A back-illuminated image sensor includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a channel stop situated between the first pixel and the second pixel to isolate the first pixel from the second pixel. The channel stop includes a LOCOS structure and a region of doped silicon beneath the LOCOS structure. The back-illuminated image sensor also includes a first electrically conductive contact that extends through the LOCOS structure and forms an ohmic contact with the region of doped silicon. The first electrically conductive contact may be grounded, negatively biased, or positively biased, depending on the application.

A pixel circuit, a method for performing a pixel-level background light subtraction, and an imaging device are disclosed. In one example of the present disclosure, the pixel circuit includes an overflow gate transistor, a photodiode, and two taps. Each tap of the two taps is configured to store a background signal that is integrated by the photodiode, subtract the background signal from a floating diffusion, store a combined signal that is integrated by the photodiode at the floating diffusion, and generate a demodulated signal based on a subtraction of the background signal from the floating diffusion and a storage of the combined signal that is integrated at the floating diffusion.

A solid-state imaging device includes a layout in which one sharing unit includes an array of photodiodes of 2 pixels by 4?n pixels (where, n is a positive integer), respectively, in horizontal and vertical directions.

The present technology relates to an imaging device and a method for driving it that make it possible to create two kinds of images with less time deviation, and an imaging apparatus.

The imaging device includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels is arranged, the pixel including at least a photoelectric conversion section that converts incident light into charge by photoelectric conversion and a charge accumulating section that accumulates charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion section. At least some of pixels in the pixel array perform an operation to transfer charge generated by the photoelectric conversion section to the charge accumulating section at different timings between adjacent pixels. For example, it is possible to apply the present technology to the imaging device, or the like.

A single-exposure high dynamic range (HDR) image sensor includes a first photodiode and a second photodiode, with a smaller full-well capacity than the first photodiode, disposed in a semiconductor material. The image sensor also includes a first floating diffusion disposed in the semiconductor material and a first transfer gate coupled to the first photodiode to transfer first image charge accumulated in the first photodiode into the first floating diffusion. A second floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor material and a second transfer gate is coupled to the second photodiode to transfer second image charge accumulated in the second photodiode into the second floating diffusion. An attenuation layer is disposed between the second photodiode and image light directed towards the single-exposure HDR image sensor to block a portion of the image light from reaching the second photodiode.

An image sensor includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, which are opposite to each other, the substrate including a unit pixel region including a device isolation pattern adjacent to the first surface and a photoelectric conversion region adjacent to the second surface, a pixel isolation pattern provided in the substrate to define the unit pixel regions, an impurity region in the unit pixel region and being adjacent to a side surface of the device isolation pattern, a gate electrode provided on the first surface, and an auxiliary isolation pattern provided between a first side surface of the gate electrode and the impurity region, when the image sensor is viewed in a plan view. A bottom surface of the auxiliary isolation pattern may be located at a level different from a bottom surface of the device isolation pattern.

A solid-state imaging device includes a layout in which one sharing unit includes an array of photodiodes of 2 pixels by 4?n pixels (where, n is a positive integer), respectively, in horizontal and vertical directions.

A photo-detector includes a detection region for collecting minority carriers in a substrate, first and second field generating regions generating a majority carrier current to move the minority carriers towards the detection region, and a blocking region spaced apart from the detection region to block a leakage current. The photo-detector includes a ground region spaced apart from the detection region, and the blocking region is disposed between the detection region and the ground region.

An intraoral x-ray imaging sensor includes an electronic interface substrate which has a first surface and a second surface and is substantially rectangular with a mesial end and a distal end and a semiconductor imager which is mechanically and electrically coupled to the electronic interface substrate and which has a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor imager consists of a silicon layer having an array of detector elements formed on its the first surface and is substantially rectangular with a mesial end and a distal end. The electronic interface substrate and the semiconductor imager have a first cut corner and a second cut corner at its the distal end. The second surface of the semiconductor imager is disposed adjacent and contiguous to the first surface of the electronic interface substrate. The intraoral x-ray imaging sensor also includes a plurality of first electrical pads, a plurality of second electrical pads and a plurality of bond wires. The first electrical pads are disposed on the first surface of the electronic interface substrate wherein some of the first electrical pads are disposed adjacent and contiguous to the first cut corner and the remainder of the first electrical pads are disposed adjacent and contiguous to the second cut corner. The second electrical pads are disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor imager wherein some of the of second electrical pads are disposed adjacent and contiguous to the first cut corner and the remainder of the second electrical pads are disposed adjacent and contiguous to the second cut corner. Each bond wire electrically couples one of the first electrical pads to one of the second electrical pads.

Optoelectronic modules operable to collect distance data and spectral data include demodulation pixels operable to collect spectral data and distance data via a time-of flight approach. The demodulation pixels include regions with varying charge-carrier mobilities. Multi-wavelength electromagnetic radiation incident on the demodulation pixels are separated into different portions wherein the respective portions are used to determine the composition of the incident multi-wavelength electromagnetic radiation. Accordingly, the optoelectronic module is used, for example, to collect colour images and 3D images, and/or ambient light levels and distance data. The demodulation pixels comprise contact nodes that generate potential regions that vary in magnitude with the lateral dimension of the semiconductor substrate. The potential regions conduct the photo-generated charges from the photo-sensitive detection region to a charge-collection region. The photo-generated charges are conducted to the charge-collection region with respective drift velocities that vary in magnitude with the thickness of the semiconductor substrate.