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US 12,224,302 B2Granted
Image sensor pixels having reduced pitch
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
InventorsJeff M. Raynor, Frederic Lalanne, Pierre Malinge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to an image sensor that includes first and second pixels. One or more transistors of the first pixel share an active region with one or more transistors of the second pixel.
Claims20
An image sensor, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first active region in the substrate, wherein the first active region is a strip of continuous semiconductor material;
- a first pixel that includes:
- a first transistor in the first active region;
- a second transistor in the first active region;
- and
- a second pixel that includes:
- a third transistor in the first active region, wherein the second transistor and the third transistor share a common source/drain terminal in the first active region;
- and
- a fourth transistor in the first active region;
- a first isolation trench having a first depth, wherein the first isolation trench delimits the first active region on all sides;
- and
- a second isolation trench separate from the first isolation trench and having a second depth greater than the first depth and surrounding the first pixel, the second pixel, and the first isolation trench.
10 more elements
An image sensor comprising:
- first and second pixels, one or more transistors of the first pixel share an active region with one or more transistors of the second pixel, the active region is a strip of continuous semiconductor material surrounded by a first isolation trench wherein the first pixel includes a first photodiode and the second pixel includes a second photodiode wherein the first and second photodiodes are at least partially separated from each other by a second isolation trench, the second isolation trench has a greater depth than the first isolation trench.
A device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first pixel having a first photodiode on a first active region in the substrate and a first plurality of transistors each in and on a second active region in the substrate, the first pixel having a first dimension along a first direction;
- and
- a second pixel having a second photodiode on a third active region in the substrate and a second plurality of transistors in and on the second active region, the second active region extending continuously from the first pixel to the second pixel;
- a first isolation trench in the substrate adjacent to the first and second pixels and having a first depth in the substrate;
- and
- a second isolation trench delimiting the second active region on all sides and having a second depth in the substrate less than the first depth, the first isolation trench surrounding the first active region, the second active region, and the first second isolation trench.
4 more elements
An image sensor pixel, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first trench insulation in a surface of the substrate, the first trench insulation substantially delimiting a first photodiode region that includes a first active region under a first photodiode and delimiting a second photodiode region that includes a second active region under a second photodiode;
- a readout region outside the first and second photodiode region and within the first trench insulation, the readout region having a third active region that extends from the first photodiode region in a first lateral direction beyond a perimeter of the first photodiode region to the second photodiode region;
- and
- a second trench insulation that delimits the third active region on all sides and is separate from the first trench insulation, the first trench insulation being deeper than the second trench insulation and surrounding the first active region, the second active region, the third active region, and the second trench insulation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.