# US 11,114,492 B2 · Image sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,492 B2 - Document ID: US11114492B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/123,232 - Filed: 2018-09-06 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-13 - Assignees: SK hynix Inc. - Applicants: SK hynix Inc. - Inventors: Won-Jun Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114492B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/813: {Electronic components shared by multiple pixels, e.g. one amplifier shared by two pixels} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F 39/8027: {Geometry of the photosensitive area} - H10F 39/8033: {Photosensitive area} - H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor} - H10F 39/80373: {characterised by the gate of the transistor} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - H10F 39/014: {of CMOS image sensors} - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/198: {Contact-type image sensors [CIS]} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H10W 10/014: {using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations} - H10W 10/031: {of isolation regions comprising PN junctions} - H10W 10/17: formed using trench refilling with dielectric materials, e.g. shallow trench isolations - H10W 10/30: Isolation regions comprising PN junctions - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract An image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion element structured to receive incident light and convert the received light into electric charges; a plurality of transfer transistors electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion element to respond to a transfer signal to selectively transfer the electric charges out of the photoelectric conversion element; and a lag prevention structure formed at a center of the photoelectric conversion element and structured to receive the transfer signal to operate together with the plurality of transfer transistors to facilitate transfer the electric charges out of the photoelectric conversion element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor comprising: a photoelectric conversion element structured to receive incident light and convert the received light into electric charges; a monochromatic color separation element overlapping with the photoelectric conversion element; a plurality of light focusing elements formed over the color separation element; a plurality of transfer transistors electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion element to respond to a transfer signal to selectively transfer the electric charges out of the photoelectric conversion element; and a lag prevention structure formed at a center of the photoelectric conversion element and structured to receive the transfer signal to operate together with the plurality of transfer transistors to facilitate transfer the electric charges out of the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the lag prevention structure includes an impurity region and an ohmic contact layer, and wherein the impurity region is formed in the photoelectric conversion element, and the ohmic contact layer is formed over the impurity region, and wherein the number of the plurality of light focusing elements is the same as the number of the plurality of transfer transistors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein the transfer signal includes a first transfer signal which is applied to the plurality of transfer transistors and a second transfer signal which is applied to the lag prevention structure, and the first transfer signal and the second transfer signal have different polarities from each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein a planar shape of the lag prevention structure is symmetrical with respect to the center of the photoelectric conversion element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein the impurity region has a pillar shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image sensor according to claim 4, wherein the impurity region includes a P-type impurity region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The image sensor according to claim 4, wherein the impurity region includes an N-type impurity region, and wherein the lag prevention structure further includes a gate which is formed over the N-type impurity region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, the plurality of transfer transistors is positioned at corners of the photoelectric conversion element. ### Claim 8 An image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixel blocks isolated by an isolation structure, each of the plurality of pixel blocks comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface that are on opposite sides of the substrate, and including a photoelectric conversion element formed in the substrate; a monochromatic color separation element formed over the second surface of the substrate, and overlapping with the photoelectric conversion element; a plurality of light focusing elements formed over the color separation element; a plurality of transfer transistors formed over the first surface of the substrate, and coupled to the photoelectric conversion element; and a lag prevention structure formed in the photoelectric conversion element, and including an impurity region which is positioned at a center of the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the lag prevention structure further includes an ohmic contact layer, wherein the impurity region is formed in the photoelectric conversion element, and the ohmic contact layer is formed over the impurity region, and wherein the number of the plurality of light focusing elements is the same as the number of the plurality of transfer transistors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, wherein the lag prevention structure has the shape of a vertically extending pillar, and is brought into contact with the first surface of the substrate or the second surface of the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, wherein the impurity region includes a P-type impurity region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, wherein the impurity region includes an N-type impurity region, and wherein the lag prevention structure further includes a gate which is formed over the N-type impurity region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of transfer transistors is positioned symmetrically to one another with respect to the lag prevention structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of pixel blocks further comprises: a plurality of floating diffusions electrically connected to the plurality of transfer transistors, respectively; and a driving section electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of floating diffusions and structured to output an output signal corresponding to photocharges generated in the photoelectric conversion element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image sensor according to claim 13, wherein the driving section of a corresponding pixel block is electrically coupled with a first floating diffusion among the plurality of floating diffusions in the corresponding pixel block, and wherein remaining floating diffusions except the first floating diffusion in the corresponding pixel block are electrically coupled to driving sections of other pixel blocks adjacent to the corresponding pixel block. ### Claim 15 An image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixel blocks isolated by an isolation structure and including a first pixel block to a fourth pixel block which are positioned adjacent to one another among the plurality of pixel blocks and share a first floating diffusion, wherein each of the first pixel block to the fourth pixel block comprises: a photoelectric conversion element; a lag prevention structure formed at a center of the photoelectric conversion element; and a plurality of transfer transistors sharing the photoelectric conversion element, and wherein the first floating diffusion is electrically coupled to any one of the plurality of transfer transistors in each of the first pixel block to the fourth pixel block. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image sensor according to claim 15, further comprising: a color filter array formed to correspond to the plurality of pixel blocks, the color filter array including a Bayer pattern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image sensor according to claim 15, wherein the lag prevention structures of the first pixel block to the fourth pixel block are positioned symmetrically to one another with respect to the first floating diffusion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The image sensor according to claim 15, wherein the first pixel block to the fourth pixel block surround the first floating diffusion and any two adjacent pixel blocks of the first pixel block to the fourth pixel block further share an additional floating diffusion.