Image sensor including unit pixels
An image sensor includes a substrate the substrate including a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a direction parallel to a first direction; a first and second photodiode inside of the substrate in each of the plurality of unit pixels and separated from each other in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction; and a device isolation film between the plurality of unit pixels. A pair of pixels side-by-side in a third direction, perpendicular to the first and second direction, among the plurality of unit pixels, share a microlens, and at least one of the plurality of unit pixels includes a light shielding film on the substrate. Accordingly, in the image sensor, while maintaining the existing photodiode forming process, the autofocusing function in a vertical direction may be supplemented, and further, performance of the image sensor may be improved.
1 . An image sensor comprising:
a first unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a blue color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a second unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a green color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a third unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a red color filter, a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a fourth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a first light shielding film; and
a fifth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a second light shielding film;
wherein the two photodiodes in each of the fourth unit pixel and the fifth unit pixel are separated from each other in a first direction in a plan view,
wherein a half portion of each of the fourth unit pixel and the fifth unit pixel is blocked by the first light shielding film and the second light shielding film respectively in the plan view,
wherein N unit pixels are disposed between the fourth unit pixel and the fifth unit pixel in a second direction in the plan view,
wherein N is an integer greater than 2,
wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction in the plan view, and
wherein the fourth unit pixel and the fifth unit pixel are sequentially arranged in the second direction.
2 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first to fourth unit pixels are arranged in a clockwise direction.
3 . The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the fourth unit pixel further comprises a green color filter.
4 . The image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the half portion is an upward position with respect to a line passing through a center of each of the fourth unit pixel and the fifth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
5 . The image sensor of claim 4 , wherein N is greater than 4.
6 . The image sensor of claim 5 , further comprising:
a sixth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a third light shielding film,
wherein a half portion of the sixth unit pixel is blocked by the third light shielding film in the plan view,
wherein M unit pixels are disposed between the fourth unit pixel and the sixth unit pixel in the first direction in the plan view,
wherein M is an integer greater than 2, and
wherein M is different from N.
7 . The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein M is greater than N.
8 . The image sensor of claim 4 , further comprising:
a seventh unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a fourth light shielding film,
wherein a half portion of the seventh unit pixel is blocked by the fourth light shielding film in the plan view, and
wherein the half portion is a downward position with respect to a line passing through a center of the seventh unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
9 . The image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the half portion is a downward position with respect to a line passing through a center of each of the fourth to fifth unit pixels in the second direction in the plan view.
10 . An image sensor comprising:
a plurality of first pixel groups each comprising:
a first unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a blue color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a second unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a green color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a third unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a red color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes; and
a fourth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a green color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes,
wherein the two photodiodes in each of the first to fourth unit pixels are separated from each other in a first direction in a plan view,
wherein a half portion of the fourth unit pixel is blocked by a first light shielding film in the plan view,
wherein the first to fourth unit pixels are arranged in two consecutive rows and two consecutive columns and arranged in a clockwise direction,
wherein N unit pixels are disposed between the fourth unit pixel of the plurality of first pixel groups in a second direction,
wherein N is an integer greater than 2, and
wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction in the plan view.
11 . The image sensor of claim 10 , wherein N is greater than 4.
12 . The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the half portion is an upward position with respect to a line passing through a center of the fourth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
13 . The image sensor of claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of second pixel groups each comprising:
a fifth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a blue color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a sixth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a green color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a seventh unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a red color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes; and
an eighth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes separated from each other in the first direction in the plan view, a green color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes,
wherein the fifth to eighth unit pixel are arranged in two consecutive rows and two consecutive columns,
wherein a half portion of the eighth unit pixel is blocked by a second light shielding film in the plan view, and
wherein the half portion of the eighth unit pixel is a downward position with respect to the line passing through the center of the eighth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
14 . The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the half portion is a downward position with respect to a line passing through a center of the fourth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
15 . An image sensor comprising:
a first unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a blue color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a second unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a green color filter, and a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a third unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a red color filter, a microlens on the two photodiodes;
a fourth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a first light shielding film;
a fifth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a second light shielding film; and
a sixth unit pixel comprising two photodiodes, a microlens on the two photodiodes, and a third light shielding film,
wherein the two photodiodes in each of the first to sixth unit pixels are separated from each other in a first direction in a plan view,
wherein a half portion of each of the fourth to sixth unit pixels is blocked by the first to third light shielding films respectively in the plan view,
wherein N unit pixels are disposed between the fourth unit pixel and the fifth unit pixel in a second direction in the plan view,
wherein M unit pixels are disposed between the fourth unit pixel and the sixth unit pixel in the first direction in the plan view,
wherein N and M are integers greater than 2, and
wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction in the plan view.
16 . The image sensor of claim 15 , wherein N is different from M.
17 . The image sensor of claim 15 , wherein the first to fourth unit pixels are arranged in a clockwise direction, and
wherein the first to fourth unit pixels are arranged in two consecutive rows and two consecutive columns.
18 . The image sensor of claim 17 , wherein the half portion of the fifth unit pixel is an upward position with respect to a line passing through a center of the fifth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
19 . The image sensor of claim 18 , wherein the half portion of the sixth unit pixel is an upward position with respect to a line passing through a center of the sixth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.
20 . The image sensor of claim 17 , wherein the half portion of the fifth unit pixel is a downward position with respect to a line passing through a center of the fifth unit pixel in the second direction in the plan view.