# US 10,483,304 B2 · Image sensor

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- Number: US 10,483,304 B2
- Document ID: US10483304B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/786,687
- Filed: 2017-10-18
- Published: 2018-07-12
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-09
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
- Inventors: Gwi-Deok Ryan Lee; Tae Yon Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483304B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements}
- H04N 25/532: by controlling global shutters in CMOS SSIS
- H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
- H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
- H04N 25/771: comprising storage means other than floating diffusion
- H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals}
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors
- H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors}
- H10F 39/8023: {Disposition of the elements in pixels, e.g. smaller elements in the centre of the imager compared to larger elements at the periphery}
- H10F 39/8033: {Photosensitive area}
- H10F 39/80373: {characterised by the gate of the transistor}
- H10F 39/811: {Interconnections}
- H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters}
- H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image sensor includes a light-sensing element that generates charge in response to incident light, a storage diode formed in a substrate, wherein the storage diode stores the charge generated by the light-sensing element, a floating diffusion region formed in a top surface of the substrate and spaced apart from the storage diode, and a transfer gate at least partially buried under the top surface of the substrate, wherein the transfer gate controls the transfer of the charge from the storage diode to the floating diffusion region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image sensor, comprising:
a light-sensing element that generates charge in response to incident light;
a storage diode formed in a substrate, wherein the storage diode stores the charge generated by the light-sensing element;
a floating diffusion region formed in a top surface of the substrate and spaced apart from the storage diode;
a transfer gate at least partially buried under the top surface of the substrate, wherein the transfer gate controls both the transfer of the charge from the light-sensing element to the storage diode, and the transfer of the charge from the storage diode to the floating diffusion region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a first channel region adjacent a first surface portion of the transfer gate for transferring the charge from the light-sensing element to the storage diode, and a second channel region adjacent a second surface portion of the transfer gate for transferring the charge from the storage diode to the floating diffusion region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the transfer gate controls the transfer of the charge from the light-sensing element to the storage diode in response to a first transfer signal having a first voltage, and the transfer of the charge from the storage diode to the floating diffusion region in response to a second transfer signal having a second voltage different from the first voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The image sensor of claim 3, wherein the first voltage is higher than the second voltage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the light-sensing element comprises a photodiode formed internal to the substrate and proximate a bottom surface of the substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the light-sensing element comprises an external light-sensing element formed at least partially external to the substrate and proximate a bottom surface of the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the external light-sensing element comprises:
a first electrode formed on the bottom surface of the substrate;
a second electrode formed on the first electrode; and
a charge generation layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, further comprising:
charge storage region formed in the bottom surface of the substrate, wherein the light-sensing element is electrically connected to the charge storage region through a via.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The image sensor of claim 8, wherein charge generated by the light-sensing element is stored in the charge storage region, and the transfer gate controls the transfer of the charge stored in the charge storage region to the storage diode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the charge storage region, the storage diode, and the floating diffusion region are vertically aligned in relation to the horizontally disposed top and bottom surfaces of the substrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a first reset gate spaced apart from the transfer gate and at least partially buried in the top surface of the substrate, wherein the first reset gate resets the light-sensing element in response to a first reset signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The image sensor of claim 11, further comprising:
a second reset gate formed in the top surface of the substrate, wherein the second reset gate and the transfer gate are disposed on opposite sides of the floating diffusion region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The image sensor of claim 12, wherein the second reset gate comprises a reset drain, such that the floating diffusion region is reset by a floating reset voltage applied to the reset drain.

### Claim 14

An image sensor, comprising:
a substrate having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface;
a trench formed in the top surface of the substrate;
a transfer gate filling the trench;
a first charge storage region formed in the substrate on a first side of the transfer gate;
a second charge storage region formed in the substrate on a second side of the transfer gate; and
a floating diffusion region exposed through the top surface of the substrate,
wherein the transfer gate controls transfer of charge stored in the first charge storage region to the second charge storage region in response to a first voltage, and transfer of charge stored in the second storage region to the floating diffusion region in response to a second voltage different from the first voltage.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The image sensor of claim 14, further comprising:
an external light-sensing element disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate, wherein the first charge storage region is electrically connected to the external light-sensing element, such that the first charge storage region receives and stores charge generated in response to an optical signal received by the light-sensing element.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The image sensor of claim 15, further comprising:
a region surrounding the first charge storage region and doped with ions of a different conductivity type than ions of the first charge storage region.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The image sensor of claim 14, wherein the first voltage is higher than the second voltage.

### Claim 18

An image sensor, comprising:
a sensor array including pixels that respectively convert an optical signal into a corresponding electrical output; and
a timing generator controlling the sensor array,
wherein each of the pixels includes a light-sensing element that generates charge in response to the optical signal, a storage diode formed in a substrate that stores the charge generated by the light-sensing element, a floating diffusion region formed in the substrate and spaced apart from the storage diode in a first direction, and a transfer gate buried in the substrate in the first direction, and
the transfer gate controls the transfer of charge from the light-sensing element to the storage diode in response to a first transfer signal provided by the timing generator, and the transfer of charge from the storage diode to the floating diffusion region in response to a second transfer signal provided by the timing generator.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The image sensor of claim 18, wherein the first transfer signal has a first voltage, and the second transfer signal has a second voltage different from the first voltage.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The image sensor of claim 19, wherein the first voltage is higher than the second voltage.