公开(公告)号：US10334191B1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-25

申请号：US15910883

申请日：2018-03-02

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Dajiang Yang ,  Zhiyong Zhan ,  Chen-wei Lu ,  Duli Mao ,  Xin Wang ,  Keiji Mabuchi

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

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a second photodiode laterally surrounding a first photodiode in semiconductor material. The first and second photodiodes are adapted to photogenerate image charge in response to incident light. A floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor material proximate to an outer perimeter of the second photodiode. A first transfer gate is disposed proximate to the semiconductor material over a first channel region between the first and second photodiodes. The first transfer gate is coupled to transfer the image charge from the first photodiode to the second photodiode. A second transfer gate is disposed proximate to the semiconductor material over a second channel region between the second photodiode and the floating diffusion. The second transfer gate is coupled to transfer the image charge from the second photodiode to the floating diffusion.

公开(公告)号：US10218924B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-26

申请号：US15485534

申请日：2017-04-12

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Sohei Manabe ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Takayuki Goto ,  Duli Mao ,  Hiroaki Ebihara ,  Kazufumi Watanabe

IPC: H04N5/335 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: A pixel circuit for use in a high dynamic range (HDR) image sensor includes a photodiode and a floating diffusion is disposed in the first semiconductor wafer. A transfer transistor is disposed in the first semiconductor wafer and is adapted to be switched on to transfer the charge carriers photogenerated in the photodiode to the floating diffusion. An in-pixel capacitor is disposed in a second semiconductor wafer. The first semiconductor wafer is stacked with and coupled to the second semiconductor wafer. A dual floating diffusion (DFD) transistor is disposed in the first semiconductor wafer. The in-pixel capacitor is selectively coupled to the floating diffusion through the DFD transistor. The floating diffusion is set to low conversion gain in response to the in-pixel capacitor being coupled to the floating diffusion, and high conversion gain in response to the in-pixel capacitor being decoupled from the floating diffusion.

公开(公告)号：US10103193B1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-16

申请号：US15668207

申请日：2017-08-03

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Sohei Manabe ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Takayuki Goto

IPC: H01L25/00 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a low dark current floating diffusion is discussed. An example method includes coupling a photodiode to a floating diffusion through a transfer gate where a gate terminal of the transfer gate is provided a first voltage, resetting the floating diffusion, repetitively sampling image charge on the photodiode a plurality of times, where the sampled image charge is coupled to the floating diffusion, and where the gate terminal of the transfer gate is provided a second voltage less than the first voltage during each sampling of the image charge, while repetitively sampling the image charge, coupling an additional capacitance to the floating diffusion, where a first capacitance voltage is applied to the additional capacitance during the sampling, and performing correlated double sampling of the sampled image charge.

公开(公告)号：US10044960B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-07

申请号：US15164276

申请日：2016-05-25

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Duli Mao ,  Trygve Willassen ,  Johannes Solhusvik ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Gang Chen ,  Sohei Manabe ,  Dyson H. Tai ,  Bill Phan ,  Oray Orkun Cellek ,  Zhiqiang Lin ,  Siguang Ma ,  Dajiang Yang ,  Boyd Albert Fowler

IPC: H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/232

Abstract: An image sensor for detecting light-emitting diode (LED) without flickering includes a pixel array with pixels. Each pixel including subpixels including a first and a second subpixel, dual floating diffusion (DFD) transistor, and a capacitor coupled to the DFD transistor. First subpixel includes a first photosensitive element to acquire a first image charge, and a first transfer gate transistor to selectively transfer the first image charge from the first photosensitive element to a first floating diffusion (FD) node. Second subpixel includes a second photosensitive element to acquire a second image charge, and a second transfer gate transistor to selectively transfer the second image charge from the second photosensitive element to a second FD node. DFD transistor coupled to the first and the second FD nodes. Other embodiments are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20180098008A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-05

申请号：US15285352

申请日：2016-10-04

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Duli Mao ,  Trygve Willassen ,  Johannes Solhusvik ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Gang Chen ,  Sohei Manabe ,  Dyson H. Tai ,  Bill Phan ,  Oray Orkun Cellek ,  Zhiqiang Lin

IPC: H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H04N5/361 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H01L27/14656 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for image sensors with pixels that reduce or eliminate flicker induced by high intensity illumination are disclosed. An example image sensor may include a photodiode, a transfer gate, an anti-blooming gate, and first and second source follower transistors. The photodiode may capture light and generate charge in response, and the photodiode may have a charge capacity. The transfer gate may selectively transfer charge to a first floating diffusion, and the anti-blooming gate may selectively transfer excess charge to a second floating diffusion when the generated charge is greater than the photodiode charge capacity. The first source-follower transistor may be directly coupled to the first floating diffusion by a gate, the first source-follower to selectively output a first signal to a first bitline in response to enablement of a first row selection transistor, and the second source-follower transistor may be capacitively-coupled to the second floating diffusion, the second source-follower to selectively output a second signal to a second bitline in response to enablement of a second row selection transistor.

公开(公告)号：US09859311B1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-02

申请号：US15362391

申请日：2016-11-28

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Sohei Manabe ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Takayuki Goto ,  Dajiang Yang

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H01L27/144

CPC classification number: H01L27/1464 ,  H01L27/1461 ,  H01L27/14614 ,  H01L27/14623 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14685 ,  H01L27/14689

Abstract: A backside illuminated image sensor includes a semiconductor material with a plurality of photodiodes disposed in the semiconductor material, and a transfer gate electrically coupled to a photodiode in the plurality of photodiodes to extract image charge from the photodiode. The image sensor also includes a storage gate electrically coupled to the transfer gate to receive the image charge from the transfer gate. The storage gate has a gate electrode disposed proximate to a frontside of the semiconductor material, an optical shield disposed in the semiconductor material, and a storage node disposed between the gate electrode and the optical shield. The optical shield is optically aligned with the storage node to prevent the image light incident on the backside illuminated image sensor from reaching the storage node.

公开(公告)号：US20170347047A1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-30

申请号：US15164276

申请日：2016-05-25

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Duli Mao ,  Trygve Willassen ,  Johannes Solhusvik ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Gang Chen ,  Sohei Manabe ,  Dyson H. Tai ,  Bill Phan ,  Oray Orkun Cellek ,  Zhiqiang Lin ,  Siguang Ma ,  Dajiang Yang ,  Boyd Albert Fowler

IPC: H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/232

CPC classification number: H04N5/374 ,  H01L27/14612 ,  H01L27/14641 ,  H04N5/23229 ,  H04N5/3559 ,  H04N5/3592 ,  H04N5/37452 ,  H04N5/37457

Abstract: An image sensor for detecting light-emitting diode (LED) without flickering includes a pixel array with pixels. Each pixel including subpixels including a first and a second subpixel, dual floating diffusion (DFD) transistor, and a capacitor coupled to the DFD transistor. First subpixel includes a first photosensitive element to acquire a first image charge, and a first transfer gate transistor to selectively transfer the first image charge from the first photosensitive element to a first floating diffusion (FD) node. Second subpixel includes a second photosensitive element to acquire a second image charge, and a second transfer gate transistor to selectively transfer the second image charge from the second photosensitive element to a second FD node. DFD transistor coupled to the first and the second FD nodes. Other embodiments are also described.

公开(公告)号：US09749569B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-29

申请号：US14979058

申请日：2015-12-22

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Keiji Mabuchi ,  Sohei Manabe

IPC: H04N5/3745 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/345 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/353

CPC classification number: H04N5/37455 ,  H01L27/14634 ,  H04N5/345 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: High speed rolling image sensor includes pixel array disposed in first semiconductor die, readout circuits disposed in second semiconductor die and conductors. Pixel array is partitioned into pixel sub-arrays (PSAs). Each of the PSAs includes a plurality of pixels. Pixel groups include pixels that are non-contiguous, non-overlapping and distinct. Each pixel group includes pixels from different PSAs. Each pixel group is coupled to a corresponding analog-to-digital converter and memory unit tiles (ADMs) respectively included in readout circuits. ADMs respectively include (i) analog-to-digital (ADC) circuits that convert the image data from pixel groups from analog to digital to obtain ADC outputs, and (ii) memory units to store ADC outputs. Conductors are coupling pixel array to ADMs. Conductors include number of conductors per column of pixel array. Number of conductors per column of pixel array may be equal to number of pixels in PSA arranged in same column. Other embodiments are described.

公开(公告)号：US20250080876A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-06

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 ,  H04N25/63

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：US12062670B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-13

申请号：US17243024

申请日：2021-04-28

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Hui Zang ,  Yuanliang Liu ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Gang Chen ,  Bill Phan ,  Duli Mao ,  Takeshi Takeda

IPC: H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H01L27/14607 ,  H01L27/14612 ,  H01L27/1463

Abstract: An image sensor comprises a first photodiode region and circuitry. The first photodiode region is disposed within a semiconductor substrate proximate to a first side of the semiconductor substrate to form a first pixel. The first photodiode region includes a first segment coupled to a second segment. The circuitry includes at least a first electrode associated with a first transistor. The first electrode is disposed, at least in part, between the first segment and the second segment of the first photodiode region such that the circuity is at least partially surrounded by the first photodiode region when viewed from the first side of the semiconductor substrate.