Abstract: A method of fabricating an epi-wafer includes providing a wafer including boron by cutting a single crystal silicon ingot, growing an insulating layer on one surface of the wafer, performing thermal treatment of the wafer, removing the insulating layer formed on one surface of the wafer, mirror-surface-grinding one surface of the wafer, and growing an epitaxial layer on one surface of the wafer and forming a high-density boron layer within the wafer that corresponds to the interface between the wafer and the epitaxial layer.

Abstract: Image sensor devices are provided having reduced dark current generation characteristics. These image sensor devices include a semiconductor substrate and a photo-detector therein (e.g., P-N photodiode). The photo-detector includes a charge-generating region therein that is configured to convert photons received by the photo-detector into charge carriers. A first transistor, which has a terminal configured to receive the charge carriers generated by the photo-detector, is also provided. The first transistor includes a first gate electrode and a first pair of lightly doped source and drain regions of unequal width on opposite sides of the first gate electrode. This first transistor may be a three-terminal device and the terminal that is configured to receive the charge carriers may be selected from a group consisting of a gate, source and drain terminals. In particular, the first transistor may be configured as a reset transistor or as a source-follower transistor.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate having an active pixel sensor region defined therein, a plurality of first conductivity type photodiodes formed in the active pixel sensor region and a first conductivity-type first deep well formed in the active pixel sensor region in a location which does not include the plurality of the first conductivity-type photodiodes. Moreover, the first deep well is electrically connected to a positive voltage.

Abstract: Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CIS) and methods of manufacturing the same are provided, the sensors include an epitaxial layer on a substrate in which a first, second, third and fourth region are defined. A photodiode may be formed at an upper portion of the epitaxial layer in the first region. A plurality of gate structures may be formed on the epitaxial layer in the second, third and fourth regions. A first blocking layer may be formed on the gate structures and the epitaxial layer in the first and second regions. A first impurity layer may be formed at an upper portion of the epitaxial layer adjacent to the gate structures in the second region, and a second impurity layer at upper portions of the epitaxial layer adjacent to the gate structures in the third and fourth regions. A color filter layer may be formed over the photodiode. A microlens may be formed on the color filter layer.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion section in a semiconductor substrate, the photoelectric conversion section having a capping layer of a first conductivity type and a photodiode of a second conductivity type below the capping layer, the photodiode having an upper surface deeper than about 1 ?m, as measured from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a charge detection section receiving charges stored in the photoelectric conversion through a charge transfer section and converting the received charges into respective electrical signals, a voltage application section adapted to apply voltage to the capping layer and to a lower portion of the semiconductor substrate to control a width of a depletion layer on the photodiode, and a signal operation section adapted to generate red, green, and blue, signals according to signals from the charge detection section.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a CMOS image sensor, a P type epitaxial layer is formed on an N type substrate. A deep P+ type well layer is formed in the P type epitaxial layer. An N type deep guardring well is formed in a photodiode guardring region. The N type deep guardring region makes contact with the N type substrate and also be connected with an operational voltage terminal. A triple well is formed in a photodiode region and a peripheral circuit region. The triple well is used for forming a PMOS and an NMOS having different operational voltages. An isolation region is formed in the photodiode region. The isolation region in the photodiode region has a depth different from a depth of an isolation region in the peripheral circuit region.

Abstract: An image sensor comprising a transfer gate electrode having a uniform impurity doping distribution is provided. The image sensor further comprises a semiconductor substrate comprising a pixel area, wherein the pixel area comprises an active region and the transfer gate electrode is disposed on the active region. A method of fabricating the image sensor is also provided. The method comprises preparing a semiconductor substrate, forming a polysilicon layer on the semiconductor substrate, doping the polysilicon layer with impurity ions, and patterning the polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor includes a field isolation film defining first, second, and third active fields in a substrate having a first conductivity type, a photodiode region in the first active field, the photodiode region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and a floating diffusion region of the second conductivity type in the second active field. A source follower gate is conductively connected with the floating diffusion region and intersects the second active field. First and second source/drain regions of the second conductivity type are provided in the second active field at opposite sides of the source follower gate, and a pickup region is disposed in the third active field. The third active field may be adjacent a portion of the second active field where the first source/drain region or the second source/drain region is located, and the floating diffusion region may be isolated from the first and second source/drain regions.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion section in a semiconductor substrate, the photoelectric conversion section having a capping layer of a first conductivity type and a photodiode of a second conductivity type below the capping layer, the photodiode having an upper surface deeper than about 1 ?m, as measured from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a charge detection section receiving charges stored in the photoelectric conversion through a charge transfer section and converting the received charges into respective electrical signals, a voltage application section adapted to apply voltage to the capping layer and to a lower portion of the semiconductor substrate to control a width of a depletion layer on the photodiode, and a signal operation section adapted to generate red, green, and blue, signals according to signals from the charge detection section.

Abstract: An image sensor includes an array of photo-detectors, a plurality of conductive line regions, and a conductive junction region. The array of photo-detectors is formed in a semiconductor substrate. Each conductive line region is formed under a respective line of photo-detectors along a first direction in the substrate. The conductive junction region is formed between the array of photo-detectors and the plurality of conductive line regions in the substrate. The conductive line regions and the conductive junction region form vertical drain structures for the photo-detectors.

Abstract: Provided are methods of fabricating an image sensor. Embodiments of such methods can include forming a first gate insulation layer in a first region of a semiconductor substrate and a first gate electrode layer, to cover the first gate insulation layer and forming a second gate insulation layer within a nitrogen enhanced atmosphere and a second gate electrode layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate. The methods also include patterning the first gate electrode layer and the first gate insulation layer of the first region to form a first gate pattern and patterning the second gate electrode layer and the second gate insulation layer of the second region to form a second gate pattern.

Abstract: An image sensor according to an example embodiment may include a plurality of photoelectric transformation active regions, a plurality of read active regions, and/or at least one read gate. The plurality of photoelectric transformation active regions may be formed on a substrate. Each read active region may be formed adjacent to one of the plurality of photoelectric transformation active regions. Each read gate may be formed on one of the read active regions and partially overlap at least one of the adjacent photoelectric transformation active regions. Each read gate may be electrically isolated from the overlapping portion of the photoelectric transformation active region.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an image sensor according to example embodiments may include forming a photodiode in a photoelectric conversion region of a substrate and forming an etch stop layer on the substrate. The etch stop layer may be patterned to form an inner lens on the photoelectric conversion region and an etch stop layer pattern on a transistor region of the substrate. A metal interconnection structure may be formed on the inner lens and the etch stop layer pattern. Accordingly, the number of additional processes for fabricating an image sensor may be reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of preparing a polymer composite using a giant magnetostrictive material, and more particularly, to polymers composite having various improved properties, in which the advantageous structure of the giant magnetostrictive material produced by unidirectional solidification can be maintained by removing the eutectic phase from the magnetostrictive material and filling resulting voids with a polymer resin.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an image sensor may include providing a substrate including light-receiving and non-light-receiving regions; forming a plurality of gates on the non-light-receiving region; ion-implanting a first-conductivity-type dopant into the light-receiving region to form a first dopant region of a pinned photodiode; primarily ion-implanting a second-conductivity-type dopant, different from the first-conductivity-type dopant, into an entire surface of the substrate, using the gates as a first mask; forming spacers on both side walls of the gates; and secondarily ion-implanting the second-conductivity-type dopant into the entire surface of the substrate, using the plurality of gates including the spacers as a second mask, to complete a second dopant region of the pinned photodiode.

Abstract: Example embodiments disclose an image sensor capable of preventing or reducing image lag and a method of manufacturing the same. Example methods may include forming a gate insulating film and a gate conductive film doped with a first-conductive-type dopant on a semiconductor substrate; forming a transfer gate pattern by patterning the gate insulating film and the gate conductive film; and fabricating a transfer gate electrode by forming a first-conductive-type photodiode in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to one region of the transfer gate pattern, by forming a second-conductive-type photodiode on the first-conductive-type photodiode, and by forming a first-conductive-type floating diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the other region of the transfer gate pattern.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate having an active pixel sensor region defined therein, a plurality of first conductivity type photodiodes formed in the active pixel sensor region and a first conductivity-type first deep well formed in the active pixel sensor region in a location which does not include the plurality of the first conductivity-type photodiodes. Moreover, the first deep well is electrically connected to a positive voltage.

Abstract: Provided are methods of fabricating an image sensor. Embodiments of such methods can include forming a first gate insulation layer in a first region of a semiconductor substrate and a first gate electrode layer, to cover the first gate insulation layer and forming a second gate insulation layer within a nitrogen enhanced atmosphere and a second gate electrode layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate. The methods also include patterning the first gate electrode layer and the first gate insulation layer of the first region to form a first gate pattern and patterning the second gate electrode layer and the second gate insulation layer of the second region to form a second gate pattern.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor includes a field isolation film defining first, second, and third active fields in a substrate having a first conductivity type, a photodiode region in the first active field, the photodiode region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and a floating diffusion region of the second conductivity type in the second active field. A source follower gate is conductively connected with the floating diffusion region and intersects the second active field. First and second source/drain regions of the second conductivity type are provided in the second active field at opposite sides of the source follower gate, and a pickup region is disposed in the third active field. The third active field may be adjacent a portion of the second active field where the first source/drain region or the second source/drain region is located, and the floating diffusion region may be isolated from the first and second source/drain regions.

Abstract: Image sensor devices are provided having reduced dark current generation characteristics. These image sensor devices include a semiconductor substrate and a photo-detector therein (e.g., P-N photodiode). The photo-detector includes a charge-generating region therein that is configured to convert photons received by the photo-detector into charge carriers. A first transistor, which has a terminal configured to receive the charge carriers generated by the photo-detector, is also provided. The first transistor includes a first gate electrode and a first pair of lightly doped source and drain regions of unequal width on opposite sides of the first gate electrode. This first transistor may be a three-terminal device and the terminal that is configured to receive the charge carriers may be selected from a group consisting of a gate, source and drain terminals. In particular, the first transistor may be configured as a reset transistor or as a source-follower transistor.