An imaging device connected to a neural network is provided. An imaging device having a neuron in a neural network includes a plurality of first pixels, a first circuit, a second circuit, and a third circuit. Each of the plurality of first pixels includes a photoelectric conversion element. The plurality of first pixels is electrically connected to the first circuit. The first circuit is electrically connected to the second circuit. The second circuit is electrically connected to the third circuit. Each of the plurality of first pixels generates an input signal of the neuron. The first circuit, the second circuit, and the third circuit function as the neuron. The third circuit includes an interface connected to the neural network.

An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. A semiconductor pattern is disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and it extends in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. A buried transmission gate electrode is disposed in a transmission gate trench extending from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate to an interior of the semiconductor substrate. A first gate electrode at least partially surrounds a side wall of the semiconductor pattern and has a ring-shaped horizontal cross-section. A color filter is disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging element and electronic equipment that allow an increase in the signal charge amount Qs that each pixel can accumulate. A solid-state imaging element according to the first aspect of the present technology includes: a photoelectric conversion section formed in each pixel; and an inter-pixel separation section separating the photoelectric conversion section of each pixel, in which the inter-pixel separation section includes a protruding section having a shape protruding toward the photoelectric conversion section. The present technology can be applied to a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, for example.

An image sensor in which a shading phenomenon is decreased and the quality is increased includes a substrate comprising a first face on which light is incident, and a second face opposite to the first face and a plurality of unit pixels. Each of the plurality of unit pixels includes a photoelectric conversion layer in the substrate. The image sensor further includes a pixel separation pattern which separates unit pixels from the plurality of the unit pixels from each other, a plurality of color filters disposed on the first face of the substrate and arranged in a Bayer pattern, and a grid pattern disposed on the first face of the substrate and interposed within the plurality of color filters. A light-receiving area of the red color filter and a light-receiving area of the blue color filter are smaller than a light-receiving area of the green color filter.

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a first substrate that includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a second substrate that includes at least a part of a readout circuit configured to read signals based on electric charges of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a peripheral circuit including a control circuit, and a wiring structure that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and includes a pad portion electrically connected to the peripheral circuit via a draw-out wiring and an insulating layer. The wiring structure has, at least at a part thereof, a seal ring disposed in such a way as to surround the photoelectric conversion units and the peripheral circuit.

An image sensor device is disclosed. The image sensor device includes a substrate having a plurality of pixel regions. Two adjacent pixel regions are optically and electrically isolated by a deep trench isolation structure. In an embodiment, a method of forming the deep trench isolation structure includes receiving a workpiece comprising a first isolation structure formed in a front side of a substrate, forming a trench extending through the first isolation structure and the substrate, forming a dielectric liner to line the trench, depositing a conductive layer conformally over the workpiece after the forming of the dielectric liner, and depositing a dielectric fill layer over the conductive layer to fill the trench. A refractive index of the dielectric fill layer may be smaller than a refractive index of the conductive layer. The present disclosure also includes an alternative method for forming isolation structures at a back side of the substrate.

A back-illuminated photo detector array (PDA) includes a front side and a back side. The back side receives optical energy incident on the back side at an incident direction. The front side includes a detection layer that includes detection structures and a plurality of photon-trapping nanostructures (PTN). The PTN cause optical energy incident on the back side to disperse in a direction perpendicular to the incident direction, and thereby improve an absorption efficiency of the back-illuminated PDA.

A photoelectric conversion device is provided. The device includes: a semiconductor layer having a photoelectric conversion element; a wiring structure; and contact plug that connect the semiconductor layer and a wiring pattern arranged in a wiring layer closest to the semiconductor layer among wiring layers included in the wiring structure. A light reflecting layer through which the contact plug penetrate is arranged between the wiring layer and the semiconductor layer, and the light reflecting layer has a periodic structure in which a first layer constituted by one of a dielectric and a semiconductor and a second layer constituted by one of a dielectric and a semiconductor that are different from the first layer are periodically stacked.

To provide a technique for improving image quality. A light detection apparatus includes: a semiconductor layer including a first surface and a second surface mutually positioned on opposite sides in a thickness direction; a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions provided on the semiconductor layer so as to be adjacent to each other via a separation region that stretches in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer; a transistor provided for each of the photoelectric conversion regions on the side of the first surface of the semiconductor layer; and a transparent electrode which is provided on the side of the second surface of the semiconductor layer and to which a potential is applied. In addition, the separation region includes a conductor which stretches in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer and the conductor is electrically connected on the side of the second surface of the semiconductor layer to the transparent electrode.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an image sensor integrated chip. The image sensor integrated chip includes a semiconductor substrate having sidewalls that form one or more trenches. The one or more trenches are disposed along opposing sides of a photodiode and vertically extend from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to within the semiconductor substrate. A doped region is arranged along the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and along opposing sides of the photodiode. A first dielectric lines the sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate and the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. A second dielectric lines sidewalls and an upper surface of the first dielectric. The doped region has a width laterally between a side of the photodiode and a side of the first dielectric. The width of the doped region varies at different heights along the side of the photodiode.