In order to solve the foregoing problem, the present disclosure provides an imaging device composed of a plurality of pixels, wherein a first pixel among the plurality of pixels includes: a first photoelectric conversion element; a first power storage unit; a first transfer element that enables a conductive state or a non-conductive state between the first photoelectric conversion element and the first power storage unit; and a first amplifying element that amplifies an image signal on the basis of a charge stored by photoelectric conversion in at least any of adjacent pixels, including a second pixel, that are adjacent to the first pixel, the second pixel including: a second amplifying element that amplifies an image signal based on a charge stored in the first power storage unit by photoelectric conversion of the first photoelectric conversion element, and a second distance between the first power storage unit and the second amplifying element is shorter than a first distance between the first power storage unit and the first amplifying element.

An image sensor includes: a first substrate including: a first side, a second side, a pixel array region, and an edge region; and a micro lens array on the second side, which includes micro lenses. Each of the micro lenses includes a first lens layer and a second lens layer on the first lens layer. A second mean curvature radius of the second lens layer is smaller than a first mean curvature radius of the first lens layer. A first eccentric degree of the second lens layer on an edge of the pixel array region is greater than a second eccentric degree of the second lens layer at a center of the pixel array region.

The present disclosure relates to a CMOS image sensor, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the CMOS image sensor comprises a substrate and a transfer gate disposed from a front-side surface of the substrate. The CMOS image sensor further comprises a photo detecting column disposed at one side of the transfer gate within the substrate. The photo detecting column comprises a doped sensing layer comprising one or more recessed portions along a circumference of the doped sensing layer in parallel to the front-side surface of the substrate. By forming the photo detecting column with recessed portions, a junction interface is enlarged compared to a previous p-n junction interface without recessed portions, and thus a full well capacity of the photodiode structure is improved.

An image sensor includes a first photodiode group, a second photodiode group, a first transfer transistor group, a second transfer transistor group, a floating diffusion region of a substrate in which electric charges generated in the first photodiode group are stored, and a power supply node for applying a power supply voltage to the second photodiode group. A barrier voltage is applied to at least one transfer transistor of the second transfer transistor group. The power supply voltage allows electric charges, generated in the second photodiode group, to migrate to the power supply node, and the barrier voltage forms a potential barrier between the second photodiode group and the floating diffusion region.

A semiconductor device includes a pixel array comprising a first pixel and a second pixel. The semiconductor device includes a metal structure overlying a portion of a substrate between the first pixel and the second pixel. The semiconductor device includes a first barrier layer adjacent a sidewall of the metal structure. The semiconductor device includes a passivation layer adjacent a sidewall of the first barrier layer. The first barrier layer is between the passivation layer and the metal structure.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a first semiconductor substrate including a photoelectric conversion element; and a second semiconductor substrate including at least a part of a peripheral circuit arranged in a main face of the second semiconductor substrate, the peripheral circuit generating a signal based on the charge of the photoelectric conversion element, a main face of the first semiconductor substrate and the main face of the second semiconductor substrate being opposed to each other with sandwiching a wiring structure therebetween; a pad to be connected to an external terminal; and a protection circuit electrically connected to the pad and to the peripheral circuit, wherein the protection circuit is arranged in the main face of the second semiconductor substrate.

A pixel for an image sensor includes a microbolometer sensor portion, a visible image sensor portion and an output path. The microbolometer sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to an infrared (IR) image sensed by the microbolometer sensor portion. The visible image sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to a visible image sensed by the visible image sensor portion. The output path is shared by the microbolometer and the visible image sensor portions, and is controlled to selectively output the signal corresponding to the IR image or the signal corresponding to the visible image. The output path may be further shared with a visible image sensor portion of an additional pixel, in which case the output path may be controlled to selectively to also output the signal corresponding to a visible image of the additional pixel.

Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit light sensor device. The integrated circuit light sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate, as well as a plurality of first light-absorption regions and a plurality of second light-absorption regions located in the semiconductor substrate. Each of the first light-absorption regions includes an implantation region of the semiconductor substrate. The implantation region and the semiconductor substrate form at least a portion of a corresponding one of a plurality of first photodetectors for a first light wavelength band. Each of the second light-absorption regions includes a semiconductor material different from the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor material forms at least a portion of a corresponding one of a plurality of second photodetectors for a second light wavelength band different from the first light wavelength band.

An image sensor according to an embodiment includes a substrate having first and second surfaces facing each other, separated by a deep trench, and including a plurality of pixel regions; a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions disposed in the plurality of pixel regions; a blocking region disposed in the plurality of pixel regions; and a plurality of color filters and a plurality of micro lenses disposed on the second surface of the substrate. The blocking region is disposed adjacent to the second surface of the substrate, the blocking region includes a first element of a first type, and the plurality of photoelectric conversion regions include a second element of a second type different from the first type. The concentration of the first element on the second surface of the substrate in the blocking region is about 1E16/cm.sup.3 to about 1E18/cm.sup.3.

An image sensor may include pixel groups arranged in a Bayer pattern and a color separating lens array that separates incident light by wavelengths and concentrates the separated incident light on the pixels. The color separating lens array may include pixel corresponding groups, with each group having regions containing nanoposts in two layers. In each of the pixel corresponding groups in each of the two layers, there are a central group and a plurality of peripheral groups. The displacements of arrangement centers of the nanoposts in at least two of the peripheral groups have variations.