# US 12,224,302 B2 · Image sensor pixels having reduced pitch

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- Number: US 12,224,302 B2
- Document ID: US12224302B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/862,316
- Filed: 2020-04-29
- Published: 2020-11-05
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-30
- Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited; STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
- Applicants: Stmicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited; STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
- Inventors: Jeff M. Raynor; Frederic Lalanne; Pierre Malinge
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224302B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor}
- H10F 39/813: {Electronic components shared by multiple pixels, e.g. one amplifier shared by two pixels}
- H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
- H04N 25/771: comprising storage means other than floating diffusion
- H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors
- H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes}
- H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures}
- H04N 25/53: Control of the integration time
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first active region is a strip of continuous semiconductor material surrounded by the first isolation trench.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image sensor of claim 2, wherein the first pixel includes a first photodiode and the second pixel includes a second photodiode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The image sensor of claim 3, wherein the first and second photodiodes are at least partially separated from each other by the second isolation trench.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image sensor of claim 4, further comprising a third isolation trench extending between the first photodiode and the first active region and a fourth isolation trench extending between the second photodiode and the first active region.

### Claim 6

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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the one or more transistors of the first pixel include a source follower transistor having a control node coupled to the first photodiode and the one or more transistors of the second pixel include a source follower transistor having a control node coupled to the second photodiode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, wherein a first transistor of the one or more transistors of the first pixel shares a common source or drain in the active region with a first transistor of the one or more transistors of the second pixel, the common source or drain being connected to a column line of the image sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the first transistor of the first pixel is coupled between a source of a second transistor of the first pixel and the column line, and the first transistor of the second pixel is coupled between a source of a second transistor of the second pixel and the column line.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The image sensor of claim 9, wherein the first pixel comprises two readout paths, one of which includes the first and second transistors of the first pixel, and
wherein the second pixel includes two readout paths, one of which includes the first and second transistors of the second pixel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the one or more transistors of the first pixel and the one or more transistors of the second pixel are n-channel MOS transistors, and the active region is of type p with regions of type n forming sources and drains of the one or more transistors of the first pixel and the one or more transistors of the second pixel.

### Claim 12

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.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, comprising a first trench insulation, a first portion of the first trench insulation positioned between the first active region and the third active region.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the first trench insulation includes a dielectric liner layer and a conductive core inside the dielectric liner layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the first trench insulation includes a second portion that is positioned between the second active region and one of the first active region or the third active region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the first trench insulation fully surrounds each of the first active region and the third active region in a lateral plane.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the first trench insulation fully delimits an outer perimeter of the first pixel and the second pixel together.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the first pixel and the second pixel share a bulk connection positioned on one of the first pixel or the second pixel.

### Claim 19

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.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the first trench insulation also delimits a capacitor region adjacent to the first photodiode region.