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US 8,803,057 B2Granted
Method of resetting a photosite, and corresponding photosite
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsFrançois Roy, Julien Michelot
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Abstract
A method of resetting a photosite is disclosed. Photogenerated charges accumulated in the photosite are reset by recombining the photogenerated charges with charges of opposite polarity.
Claims26
A method of resetting a photosite that is bounded laterally by at least two deep isolation trenches disposed in a semiconductor region, each trench possessing an electrically conductive internal part, the method comprising:
- resetting photogenerated charges accumulated in the photosite by recombining the photogenerated charges with charges of opposite polarity;
- wherein recombining comprises:
- creating, in the semiconductor region and in an external vicinity of at least one of the deep isolation trenches, charges of opposite polarity to that of the photogenerated charges;
- and
- displacing the photogenerated charges towards the created charges, wherein the displacing comprises applying a potential difference between the electrically conductive internal parts of the at least two deep isolation trenches.
2 more elements
A microelectronic device comprising:
- a photosite for accumulating photogenerated charges;
- first and second deep isolation trenches laterally bounding the photosite, the trenches being disposed in a semiconductor body, each trench comprising an electrically conductive internal part;
- and
- recombination means for recombining the photogenerated charges with charges of opposite polarity;
- wherein the recombination means comprise first means configured to create, in an external vicinity of at least one of the deep isolation trenches, charges of opposite polarity to that of the photogenerated charges and second means for displacing the photogenerated charges towards the created charges;
- wherein the first means comprises means for applying a potential difference between the semiconductor region in the external vicinity of the first deep isolation trench and the electrically conductive internal part of the first deep isolation trench;
- and
- wherein the second means comprises electrical means coupled to the first and second deep isolation trenches for applying a potential difference between the internally conductive parts of the first and second deep isolation trenches.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.