IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,669,598
Granted Patent B2
US 8,669,598 · App. 14/036,022 · Granted Mar 11, 2014

Unit pixel of image sensor and photo detector thereof

Inventor: Hoon Kim (Seoul, KR)
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,669,598
App. No.
14/036,022
Granted
Mar 11, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A unit pixel of an image sensor and a photo detector are disclosed. The photo detector of the present invention configured to absorb light can include: a light-absorbing part configured to absorb light by being formed in a floated structure; an oxide film being in contact with one surface of the light-absorbing part; a source being in contact with one side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; a drain facing the source so as to be in contact with the other side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; and a channel interposed between the source and the drain and configured to form flow of an electric current between the source and the drain.

Claims (23)

1. A unit pixel of an image sensor configured to transform absorbed light to an electrical signal, comprising:

a photo detector configured to cause an electric current to flow using a change in the quantity of electric charge caused by incident light;

a select device configured to output the electric current generated by the photo detector to a unit pixel output terminal,

wherein the photo detector comprises: a light-absorbing part formed in a floated structure and configured to absorbed light; an oxide film being in contact with one surface of the light-absorbing part; a source being in contact with one side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; a drain facing the source so as to be in contact with the other side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; and a channel formed between the source and the drain and configured to form flow of an electric current between the source and drain,

wherein the select device comprises: a drain being connected with the source of the photo detector; a source being accessed to the unit pixel output terminal; and a gate configured to receive a control signal from an outside source, and a switching operation is performed based on the control signal,

wherein the light-absorbing part is doped with first type impurities, and the source and the drain and the photo detector are doped with second type impurities,

wherein the light-absorbing part is insulated from the source and the drain of the light-absorbing part by the oxide film, and

wherein electrons of electron-hole pairs generated by the absorbed light are moved to the source and the drain by a tunneling phenomenon occurred by an electric field concentrated in the oxide film, and the flow of the electric current of the channel is controlled by a change in the quantity of electric charge of the light-absorbing part caused by the moving of the electrons.

2. The unit pixel of claim 1 , wherein the photo detector is realized in an LDD (light doped drain) structure.

3. The unit pixel of claim 1 , wherein the source of the photo detector and the drain of the select device are formed in a same active area.

4. The unit pixel of claim 1 , further comprising a second photo detector serially connected with the photo detector and the select device and formed in a same structure as the photo detector.

5. The unit pixel of claim 1 , further comprising a second photo detector connected in parallel with the photo detector and formed in a same structure as the photo detector.

6. A unit pixel of an image sensor configured to transform absorbed light to an electrical signal, comprising:

a photo detector configured to cause an electric current to flow using a change in the quantity of electric charge caused by incident light; and

a select device configured to output the electric current generated by the photo detector to a unit pixel output terminal,

wherein the photo detector comprises: a light-absorbing part configured to absorb light by being formed in a floated structure; an oxide film being in contact with one surface of the light-absorbing part; a control terminal formed on the other surface of the light-absorbing part and configured to transfer a reset signal to the light-absorbing part; a source being in contact with one side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; a drain facing the source so as to be in contact with the other side of the other surface of the oxide film and separated from the light-absorbing part with the oxide film therebetween; and a channel interposed between the source and the drain and configured to form flow of an electric current between the source and the drain,

wherein the select device comprises: a drain being connected with the source of the photo detector; a source being accessed to the unit pixel output terminal; and a gate configured to receive a control signal from an outside, and a switching operation is performed based on the control signal,

wherein the light-absorbing part is doped with first type impurities, and the source and the drain the photo detector are doped with second type impurities,

wherein the light-absorbing part is insulated from the source and the drain of the light-absorbing part by the oxide film,

wherein electrons of electron-hole pairs generated by the absorbed light are moved to the source and the drain by a tunneling phenomenon occurred by an electric field concentrated in the oxide film, and the flow of the electric current of the channel is controlled by a change in the quantity of electric charge of the light-absorbing part caused by the moving of the electrons, and

wherein the control terminal moves remaining electric charge by transmitting the reset signal to the light-absorbing part.

7. The unit pixel of claim 6 , wherein the photo detector is realized in an LDD (light doped drain) structure.

8. The unit pixel of claim 6 , wherein the source of the photo detector and the drain of the select device are formed in a same active area.

Assignments (1)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 19, 2019
From: KIM, HOON
To: SEEDEVICE INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049801/0429 →
Continuity (2)
Division 13224921 · Sep 2, 2011
Related Publication 20140021519A1 · Jan 23, 2014