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US 10,854,649 B2Granted
Image sensor including unit pixel block having common selection transistor
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorPyong-Su Kwag
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image sensor may include unit pixel blocks with each having pixels for sensing incident light. Each unit pixel block may include a first sub pixel block including a first floating diffusion, a second sub pixel block including a second floating diffusion, and a common transistor block including a first drive transistor adjacent to the first floating diffusion and a second drive transistor adjacent to the second floating diffusion. The first and second floating diffusions may be electrically coupled in common to the first and second drive transistors.
Claims21
An image sensor comprising:
- unit pixel blocks with each having pixels for sensing incident light, each unit pixel block including:
- a first sub pixel block including a first floating diffusion;
- a second sub pixel block including a second floating diffusion;
- and
- a common transistor block including a first drive transistor adjacent to the first floating diffusion, a second drive transistor adjacent to the second floating diffusion, and a selection transistor,
- wherein the first and second floating diffusions are electrically coupled in common to the first and second drive transistors,
- wherein the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion are electrically connected with each other through a first direct interconnection between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion, and
- wherein the selection transistor is coupled in common to the first and second drive transistors.
5 more elements
An image sensor comprising an array of pixel blocks that are responsive to incident light, each pixel block including:
- a first sub pixel block including a first floating diffusion;
- a second sub pixel block including a second floating diffusion;
- and
- a common transistor block including:
- a first drive transistor and a second drive transistor coupled in common to the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion;
- a selection transistor coupled in common to the first drive transistor and the second drive transistor;
- and
- a reset transistor coupled in common to the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion,
- wherein the first sub pixel block and the second sub pixel block are disposed to be adjacent to each other in a first direction,
- wherein the common transistor block is disposed along one side of the first sub pixel block and one side of the second sub pixel block in a second direction,
- wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other,
- wherein the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion are electrically connected with each other through a direct interconnection between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion, and
- wherein the first drive transistor, the second drive transistor, the selection transistor, and the reset transistor are disposed on a virtual line extending in the first direction.
10 more elements
An image sensor comprising unit pixel blocks, each unit pixel block comprising:
- a first sub pixel block including first photodiodes, first transfer transistors coupled to the first photodiodes, respectively, and a first floating diffusion coupled to the first transfer transistors to receive electrical charges or signals from the first photodiodes;
- a second sub pixel block including second photodiodes, second transfer transistors coupled to the first photodiodes, respectively, and a second floating diffusion coupled to the second transfer transistors to receive electrical charges or signals from the second photodiodes;
- and
- a common transistor block including a first drive transistor, a second drive transistor, and a selection transistor,
- wherein the first floating diffusion of the first sub pixel block and the second floating diffusion of the second sub pixel block are coupled in common to a first drive transistor of and a second drive transistor in the common transistor block,
- wherein:
- the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion are electrically connected with each other through a direct interconnection between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion,
- a drain electrode of the selection transistor is directly electrically connected in common to source electrodes of the first drive transistor and the second drive transistor,
- the first sub pixel block and the second sub pixel block are disposed to be adjacent to each other in a first direction,
- the common transistor block is disposed along one side of the first sub pixel block and one side of the second sub pixel block in a second direction,
- the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, and
- the first drive transistor, the second drive transistor, and the selection transistor are on a virtual line extending in the first direction.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.