# US 12,765,092 B2 · Image sensor having a reduced length metal wiring connecting floating diffusion regions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,765,092 B2 - Document ID: US12765092B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/408,834 - Filed: 2024-01-10 - Published: 2024-07-18 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-01-13 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sanghyuck Moon; Jueun Park; Hyuncheol Kim; Eunsub Shim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12765092B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor} - H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes} - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An image sensor, including a shared pixel including two sub pixels of a 1×2 structure and sharing a floating diffusion region on each of the two sub pixels through a metal wiring, unit pixels surrounding the floating diffusion region, within the shared pixel, separated from each other by front-side deep trench isolation, and each including a photodiode, a transfer transistor adjacent to the floating diffusion region and on each of the unit pixels, a reset transistor and a selection transistor on a first unit pixel located in a first quadrant among the unit pixels, a conversion gain transistor on a second unit pixel located in a second quadrant among the unit pixels, and a source follower transistor on a third unit pixel located in a third quadrant and a fourth unit pixel located in a fourth quadrant among the unit pixels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor, comprising: a shared pixel including two sub pixels of a 1×2 structure and sharing at least one floating diffusion region on each of the two sub pixels through a metal wiring; unit pixels surrounding the at least one floating diffusion region, within the shared pixel, separated from each other by front-side deep trench isolation, and each including a photodiode; at least one transfer transistor adjacent to the at least one floating diffusion region and on each of the unit pixels; a reset transistor and a selection transistor on a first unit pixel located in a first quadrant among the unit pixels; a conversion gain transistor on a second unit pixel located in a second quadrant among the unit pixels; and a source follower transistor on a third unit pixel located in a third quadrant and a fourth unit pixel located in a fourth quadrant among the unit pixels, wherein: the metal wiring connects the at least one floating diffusion region to a source region of the conversion gain transistor and a gate of the source follower transistor, and an acute angle is formed by the at least one floating diffusion region contacting the metal wiring. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal wiring includes: a first metal wiring extending straight in a first direction in the source region of the conversion gain transistor, and a second metal wiring extending straight in a second direction crossing the first direction in the gate of the source follower transistor, and a right angle formed by contacting a first end of the first metal wiring with a second end of the second metal wiring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image sensor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one floating diffusion region contacts the second metal wiring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein an angle about 45° is formed by the at least one floating diffusion region contacting the second metal wiring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one transfer transistor is oblique with respect to the second metal wiring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The image sensor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second metal wiring is along a boundary of the unit pixels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image sensor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second metal wiring is connected to a center of the gate of the source follower transistor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the metal wiring overlaps the front-side deep trench isolation in a vertical direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ground region is on each of the first unit pixel to the fourth unit pixel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a ground region is on each of the second unit pixel and the third unit pixel, and the ground region is not on the first unit pixel and the fourth unit pixel. ### Claim 11 An image sensor, comprising: a shared pixel including two sub pixels of a 1×2 structure, each of the two sub pixels sharing, through a metal wiring, at least one floating diffusion region thereon; unit pixels surrounding the at least one floating diffusion region, within the shared pixel, separated from each other by front-side deep trench isolation, and each including a photodiode; at least one transfer transistor adjacent to the at least one floating diffusion region and on each of the unit pixels; a first source follower transistor on a first unit pixel located in a first quadrant among the unit pixels; a conversion gain transistor on a second unit pixel located in a second quadrant among the unit pixels; a reset transistor and a selection transistor on a third unit pixel located in a third quadrant among the unit pixels; and a second source follower transistor on a fourth unit pixel located in a fourth quadrant among the unit pixels, wherein: the metal wiring connects the at least one floating diffusion region to a source region of the conversion gain transistor and a gate of the first source follower transistor, and a right angle is formed by the at least one floating diffusion region contacting the metal wiring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image sensor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the metal wiring includes: a first metal wiring formed straight in a first direction from the source region of the conversion gain transistor to the gate of the first source follower transistor, and a second metal wiring extending straight in a second direction crossing the first direction, and the at least one floating diffusion region is connected to a first end and a second end of the second metal wiring. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image sensor as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one transfer transistor is in parallel with the second metal wiring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The image sensor as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least a part of the metal wiring overlaps the front-side deep trench isolation in a vertical direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image sensor as claimed in claim 14, wherein: the metal wiring is a cross shape, and a center point of the cross shape coincides with a central point of the shared pixel. ### Claim 16 An image sensor, comprising: a shared pixel including four sub pixels of a 2×2 structure, each of the four sub pixels sharing, through a metal wiring, at least one floating diffusion region thereon; unit pixels surrounding the at least one floating diffusion region, within the shared pixel, separated from each other by front-side deep trench isolation, and each including a photodiode, wherein four unit pixels are in a first row and four unit pixels are in a second row; at least one transfer transistor adjacent to the at least one floating diffusion region and on each of the unit pixels; a conversion gain transistor on one unit pixel of the first row among the unit pixels; and a source follower transistor on two unit pixels of the second row among the unit pixels, wherein: the metal wiring connects the at least one floating diffusion region to a source region of the conversion gain transistor and a gate of the source follower transistor, and an acute angle is formed by the at least one floating diffusion region contacting the metal wiring. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image sensor as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the metal wiring includes: a first metal wiring extending straight in a first direction in the source region of the conversion gain transistor, a second metal wiring extending straight in a second direction crossing the first direction in the gate of the source follower transistor, a third metal wiring extending straight in the first direction near a center of the second metal wiring, and a fourth metal wiring extending straight in the second direction at an end of the third metal wiring, and the first metal wiring to the fourth metal wiring are electrically connected to each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one floating diffusion region contacts the second metal wiring and the fourth metal wiring. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The image sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein an angle about 45° is formed by the at least one floating diffusion region contacting the second metal wiring and the fourth metal wiring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The image sensor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one transfer transistor is oblique with respect to the second metal wiring and the fourth metal wiring.