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US 2006/0033126 A1Published application
Photon amplification for image sensors
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorChandra Mouli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pixel cell having a substrate, photo-conversion device, and at least one dielectric layer over the photo-conversion device. The at least one dielectric layer includes one or more rare earth elements for amplifying the number of photons capable of being converted to charge by the photo-conversion device.
Claims86
A pixel cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a photo-conversion device;
- and
- at least one dielectric layer over the photo-conversion device, the at least one dielectric layer containing at least one rare earth element for amplifying photons incident on the at least one dielectric layer.
1 more element
A pixel cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a pinned photodiode within the substrate and having a doped layer of a first conductivity type over a doped region of a second conductivity type;
- a filter over the substrate and pinned photodiode;
- and
- a plurality of dielectric layers over the substrate and the pinned photodiode, but below the filter, at least a portion of the plurality of dielectric layers over the photodiode containing erbium.
2 more elements
A pixel cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a photo-conversion device at a surface of the substrate;
- a filter over the substrate and photo-conversion device;
- a microlens over the filter;
- and
- a first dielectric layer between the filter and the microlens, the first dielectric layer containing a rare earth element for amplifying photons incident on the first dielectric layer.
3 more elements
An image sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- an array of pixel cells, at least one pixel cell comprising:
- a photo-conversion device at a surface of the substrate;
- and
- at least one dielectric layer over the photo-conversion device, the at least one dielectric layer containing at least one rare earth element for amplifying photons incident on the at least one dielectric layer.
3 more elements
A processor system comprising:
- (i) a processor;
- and
- (ii) an image sensor coupled to the processor, the image sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- an array of pixel cells, at least one of the pixel cells comprising:
- a photo-conversion device at a surface of the substrate;
- and
- at least one dielectric layer over the photo-conversion device, at the at least one dielectric layer comprising at least one rare earth element for amplifying photons incident on the at least one dielectric layer.
6 more elements
A method of forming a pixel cell, the method comprising the acts of:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a photo-conversion device at a surface of the substrate;
- forming a first dielectric layer over the photo-conversion device;
- and
- doping at least a portion of the first dielectric layer over the photo-conversion device with at least one rare earth element.
2 more elements
A method of forming a pixel cell, the method comprising the acts of:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a photo-conversion device within the substrate by forming a layer of a first conductivity type over a region of a second conductivity type;
- forming a plurality of dielectric layers over the substrate and photo-conversion device;
- and
- doping a portion of the dielectric layers with erbium, the portion being located over the photo-conversion device.
2 more elements
A method of forming a pixel cell, the method comprising the acts of:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a photo-conversion device at a surface of the substrate;
- forming a plurality of first dielectric layers over the substrate and the photo-conversion device;
- forming a filter over the plurality of first dielectric layers;
- forming a second dielectric layer over the filter;
- and
- doping the second dielectric layer with at least one rare earth element for amplifying photons.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.