacitor and the second floating diffusion. An anti-blooming transistor coupled between the first photodiode and a power line.

公开(公告)号：US20240113146A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-04

申请号：US17957440

申请日：2022-09-30

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Keiji Mabuchi

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H01L27/148

CPC classification number: H01L27/14632 ,  H01L27/14612 ,  H01L27/14812 ,  H01L27/1485 ,  H01L27/14868 ,  H01L27/14875

Abstract: An imaging system including a sensor wafer and a logic wafer. The sensor wafer includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns and including at least a first pixel and a second pixel positioned in a first row included in the rows. The sensor wafer includes a first transfer control line associated with the first row, the first transfer control line coupled to both a first transfer gate of the first pixel and a second transfer gate of the second pixel. The logic wafer includes a first storage capacitor associated with the first pixel and a second storage capacitor associated with the second pixel, a first storage control line coupled to a first storage gate associated with the first pixel and a second storage control line coupled to a second storage gate associated with the second pixel.

公开(公告)号：US11527569B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-13

申请号：US16877077

申请日：2020-05-18

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Duli Mao ,  Bill Phan ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Seong Yeol Mun ,  Yuanliang Liu ,  Vincent Venezia

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a plurality of subpixels to generate image charge in response to incident light. The subpixels include an inner subpixel laterally surrounded by outer subpixels. A first plurality of transfer gates disposed proximate to the inner subpixel and a first grouping of outer subpixels. A first floating diffusion is coupled to receive the image charge from the first grouping of outer subpixels through a first plurality of transfer gates. A second plurality of transfer gates disposed proximate to the inner subpixel and the second grouping of outer subpixels. A second floating diffusion disposed in the semiconductor material and coupled to receive the image charge from each one of the second grouping of outer subpixels through the second plurality of transfer gates. The image charge in the inner subpixel is received by the first, second, or both floating diffusions through respective transfer gates.

公开(公告)号：US11350049B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-31

申请号：US17087415

申请日：2020-11-02

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Keiji Mabuchi

IPC: H04N5/361 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L27/148 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: Image sensors capable of dark current calibration and associated circuits are disclosed herein. The method for calibrating dark current includes acquiring at least one dark current frame of a first plurality of pixels of a pixel array of the image sensor. The dark current frame contains readings of individual dark currents for the corresponding pixels obtained during an exposure period when a transistor is turned on disabling the photodiode. The method also includes acquiring at least one normal frame of a second plurality of pixels of the pixel array of the image sensor. The normal frame contains readings of individual signals for the corresponding pixels obtained during the exposure period when the transistor is turned OFF. The method includes subtracting the at least one dark current frame from the at least one normal frame.

公开(公告)号：US20220141406A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-05

申请号：US17087415

申请日：2020-11-02

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Keiji Mabuchi

IPC: H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L27/148

Abstract: Image sensors capable of dark current calibration and associated circuits are disclosed herein. The method for calibrating dark current includes acquiring at least one dark current frame of a first plurality of pixels of a pixel array of the image sensor. The dark current frame contains readings of individual dark currents for the corresponding pixels obtained during an exposure period when a transistor is turned on disabling the photodiode. The method also includes acquiring at least one normal frame of a second plurality of pixels of the pixel array of the image sensor. The normal frame contains readings of individual signals for the corresponding pixels obtained during the exposure period when the transistor is turned OFF. The method includes subtracting the at least one dark current frame from the at least one normal frame.

公开(公告)号：US11212457B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-28

申请号：US16886473

申请日：2020-05-28

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Tiejun Dai ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Zhe Gao

IPC: H04N5/235 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/345 ,  H01L27/092 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a first subpixel and a plurality of second subpixels. Each subpixel includes a photodiode to photogenerate image charge in response to incident light. Image charge is transferred from the first subpixel to a floating diffusion through a first transfer transistor. Image charge is transferred from the plurality of second subpixels to the floating diffusion through a plurality of second transfer transistors. An attenuation layer is disposed over the first subpixel. The first subpixel receives the incident light through the attenuation layer. The plurality of second subpixels receive the incident light without passing through the attenuation layer. A dual floating diffusion (DFD) transistor is coupled to the floating diffusion. A capacitor is coupled to the DFD transistor.

公开(公告)号：US20210203865A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-01

申请号：US17204786

申请日：2021-03-17

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies Inc.

Inventor： Sohei Manabe ,  Keiji Mabuchi

IPC: H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor material to generate image charge in response to incident light, and a first transfer gate is coupled to the photodiode to extract image charge from the photodiode in response to a first transfer signal. A first storage gate is coupled to the first transfer gate to receive the image charge from the first transfer gate, and a first output gate is coupled to the first storage gate to receive the image charge from the first storage gate. A first capacitor is coupled to the first output gate to store the image charge.