Methods to eliminate amplifier glowing artifact in digital images captured by an image sensor

An image sensor comprising:

• (a) a base layer;
• (b) a plurality of image pixels arranged in at least a one dimensional array in the base layer for capturing an electronic representation of an image;
• (c) a transfer mechanism for reading out the image from the array;
• (d) an amplifier transistor with a source and drain disposed in the base layer that receives the charge from the transfer mechanism, wherein an electric field within the amplifier transistor inherently generates light when a voltage is applied to the amplifier transistor;
• (e) a first opaque layer spanning over the amplifier transistor for blocking the inherently generated light and preventing the light from propagating out from the amplifier transistor and striking a top layer of one or more image pixels;
• and
• (f) a second opaque layer deposited into the base layer and in contact with the first opaque layer for also blocking the inherently generated light and preventing the light from propagating through the base layer and the charge created therefrom from passing into one or more image pixels;
• wherein the first and second opaque layers form an encapsulation for the amplifier transistor that contains the inherently generated light within the encapsulation.

A camera comprising:

• an image sensor comprising:
• (a) a base layer;
• (b) a plurality of image pixels arranged in at least a one dimensional array in the base layer for capturing an electronic representation of an image;
• (c) a transfer mechanism for reading out the image from the array;
• (d)) an amplifier transistor with a source and drain disposed in the base layer that receives the charge from the transfer mechanism, wherein an electric field within the amplifier transistor inherently generates light when a voltage is applied to the amplifier transistor;
• (e) a first opaque layer spanning over the amplifier transistor for blocking the inherently generated light and preventing the light from propagating out from the amplifier transistor and striking a top layer of one or more image pixels;
• and
• (f) a second opaque layer deposited into the base layer and in contact with the first opaque layer for also blocking the inherently generated light and preventing the light from propagating through the base layer and the charge created therefrom from passing into one or more image pixels;
• wherein the first and second opaque layers form an encapsulation for the amplifier transistor that contains the inherently generated light within the encapsulation.