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US 2010/0163933 A1Published application
Antiblooming imaging apparatus, systems, and methods
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsChen Xu, Gennadiy Agranov, Igor Karasev
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus, systems, and methods are described to assist in reducing dark current in an active pixel sensor. In various embodiments, a potential barrier arrangement is configured to block the flow of charge carriers generated outside a photosensitive region. In various embodiments, a potential well-potential barrier arrangement is formed to direct charge carriers away from the photosensitive region during an integration time.
Claims20
An imager comprising:
- a filter formed to transmit light within a predetermined wavelength range;
- and
- a pixel matrix configured to receive the light through the filter, the pixel matrix comprising an N×M array of selectable photosensitive elements, wherein the N×M array comprises a pinned photodiode structure formed in a region of photosensitive semiconductor material, and an n-type conductive region positioned between a charge carrier sink and the pinned photodiode structure, and wherein a volume between the n-type conductive region and the pinned photodiode structure is configured to prevent charge carriers from entering the photosensitive semiconductor material during an integration time.
An imager comprising:
- a filter formed to transmit light within a predetermined wavelength range;
- and
- a pixel matrix configured to receive the light through the filter, the pixel matrix comprising an N×M array of selectable photosensitive elements, wherein the N×M array comprises a photosensitive region, a diffusion region, and a charge carrier sink such that a volume between the photosensitive region and the charge carrier sink is configured to prevent charge carriers from entering the photosensitive region during an integration time.
An imager comprising:
- a filter formed to transmit light within a predetermined wavelength range;
- and
- a pixel matrix configured to receive the light through the filter, the pixel matrix comprising an N×M array of selectable photosensitive elements, wherein the N×M array comprises:
- a photosensitive region below a photogate;
- a transfer gate region coupled to the photosensitive region;
- a diffusion region coupled to the transfer gate region;
- a reset gate region coupled to the diffusion region;
- and
- a charge carrier sink coupled to the reset gate region diffusion such that a volume between the photosensitive region and the charge carrier sink is configured to prevent charge carriers from entering the photosensitive region during an integration time.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.