公开(公告)号：US11271031B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-08

申请号：US16876511

申请日：2020-05-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Nobuhiro Karasawa ,  Xiaofeng Fan ,  Arnaud Laflaquiere ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/376 ,  H04N5/378 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/0352

Abstract: A back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor includes a sensor wafer stacked vertically over a circuit wafer. The sensor wafer includes one or more SPAD regions, with each SPAD region including an anode gradient layer, a cathode region positioned adjacent to a front surface of the SPAD region, and an anode avalanche layer positioned over the cathode region. Each SPAD region is connected to a voltage supply and an output circuit in the circuit wafer through inter-wafer connectors. Deep trench isolation elements are used to provide electrical and optical isolation between SPAD regions.

公开(公告)号：US10658419B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-19

申请号：US15713520

申请日：2017-09-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Nobuhiro Karasawa ,  Xiaofeng Fan ,  Arnaud Laflaquiere ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  G01S7/486 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/376 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/0352 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/4863

Abstract: A back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor includes a sensor wafer stacked vertically over a circuit wafer. The sensor wafer includes one or more SPAD regions, with each SPAD region including an anode gradient layer, a cathode region positioned adjacent to a front surface of the SPAD region, and an anode avalanche layer positioned over the cathode region. Each SPAD region is connected to a voltage supply and an output circuit in the circuit wafer through inter-wafer connectors. Deep trench isolation elements are used to provide electrical and optical isolation between SPAD regions.

公开(公告)号：US09686485B2

公开(公告)日：2017-06-20

申请号：US14292599

申请日：2014-05-30

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Claus Molgaard ,  Ashirwad Bahukhandi ,  Chiajen Lee ,  Xiangli Li

IPC: H04N5/345 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N9/04

CPC classification number: H04N9/04511 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/37457 ,  H04N9/045

Abstract: Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

公开(公告)号：US12185018B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-31

申请号：US16912497

申请日：2020-06-25

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Zachary M. Beiley ,  Andras G. Pattantyus-Abraham ,  Oray O. Cellek ,  Xiaofeng Fan ,  Gershon Rosenblum ,  Xiangli Li ,  Emanuele Mandelli ,  Bernhard Buettgen ,  Yuchuan Shao

IPC: H04N5/33 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N23/30 ,  H04N25/131

Abstract: A sensor stack is described. The sensor stack includes first and second electromagnetic radiation sensors. The first electromagnetic radiation sensor has a high quantum efficiency for converting a first range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths into a first set of electrical signals. The second electromagnetic radiation sensor is positioned in a field of view of the first electromagnetic radiation sensor and has a high quantum efficiency for converting a second range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths into a second set of electrical signals and a low quantum efficiency for converting the first range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths into the second set of electrical signals. The first range of wavelengths does not overlap the second range of wavelengths, and the second electromagnetic radiation sensor is at least partially transmissive to the first range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths.

公开(公告)号：US11415679B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-16

申请号：US16752653

申请日：2020-01-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Anup K. Sharma ,  Arnaud Laflaquière ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Gershon Rosenblum ,  Shingo Mandai

IPC: G01S7/4865 ,  H01L31/02 ,  G01S7/483 ,  G04F10/00 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/18 ,  G01S17/894

Abstract: A sensing device includes a first array of sensing elements, which output a signal indicative of a time of incidence of a single photon on the sensing element. A second array of processing circuits are coupled respectively to the sensing elements and comprise a gating generator, which variably sets a start time of the gating interval for each sensing element within each acquisition period, and a memory, which records the time of incidence of the single photon on each sensing element in each acquisition period. A controller sets, in each of at least some of the acquisition periods, different, respective gating intervals for different ones of the sensing elements.

公开(公告)号：US10609348B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-31

申请号：US15627409

申请日：2017-06-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  Claus Molgaard ,  Ashirwad Bahukhandi ,  Chiajen Lee ,  Xiangli Li

IPC: H04N9/04 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

公开(公告)号：US10192911B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-29

申请号：US15939347

申请日：2018-03-29

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  QingFei Chen ,  Oray O. Cellek ,  Xiangli Li

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: Imaging apparatus includes a photosensitive medium and a bias electrode, which is at least partially transparent, overlying the photosensitive medium. An array of pixel circuits is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Each pixel circuit includes a pixel electrode coupled to collect the charge carriers from the photosensitive medium; a readout circuit configured to output a signal indicative of a quantity of the charge carriers collected by the pixel electrode; a skimming gate coupled between the pixel electrode and the readout circuit; and a shutter gate coupled in parallel with the skimming gate between a node in the pixel circuit and a sink site. The shutter gate and the skimming gate are opened sequentially in each of a sequence of image frames so as to apply a global shutter to the array and then to read out the collected charge carriers via the skimming gate to the readout circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20180331138A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-15

申请号：US15939347

申请日：2018-03-29

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Gennadiy A. Agranov ,  QingFei Chen ,  Oray O. Cellek ,  Xiangli Li

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/378

CPC classification number: H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H04N5/3597 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: Imaging apparatus includes a photosensitive medium and a bias electrode, which is at least partially transparent, overlying the photosensitive medium. An array of pixel circuits is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Each pixel circuit includes a pixel electrode coupled to collect the charge carriers from the photosensitive medium; a readout circuit configured to output a signal indicative of a quantity of the charge carriers collected by the pixel electrode; a skimming gate coupled between the pixel electrode and the readout circuit; and a shutter gate coupled in parallel with the skimming gate between a node in the pixel circuit and a sink site. The shutter gate and the skimming gate are opened sequentially in each of a sequence of image frames so as to apply a global shutter to the array and then to read out the collected charge carriers via the skimming gate to the readout circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20180090536A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-29

申请号：US15713477

申请日：2017-09-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Nobuhiro Karasawa ,  Xiaofeng Fan ,  Arnaud Laflaquiere ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/376

CPC classification number: H01L27/14665 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01L27/1461 ,  H01L27/14616 ,  H01L27/14623 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H01L27/14629 ,  H01L27/1463 ,  H01L27/14632 ,  H01L27/14634 ,  H01L27/1464 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L31/02027 ,  H01L31/03529 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H04N5/35572 ,  H04N5/3577 ,  H04N5/3698 ,  H04N5/37452 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor includes a sensor wafer stacked vertically over a circuit wafer. The sensor wafer includes one or more SPAD regions, with each SPAD region including an anode gradient layer, a cathode region positioned adjacent to a front surface of the SPAD region, and an anode avalanche layer positioned over the cathode region. Each SPAD region is connected to a voltage supply and an output circuit in the circuit wafer through inter-wafer connectors. Deep trench isolation elements are used to provide electrical and optical isolation between SPAD regions.

公开(公告)号：US20200286946A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-10

申请号：US16876511

申请日：2020-05-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Shingo Mandai ,  Cristiano L. Niclass ,  Nobuhiro Karasawa ,  Xiaofeng Fan ,  Arnaud Laflaquiere ,  Gennadiy A. Agranov

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/376 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H04N5/369

Abstract: A back-illuminated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor includes a sensor wafer stacked vertically over a circuit wafer. The sensor wafer includes one or more SPAD regions, with each SPAD region including an anode gradient layer, a cathode region positioned adjacent to a front surface of the SPAD region, and an anode avalanche layer positioned over the cathode region. Each SPAD region is connected to a voltage supply and an output circuit in the circuit wafer through inter-wafer connectors. Deep trench isolation elements are used to provide electrical and optical isolation between SPAD regions.