IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,309,995
Granted Patent B2
US 8,309,995 · App. 12/820,787 · Granted Nov 13, 2012

CMOS image sensor

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,309,995
App. No.
12/820,787
Granted
Nov 13, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A unit pixel of a CMOS image sensor include a photodiode that transforms light to an electric charge, and accumulates the electric charge, and a plurality of transistors that generate an electric signal based on the accumulated electric charge. The photodiode has a slope shape based on incident angle of the light in a semiconductor substrate.

Claims (23)

1. A CMOS image sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of unit pixels, each of the unit pixels including a photodiode that has a slope shape based on an incident angle of light;

a plurality of color filters laminated above the unit pixels in a slope direction based on the incident angle of the light; and

a plurality of micro-lenses laminated on the color filters in the slope direction based on the incident angle of the light.

2. The CMOS image sensor of claim 1 , the photodiode includes a plurality of doping regions, the doping regions being laminated in the slope direction based on the incident angle of the light.

3. The CMOS image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the doping regions of the photodiode in the unit pixel arranged on an edge portion of an image sensor pixel array are laminated in a greater slope direction compared to the doping regions of the photodiode in the unit pixel arranged on a center portion of the image sensor pixel array.

4. The CMOS image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the CMOS image sensor employs a bayer pattern technique.

5. The CMOS image sensor of claim 4 , wherein the color filters include a red filter, a green filter, and a blue filter.

6. The CMOS image sensor of claim 4 , wherein the color filters include a yellow filter, a magenta filter, and a cyan filter.

7. The CMOS image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the CMOS image sensor is a back-illuminated image sensor that generates image data based on the light illuminating on a back side of the semiconductor substrate.

8. The CMOS image sensor of claim 7 , wherein the color filters and the micro-lenses are laminated in a back side direction of the semiconductor substrate.

9. The CMOS image sensor of claim 8 , wherein the photodiode comprises:

a first doping region formed in the semiconductor substrate;

a second doping region formed above the first doping region in the slope direction based on the incident angle of the light; and

a third doping region formed above the second doping region in the slope direction based on the incident angle of the light.

10. The CMOS image sensor of claim 9 , wherein the first doping region is a (n−)-type doping region, the second doping region is a (n−)-type doping region, and the third doping region is a (n+)-type doping region.

11. The CMOS image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the CMOS image sensor is a front-illuminated image sensor that generates image data based on the light illuminating on a front side of the semiconductor substrate.

12. The CMOS image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the color filters and the micro-lenses are laminated in a front side direction of the semiconductor substrate.

13. The CMOS image sensor of claim 12 , wherein the photodiode comprises:

a first doping region formed in the semiconductor substrate;

a second doping region formed below the first doping region in the slope direction based on the incident angle of the light; and

a third doping region formed below the second doping region in the slope direction based on the incident angle of the light.

14. The CMOS image sensor of claim 13 , wherein the first doping region is a (n−)-type doping region, the second doping region is a (n−)-type doping region, and the third doping region is a (n+)-type doping region.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2010
From: LEE, KYUNG-HO; JANG, DONG-YOON; AHN, JUNG-CHAK; LIM, MOO-SUP
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 024578/0840 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2009-0066268 · Jul 21, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110018042A1 · Jan 27, 2011