# US 12,604,546 B2 · Depth sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,604,546 B2 - Document ID: US12604546B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/480,479 - Filed: 2023-10-03 - Published: 2024-04-18 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-10-17 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Seung Hyun Lee; Young Chan Kim; Young Gu Jin; Young Sun Oh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604546B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/80373: {characterised by the gate of the transistor} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A depth sensor includes a substrate that includes a first face and a second face opposite to each other in a first direction; a photoelectric conversion element disposed in the substrate; and first and second taps connected to the photoelectric conversion element. Each of the first and second taps includes: a floating diffusion area disposed in the substrate; a transfer transistor connected to the floating diffusion area; a photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element; a tap transfer transistor connected to the photo transistor; and a storage transistor connected to the tap transfer transistor and the transfer transistor. The storage transistor includes a storage gate electrode. The storage gate electrode includes a first extension and a second extension that extend from the first face of the substrate toward the second face, and the first extension and the second extension are spaced apart from each other in a second direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A depth sensor, comprising: a substrate that includes a first face and a second face that are opposite to each other in a first direction; a photoelectric conversion element disposed in the substrate; and first and second taps connected to the photoelectric conversion element, wherein each of the first and second taps includes: a floating diffusion area disposed in the substrate; a transfer transistor connected to the floating diffusion area; a photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element; a tap transfer transistor connected to the photo transistor; and a storage transistor connected to the tap transfer transistor and the transfer transistor, wherein the storage transistor includes a storage gate electrode, wherein the storage gate electrode includes a first extension and a second extension that extend from the first face of the substrate toward the second face thereof, wherein the first extension and the second extension are spaced apart from each other in a second direction that differs from the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The depth sensor of claim 1, further comprising a first barrier area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes a first connection portion that connects the first extension and the second extension to each other, wherein the first connection portion is disposed on the first face of the substrate and is adjacent to the first barrier area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The depth sensor of claim 2, further comprising a second barrier area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes a second connection portion that connects the first extension and the second extension to each other, wherein the second connection portion is disposed in the substrate and is adjacent to the second barrier area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The depth sensor of claim 1, further comprising a storage area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The depth sensor of claim 1, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes: a first connection portion disposed on the first face of the substrate and that is connected to the first extension; and a second connection portion disposed on the first face of the substrate and that is connected to the second extension, wherein the second connection portion is spaced apart from the first connection portion in the second direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The depth sensor of claim 1, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes a third extension that extends from the first face toward the second face, wherein the third extension is spaced apart from the second extension, wherein the second extension is disposed between the first extension and the third extension. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The depth sensor of claim 6, wherein each of the first extension and the second extension is disposed in the substrate and extends in a third direction that differs from the first direction, wherein a length in the third direction of the second extension is less than a length in the third direction of each of the first extension and the third extension. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The depth sensor of claim 6, wherein each of the first extension and the second extension is disposed in the substrate and extends in a third direction that differs from the first direction, wherein a length in the second direction of the second extension is equal to a length in the second direction of each of the first extension and the third extension. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The depth sensor of claim 6, further comprising: a first storage area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension; and a second storage area disposed in the substrate and between the second extension and the third extension. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The depth sensor of claim 1, further comprising a barrier area disposed in the substrate, wherein the barrier area overlaps each of the first extension and the second extension in the first direction. ### Claim 11 A depth sensor, comprising: a substrate; and a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element; a first photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element by a first photo gate signal; a second photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element by a second photo gate signal; a first floating diffusion area; a second floating diffusion area; a first storage transistor that connects the first photo transistor and the first floating diffusion area to each other; and a second storage transistor that connects the second photo transistor and the second floating diffusion area to each other, wherein the second photo gate signal has a phase that differs from a phase of the first photo gate signal, wherein each of the first and second storage transistors includes a storage gate electrode, wherein the storage gate electrode includes a first extension and a second extension that are disposed in the substrate and that are spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The depth sensor of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes: a third photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element by a third photo gate signal; and a fourth photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element by a fourth photo gate signal, wherein the first to fourth photo gate signals have phases that differ from each other, wherein each of the third and fourth photo transistors includes a storage gate electrode, wherein the storage gate electrode includes a first extension and a second extension that are disposed in the substrate and that are spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The depth sensor of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of micro lenses that respectively correspond to the plurality of pixels, wherein the plurality of micro lenses are disposed on the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The depth sensor of claim 12, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes: a first connection portion disposed on the substrate and that is connected to the first extension; and a second connection portion disposed on the substrate and that is connected to the second extension. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The depth sensor of claim 12, further comprising a first barrier area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes a first connection portion disposed on the substrate and connected to the first extension and the second extension, wherein the first connection portion is adjacent to the first barrier area. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The depth sensor of claim 15, further comprising a second barrier area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes a second connection portion disposed in the substrate and connected to the first extension and the second extension, wherein the second connection portion is adjacent to the second barrier area. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The depth sensor of claim 12, further comprising a storage area disposed in the substrate and between the first extension and the second extension. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The depth sensor of claim 12, wherein the storage gate electrode further includes a third extension disposed in the substrate, wherein the first to third extensions are sequentially arranged along a first direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The depth sensor of claim 18, wherein a length in a second direction of the second extension differs from a length in the second direction of each of the first extension and the third extension, wherein the second direction differs from the first direction. ### Claim 20 A depth sensor, comprising: a substrate that includes a first face and a second face that are opposite to each other in a first direction; and a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element disposed in the substrate; and first and second taps that share the photoelectric conversion element, wherein each of the first and second taps includes: a floating diffusion area disposed in the substrate; a transfer transistor connected to the floating diffusion area; a photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element; a tap transfer transistor connected to the photo transistor; a storage transistor connected to the tap transfer transistor and the transfer transistor; and a barrier area disposed in the substrate and that overlaps the storage transistor in the first direction, wherein a first photo gate signal applied to the photo transistor of the first tap and a second photo gate signal applied to the photo transistor of the second tap have phases that differ from each other, wherein the storage transistor includes a storage gate electrode that includes a first extension and a second extension, wherein the first extension and the second extension extend from the first face of the substrate toward the second face thereof and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction that differs from the first direction.