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US 11,444,110 B2Granted
Pixel comprising a charge storage zone
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
InventorsBoris Rodrigues Goncalves, Frederic Lalanne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pixel includes a photoconversion zone, an insulated vertical electrode and at least one charge storage zone. The photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate and each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the substrate physically separated from the first part of the substrate by the insulated vertical electrode.
Claims26
A pixel comprising:
- a photoconversion zone;
- an insulated vertical electrode;
- and
- at least one charge storage zone;
- wherein the photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate;
- wherein each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the semiconductor substrate that is physically separated from the first part of the semiconductor substrate by the insulated vertical electrode;
- wherein the insulated vertical electrode passes through the semiconductor substrate from a first face of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- for each charge storage zone:
- a first doped zone in contact with said charge storage zone in the second part;
- a second doped zone in the first part;
- a gate resting on the first face of the semiconductor substrate between the photoconversion zone and said second doped zone;
- and
- an electrical connection between the first doped zone and the second doped zone;
- wherein the insulated vertical electrode is configured, for each charge storage zone, to electrically and optically insulate the first part of the semiconductor substrate comprising the photoconversion zone and the second doped zone from the second part of the semiconductor substrate comprising the charge storage zone and the first doped zone.
12 more elements
A pixel comprising:
- a photoconversion zone;
- an insulated vertical electrode;
- and
- at least one charge storage zone;
- wherein the photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate;
- wherein each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the semiconductor substrate that is physically separated from the first part of the semiconductor substrate by the insulated vertical electrode;
- and
- a circuit configured:
- to apply a first polarization potential to the first part of the semiconductor substrate;
- and
- for each charge storage zone:
- to apply the first polarization potential to the second part of the semiconductor substrate during each reading phase of the charge storage zone;
- and
- to apply a second polarization potential to the second part of the semiconductor substrate outside of reading phases of said charge storage zone;
- wherein the first and second polarization potentials are configured so that a potential well in the charge storage zone is deeper when the second polarization potential is applied than when the first polarization potential is applied.
12 more elements
A sensor, comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises:
- a photoconversion zone;
- an insulated vertical electrode;
- and
- at least one charge storage zone;
- wherein the photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate;
- and
- wherein each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the semiconductor substrate that is physically separated from the first part of the semiconductor substrate by the insulated vertical electrode;
- and
- wherein two adjacent pixels share same first part of the semiconductor substrate.
6 more elements
A control method for a pixel that includes a photoconversion zone, an insulated vertical electrode, and at least one charge storage zone, wherein the photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate, and wherein each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the semiconductor substrate that is physically separated from the first part of the semiconductor substrate by the insulated vertical electrode, comprising:
- polarizing the first part of the semiconductor substrate with a first polarization potential;
- and
- for each charge storage zone:
- polarizing the second part of the semiconductor substrate with the first polarization potential during each reading phase of the charge storage zone;
- and
- polarizing said second part outside of reading phases of said charge storage zone with a second polarization potential;
- wherein the first and second polarization potentials are configured so that a potential well in the charge storage zone is deeper when the second polarization potential is applied to the second part of the semiconductor substrate than when the first polarization potential is applied to the second part of the semiconductor substrate.
4 more elements
A pixel comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a photoconversion zone in a first part of a semiconductor substrate;
- a charge storage zone in a second part of the semiconductor substrate;
- an insulated vertical electrode extending completely through the semiconductor substrate and positioned to electrically and optically insulate the charge storage zone from the photoconversion zone;
- a first doped zone in the second part of the semiconductor substrate in contact with said charge storage zone;
- a second doped zone in the first part of the semiconductor substrate;
- a gate structure over the semiconductor substrate and positioned between the photoconversion zone and said second doped zone;
- and
- an electrical connection between the first doped zone and the second doped zone.
6 more elements
A pixel comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a photoconversion zone in a first part of a semiconductor substrate;
- a charge storage zone in a second part of the semiconductor substrate;
- an insulated vertical electrode extending completely through the semiconductor substrate and positioned to electrically and optically insulate the charge storage zone from the photoconversion zone;
- and
- a circuit configured:
- to apply a first polarization potential to the first part of the semiconductor substrate;
- to apply the first polarization potential to the second part of the semiconductor substrate during each reading phase of the charge storage zone;
- and
- to apply a second polarization potential, different from the first polarization potential, to the second part of the semiconductor substrate outside of reading phases of said charge storage zone.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.