Fill factor enhancement for image sensor
AssigneeOmniVision Technologies, Inc.
InventorOgnjen Milic-Strkalj
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material and a plurality of isolation structures disposed between individual photodiodes in the plurality of photodiodes. The plurality of isolation structures electrically isolate individual photodiodes in the plurality of photodiodes. A plurality of transistors are disposed proximate to the plurality of photodiodes and include a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor, and a row select transistor. An active region and a gate electrode of at least one transistor in the plurality of transistors are vertically aligned with an isolation structure in the plurality of isolation structures.
Claims12
An image sensor, comprising:
- a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material;
- a plurality of isolation structures disposed between individual photodiodes in the plurality of photodiodes and positioned to prevent charge transfer between the individual photodiodes in the plurality of photodiodes;
- and
- a plurality of transistors disposed proximate to the plurality of photodiodes including a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor, and a row select transistor, wherein an entirety of at least one transistor is vertically aligned with an isolation structure in the plurality of isolation structures, and wherein the at least one transistor is one of the reset transistor, the amplifier transistor, or the row select transistor, wherein the at least one transistor is a fin-field effect transistor (“Fin-FET”), and wherein there is only one Fin-FET disposed on each of the individual isolation structures between the individual photodiodes.
An imaging system, comprising:
- a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material, wherein adjacent photodiodes are laterally separated by, and disposed between, individual isolation structures in a plurality of isolation structures disposed in the semiconductor material and positioned to prevent charge transfer between the adjacent photodiodes;
- and
- pixel circuitry disposed proximate to the plurality of photodiodes including a fin-field effect transistor (“Fin-FET”) that is one of a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor, or a row select transistor, wherein an entirety of the Fin-FET is vertically aligned with an individual isolation structure, wherein there is only one Fin-FET disposed on each of the individual isolation structures between the individual photodiodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.