Image sensor

An image sensor comprising:

• a pixel array comprising pixels arranged in a row direction and a column direction;
• and
• a plurality of metal lines, the plurality of metal lines comprising a first metal line, a second metal line, a third metal line and a fourth metal line,
• wherein a first pixel provided in a first row of the pixel array comprises a first sub-pixel connected with the first metal line, a second sub-pixel connected with the second metal line, a third sub-pixel connected with the third metal line, and a fourth sub-pixel connected with the fourth metal line,
• wherein a second pixel provided in the first row comprises a fifth sub-pixel connected with the fourth metal line, a sixth sub-pixel connected with the third metal line, a seventh sub-pixel connected with the first metal line, and an eighth sub-pixel connected with the second metal line,
• wherein, when a read-out operation is performed on the first row, signals applied to the first metal line, the second metal line, the third metal line and the fourth metal line are sequentially enabled,
• wherein, based on the signals applied to the first metal line, the second metal line, the third metal line and the fourth metal line, at least a part of charges accumulated in the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel and the fourth sub-pixel is diffused to a first floating diffusion node, and at least a part of charges accumulated in the fifth to eighth sub-pixels is diffused to a second floating diffusion node,
• wherein the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the fifth sub-pixel, and the sixth sub-pixel are sequentially provided in the row direction,
• wherein the third sub-pixel, the fourth sub-pixel, the seventh sub-pixel, and the eighth sub-pixel are sequentially provided in the row direction, and
• wherein the first sub-pixel and the third sub-pixel are adjacent in the column direction.

An image sensor comprising:

• a pixel array comprising pixels arranged in a row direction and a column direction;
• and
• a plurality of metal lines, the plurality of metal lines comprising a first metal line, a second metal line, a third metal line, a fourth metal line, a fifth metal line, a sixth metal line, a seventh metal line, an eighth metal line and a ninth metal line,
• wherein a first pixel provided in a first row of the pixel array comprises a first sub-pixel connected with the first metal line, a second sub-pixel connected with the second metal line, a third sub-pixel connected with the third metal line, a fourth sub-pixel connected with the fourth metal line, a fifth sub-pixel connected with the fifth metal line, a sixth sub-pixel connected with the sixth metal line, a seventh sub-pixel connected with the seventh metal line, an eighth sub-pixel connected with the eighth metal line, and a ninth sub-pixel connected with the ninth metal line,
• wherein a second pixel provided in the first row comprises a tenth sub-pixel, an eleventh sub-pixel connected with the first metal line and a twelfth sub-pixel connected with the second metal line,
• wherein, when a read-out operation is performed on the first pixel, signals applied to the first metal line, the second metal line, the third metal line, the fourth metal line, the fifth metal line, the sixth metal line, the seventh metal line, the eighth metal line and the ninth metal line are sequentially enabled,
• wherein, based on the signals applied to the first metal line, the second metal line, the third metal line, the fourth metal line, the fifth metal line, the sixth metal line, the seventh metal line, the eighth metal line and the ninth metal line, at least a part of charges accumulated in the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel, the fourth sub-pixel, the fifth sub-pixel, the sixth sub-pixel, the seventh sub-pixel, the eighth sub-pixel and the ninth sub-pixel is diffused to a first floating diffusion node, and
• wherein the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel, the tenth sub-pixel, the eleventh sub-pixel and the twelfth sub-pixel are sequentially provided in the row direction.