Process for making a CMOS image sensor
View Patent ↗An image sensor includes a semi-conducting substrate having a photo-sensitive region and doping for forming a path to a charge-to-voltage mechanism; a dielectric spanning the substrate; and a semi-conducting layer, which is less than approximately 1 micrometer, spanning the dielectric which contains electrodes and circuit elements that control flow of charge.
1. An image sensor comprising:
(a) a semi-conducting substrate having a photo-sensitive region and doping for forming a path to a charge-to-voltage mechanism;
(b) a dielectric spanning the substrate; and
(c) a single crystal semi-conducting layer, which is less than approximately 1 micrometer, spanning the dielectric which contains electrodes and circuit elements that control flow of charge.
2. The image sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the semi-conducting substrate and semi-conducting layer are silicon.
3. The image sensor as in claim 2 , wherein the dielectric is silicon dioxide.
4. The image sensor as in claim 3 , wherein the semi-conducting substrate includes an epitaxial layer.
5. The image sensor as in claim 1 further comprising doping for a reset transistor in the semi-conducting substrate and a reset gate in the semi-conducting layer.
6. The image sensor as a claim 1 , wherein the photo-sensitive region is a photodiode.
7. The image sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the charge-to-voltage mechanism is a floating diffusion.
8. The image sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is a CMOS image sensor.
9. A camera comprising:
an image sensor comprising:
(a) a semi-conducting substrate having a photo-sensitive region and doping for forming a path to a charge-to-voltage mechanism;
(b) a dielectric spanning the substrate; and
(c) a single crystal semi-conducting layer, which is less than approximately 1 micrometer, spanning the dielectric which contains electrodes and circuit elements that control flow of charge.
10. The camera as in claim 9 , wherein the semi-conducting substrate and semi-conducting layer are silicon.
11. The camera as in claim 10 , wherein the dielectric is silicon dioxide.
12. The camera as in claim 11 , wherein the semi-conducting substrate includes an epitaxial layer.
13. The camera as in claim 9 further comprising doping for a reset transistor in the semi-conducting substrate and a reset gate in the semi-conducting layer.
14. The camera as in claim 9 , wherein the photo-sensitive region is a photodiode.
15. The camera as in claim 9 , wherein the charge-to-voltage mechanism is a floating diffusion.
16. The camera as in claim 9 , wherein the image sensor is a CMOS image sensor.