The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip including a substrate and a pixel. The pixel includes a photodetector. The photodetector is in the substrate. The integrated chip further includes a first inner trench isolation structure and an outer trench isolation structure that extend into the substrate. The first inner trench isolation structure laterally surrounds the photodetector in a first closed loop. The outer trench isolation structure laterally surrounds the first inner trench isolation structure along a boundary of the pixel in a second closed loop and is laterally separated from the first inner trench isolation structure. Further, the integrated chip includes a scattering structure that is defined, at least in part, by the first inner trench isolation structure and that is configured to increase an angle at which radiation impinges on the outer trench isolation structure.

An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, photodiodes for the respective pixels, the photodiodes within a semiconductor substrate having a first surface to which light is incident and a second surface that faces away from the first surface, micro lenses over the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and configured to concentrate the light, color filters between the semiconductor substrate and the micro lenses, and an optical path changing member configured to change a path of at least a portion of the light when the light travels toward the photodiodes through the micro lenses. The optical path changing member having a curved surface being concave or convex on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate.

There is provided an image sensor including a substrate, a plurality of pixel groups respectively including a plurality of photodiodes provided in the substrate, a pixel isolation pattern provided between the plurality of photodiodes in the substrate, an auxiliary isolation pattern provided to extend inside from a surface of the substrate, and a micro lens provided on the surface of the substrate. The pixel isolation pattern includes an outer isolation pattern provided between the plurality of pixel groups and an inner isolation pattern provided between the plurality of photodiodes within the plurality of pixel group, and the auxiliary isolation pattern is provided between the outer isolation pattern and the inner isolation pattern that are spaced apart from each other or between a plurality of inner isolation patterns that are spaced apart from each other.

A plurality of microlenses arranged in a matrix in first and second directions orthogonal to each other; a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions, provided for each microlens of at least some of the plurality of microlenses, that perform photoelectric conversion on light that has entered the photoelectric conversion portions via the respective microlens; and a readout unit that sequentially reads out signals from the plurality of photoelectric conversion units with the first direction being a main scanning direction and the second direction being a sub-scanning direction are provided. The plurality of photoelectric conversion portions are arranged in at least one of the first and second directions, and an electric charge crosstalk rate between a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions arranged in the first direction is higher than an electric charge crosstalk rate between a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions arranged in the second direction.

An image sensor includes a substrate including a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface, a first photodiode located in a first region of the substrate and generating photocharges from light incident on the first region, a second photodiode located in a second region of the substrate and generating photocharges from light incident on the second region, and an isolation structure defining the first region in which the first photodiode is located and the second region in which the second photodiode is located, and extending between the first photodiode and the second photodiode. An area of the second region is smaller than an area of the first region, a first end of the isolation structure is coplanar with the second surface, and the isolation structure extends in a vertical direction from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface of the substrate.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for eye gesture recognition. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining an electrical signal that represents a measurement, by a photodetector, of an optical signal reflected from an eye and determining a depth map of the eye based on phase differences between the electrical signal generated by the photodetector and a reference signal. Further, the method includes determining gaze information that represents a gaze of the eye based on the depth map and providing output data representing the gaze information.

An image sensor in which a length of a pixel portion in a first direction is longer than a length of the pixel portion in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The pixel portion includes: a plurality of microlenses arranged in a matrix in the first direction and the second direction, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions provided for each microlens of at least some of the plurality of microlenses and configured to perform photoelectric conversion on light that has entered the photoelectric conversion portions via the each microlens. The plurality of photoelectric conversion portions are arranged in at least one of the first and second directions, and an electric charge crosstalk rate between a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions arranged in the first direction is higher than that between a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions arranged in the second direction.

Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an acitve region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back-side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back-side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices includes following steps. A substrate having a pixel region and a periphery region defined thereon is provided, and at least a transistor is formed in the pixel region. A blocking layer is formed on the substrate, and the blocking layer includes a first opening exposing a portion of the substrate in the pixel region and a second opening exposing a portion of the transistor. A first conductive body is formed in the first opening and a second conductive body is formed in the second opening, respectively. The first conductive body protrudes from the substrate and the second conductive body protrudes from the transistor. A portion of the blocking layer is removed. A first salicide layer is formed on the first conductive body and a second salicide layer is formed on the second conductive body, respectively.

A color image sensor including an array of pixels is formed in a semiconductor layer having a back side that receives an illumination. Insulated conductive walls penetrate into the semiconductor layer from the back side and separate the pixels from one another. For each pixel, a color pixel penetrates into from 5 to 30% of a thickness of the semiconductor layer from the back side and occupies at least 90% of the surface area delimited by the walls. An electrically-conductive layer extends from the lateral wall of the filter all the way to the walls.