# US 2014/0191355 A1 · Image sensors with multiple output structures

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- Number: US 2014/0191355 A1
- Document ID: US20140191355A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/735,542
- Filed: 2013-01-07
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07
- Assignees: Truesense Imaging, Inc.
- Applicants: Truesense Imaging, Inc.
- Inventors: Shen Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191355A1

## CPC

- H10F 39/156: {CCD or CID colour image sensors}
- H10D 44/454: {Output structures}
- H10F 39/151: {Geometry or disposition of pixel elements, address lines or gate electrodes}
- H10F 39/153: {Two-dimensional or three-dimensional array CCD image sensors}
- H10F 39/1534: {Interline transfer}
- H10F 39/80: {Constructional details of image sensors}
- H10F 39/80377: {characterised by the channel of the transistor, e.g. channel having a doping gradient}
- H10F 39/811: {Interconnections}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

In various embodiments, image sensors incorporate multiple output structures by including multiple sub-arrays, at least one of which includes a region of active pixels, a dark pixel region that is fanned and/or slanted, a dark pixel region that is unfanned and unslanted, a horizontal CCD, and an output structure for conversion of charge to voltage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image sensor comprising:
two or more pixel sub-arrays each comprising at least one output structure for conversion of charge to voltage, at least one of the sub-arrays comprising:
a region of active pixels each comprising (i) a photo-sensitive region (PSR) for converting light into electrical charge and (ii) a vertical channel for transfer of charge from the PSR,
electrically connected to the region of active pixels, a fanned region of dark pixels each (i) comprising a vertical channel for transferring charge and (ii) shielded from incident light,
electrically connected to the fanned region of dark pixels, an unfanned region of dark pixels each (i) comprising a vertical channel for transferring charge and (ii) shielded from incident light,
electrically connected to the unfanned region of dark pixels, a horizontal CCD (HCCD), and
electrically connected to the HCCD, an output structure for conversion of charge to voltage,
wherein (i) a width of the dark pixels in the fanned region decreases along a direction extending from the array of active pixels to the unfanned region, and (ii) a width of the dark pixels in the unfanned region is substantially constant along a direction extending from the fanned region to the HCCD.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein one or more dark pixels in the fanned region comprises a PSR.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein one or more dark pixels in the unfanned region comprises a PSR.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein a width of the vertical channel within dark pixels of the fanned region is substantially equal to a width of the vertical channel within dark pixels of the unfanned region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein one or more dark pixels in the fanned region lack a PSR.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein one or more dark pixels in the unfanned region lack a PSR.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sub-arrays comprises:
a region of active pixels each comprising (i) a PSR and (ii) a vertical channel for transferring charge from the PSR;
electrically connected to the region of active pixels, an unfanned region of dark pixels each (i) comprising a vertical channel for transferring charge and (ii) shielded from incident light;
electrically connected to the unfanned region of dark pixels, an HCCD; and
electrically connected to the HCCD, an output structure for conversion of charge to voltage,
wherein a width of the dark pixels in the unfanned region is substantially equal to a width of the active pixels in the region of active pixels.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the output structure of one sub-array is disposed within a gap between two sub-arrays resulting from a pixel-width decrease within a fanned region of dark pixels within at least one of the two sub-arrays.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the output structures of two adjoining sub-arrays are both disposed within a gap between the two sub-arrays resulting from a pixel-width decrease within a fanned region of dark pixels within at least one of the two sub-arrays.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the output structure of at least one of the sub-arrays comprises (i) a dummy shift register having a width substantially equal to a width of shift registers in the HCCD, (ii) a charge-carrying region having a width, along at least a portion of its length, smaller than the width of shift registers in the HCCD, (iii) a sense node, and (iv) an amplifier for conversion of charge into a voltage signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The image sensor of claim 10, wherein the charge-carrying region comprises a tapered region having a width that decreases along at least a portion of its length.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of control gate electrodes extending across fanned regions of dark pixels of at least two sub-arrays.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein a direction of charge transfer in the vertical channels of the active pixels is (i) substantially parallel to a direction of charge transfer in the vertical channels of the dark pixels of the unfanned region and (ii) substantially perpendicular to a direction of charge transfer in the HCCD.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the HCCD comprises a plurality of shift registers having substantially equal dimensions in a direction of charge transfer within the HCCD.