# US 11,026,565 B2 · Image sensor for endoscopic use

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- Number: US 11,026,565 B2
- Document ID: US11026565B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/990,751
- Filed: 2018-05-28
- Published: 2019-01-10
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-12
- Assignees: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
- Applicants: Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.
- Inventors: Laurent Blanquart; Joshua D. Talbert; Jeremiah D. Henley; Donald M. Wichern
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026565B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes}
- A61B 1/00009: {of image signals during a use of endoscope}
- A61B 1/051: {Details of CCD assembly}
- A61B 1/0676: {at distal tip of an endoscope}
- H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means
- H04N 25/767: Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
- H04N 25/778: comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors
- H10D 86/441: {Interconnections, e.g. scanning lines}
- H10D 86/60: wherein the TFTs are in active matrices
- H10F 39/014: {of CMOS image sensors}
- H10F 39/018: {of hybrid image sensors}
- H10F 39/12: Image sensors
- H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors
- H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors}
- H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements}
- H10F 39/804: {Containers or encapsulations}
- H10F 39/809: {of hybrid image sensors}
- H10F 39/811: {Interconnections}
- H10F 39/812: {Arrangements for transferring the charges in the image sensor perpendicular to the imaging plane, e.g. buried regions used to transfer generated charges to circuitry under the photosensitive region}
- H10F 39/813: {Electronic components shared by multiple pixels, e.g. one amplifier shared by two pixels}
- H10W 70/60: Insulating or insulated package substrates; Interposers; Redistribution layers (leadframes H10W70/40)
- H10W 72/20: Bump connectors, e.g. solder bumps or copper pillars; Dummy bumps; Thermal bumps
- H10W 72/30: Die-attach connectors
- H10W 90/00: Package configurations
- H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes}
- H10F 77/122: comprising only Group IV materials
- H10F 77/123: comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or HgCdTe
- H10F 77/124: comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaAs
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An endoscopic device having embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor that optimizes a pixel array area on a substrate using a stacking scheme for placement of related circuitry with minimal vertical interconnects between stacked substrates and associated features are disclosed. Embodiments of maximized pixel array size/die size (area optimization) are disclosed, and an optimized imaging sensor providing improved image quality, improved functionality, and improved form factors for specific applications common to the industry of digital imaging are also disclosed. Embodiments of the above may include systems, methods and processes for staggering ADC or column circuit bumps in a column or sub-column hybrid image sensor using vertical interconnects are also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An endoscopic device comprising:
an endoscope including a lumen, the lumen including an image sensor disposed in a distal end of the lumen, the image sensor comprising:
a first substrate including a pixel array disposed on a top of the first substrate, a first substrate read bus communicating with at least one pixel on the pixel array;
a plurality of interconnects;
a second substrate including supporting circuitry for the pixel array and a second substrate read bus, the second substrate being in electrical communication with the first substrate by the plurality of interconnects;
wherein at least one interconnect of the plurality of interconnects connects the first substrate read bus to the second substrate read bus, thereby providing electrical communication between the at least one pixel and the supporting circuitry.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein the supporting circuitry includes one or more of an analog to digital converter, a power circuit, a power harvester, an amplifier circuit, a dedicated signal processor, a filter, and a serializer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein the interconnects include one or more of a wirebond, a μbump, a solder bump, a solder ball, and a through silicon via.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein said pixel array includes a plurality of pixel columns arranged into a plurality of pixel sub-columns.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The endoscopic device of claim 4, wherein a plurality of first substrate read buses are provided on the first substrate, where a first substrate read bus is provided for each one of the plurality of pixel sub-columns on the first substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The endoscopic device of claim 5, wherein each first substrate read bus provides electrical communication for one of the plurality of pixel sub-columns to the supporting circuitry for the one pixel sub-column on the second substrate via a corresponding second substrate read bus on the second substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The endoscopic device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of interconnects further connect each first substrate read bus its corresponding second substrate read bus.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The endoscopic device of claim 7, wherein each interconnect connects to a first substrate read bus at a point along a physical path where the first substrate read bus overlaps the corresponding second substrate read bus at a point along a physical path of the corresponding second substrate read bus.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The endoscopic device of claim 4, wherein a first substrate read bus is provided for each two of the plurality of pixel sub-columns on the first substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The endoscopic device of claim 9, wherein each first substrate read bus includes a select transistor to select which one of the two of the plurality of pixel sub-columns on the first substrate to read.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes a surface area that is substantially equivalent to a surface area of the second substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes a surface area that is less than the surface area of the second substrate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate further includes a second pixel array.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The endoscopic device of claim 13, wherein the second pixel array enables three dimensional image capture.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are vertically stacked.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The endoscopic device of claim 1, wherein an interconnect is provided for each individual pixel in the pixel array.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The endoscopic device of claim 16, wherein the interconnect is a bump with a bump pitch that substantially equals a pixel pitch of the pixels in the pixel array in both an X direction and a Y direction of the first substrate and the second substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The imaging sensor of claim 1, wherein the interconnect connects to the first substrate read bus at a point along a physical path where the first substrate read bus overlaps the second substrate read bus at a point along a physical path of the second substrate read bus.

### Claim 19

An endoscopic device comprising:
an endoscope including a lumen, the lumen including an image sensor disposed in a distal end of the lumen, the image sensor comprising:
a first substrate including a pixel array disposed on a top of the first substrate, a first substrate read bus communicating with at least one pixel on the pixel array, wherein the pixel array is a column of pixels M pixels wide and N pixels long;
a plurality of interconnects; and
a second substrate including supporting circuitry for the pixel array and a second substrate read bus, the second substrate being in electrical communication with the first substrate by the plurality of interconnects;
wherein at least one interconnect of the plurality of interconnects connects the first substrate read bus to the second substrate read bus, thereby providing electrical communication between the at least one pixel and the supporting circuitry.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The imaging sensor of claim 19, wherein the aspect ratio of the pixel array is 1:N.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The imaging sensor of claim 19, wherein an interconnect is provided for each individual pixel in the pixel array.