Back to results
US 7,022,965 B2Granted
Low voltage active CMOS pixel on an N-type substrate with complete reset
AssigneeOmniVision Tehnologies, Inc.
InventorsSohei Manabe, Hidetoshi Nozaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pixel sensor cell used in a CMOS image sensor is disclosed. The cell includes a pinned photodiode formed in a Pwell that is formed in an N-type semiconductor substrate. A transfer transistor is placed between the pinned photodiode and an output node. A reset transistor is coupled between a high voltage rail Vdd and the output node. Finally, an output transistor with its gate coupled to the output node is provided.
Claims15
A pixel sensor cell comprising:
- a pinned photodiode formed in a Pwell that is formed in an N-type semiconductor substrate;
- a depletion mode transfer transistor placed between the pinned photodiode and an output node;
- a reset transistor coupled between a high voltage rail Vdd and the output node;
- and
- an output transistor, the gate of the output transistor being coupled to the output node.
2 more elements
A CMOS image sensor comprising:
- a plurality of active pixels arranged in rows and columns formed in an N-type semiconductor substrate, at least one of said active pixels comprising:
- (a) a pinned photodiode;
- (b) a depletion mode transfer transistor placed between the pinned photodiode and an output node, the transfer transistor being a depletion mode MOSFET;
- and
- (c) a reset transistor coupled between a high voltage rail Vdd and the output node;
- and
- (d) an output transistor, the gate of the output transistor being coupled to the output node;
- a negative charge pump for generating a negative voltage and formed in said N-type semiconductor substrate;
- a processing circuit for receiving the output of said active pixels formed in said N-type semiconductor substrate;
- and
- an I/O circuit formed in said N-type semiconductor substrate for outputting the output of said active pixels off of said CMOS image sensor.
8 more elements
A CMOS image sensor comprising:
- a plurality of active pixels arranged in rows and columns formed in an N-type semiconductor substrate, at least one of said active pixels comprising:
- (a) a pinned photodiode;
- (b) a depletion mode transfer transistor placed between the pinned photodiode and an output node;
- and
- (c) a reset transistor coupled between a high voltage rail Vdd and the output node;
- and
- (d) an output transistor, the gate of the output transistor being coupled to the output node;
- a negative charge pump for generating a negative voltage and formed in said N-type semiconductor substrate;
- a processing circuit for receiving the output of said active pixels formed in said N-type semiconductor substrate;
- and
- an I/O circuit formed in said N-type semiconductor substrate for outputting the output of said active pixels off of said CMOS image sensor.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.