Abstract: An image sensor comprises a substrate of a first conductivity type. First and second pixels are arrayed over the substrate. A potential barrier is formed in a region of the substrate corresponding to the first pixel but not in a region of the substrate corresponding to the second pixel. The second pixel is responsive to a color having a wavelength longer than the color to which the first pixel is responsive. The potential barrier is doped with dopants by a high energy ion implantation dopants or by an ion implantation or diffusion during epitaxial growth of the P-type epitaxial layer.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a color filter, an over-coating layer formed on the color filter, and a medium layer formed on the over-coating layer, wherein the medium layer is configured with at least two medium layers of which refractive indices are different from each other.

Abstract: A backside illuminated image sensor includes a substrate, a backside passivation layer disposed on backside of the substrate, and a transparent conductive layer disposed on the backside passivation layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a CMOS image sensor, which can minimize a reflectance of light at an interface between a photodiode and an insulating film, thereby enhancing image sensitivity. Such a CMOS image sensor includes a substrate provided with a photodiode consisting of Si, an insulating film consisting of SiO2 and formed on the substrate, a semi-reflection film interposed between the substrate and the insulating film, and metal interconnections, color filters and micro lenses constituting individual unit pixels. The semi-reflection film has a refraction index value between those of the Si photodiode and the SiO2 insulating film.

Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor includes only two signal lines per pixel, a pinned photodiode for sensing light, a floating base bipolar transistor, and no reset and address transistors. The floating base bipolar transistor provides the pixel with a gain, which can increase pixel sensitivity and reduce noise. The pixel also incorporates a vertical blooming control structure for an efficient blooming suppression. The output terminals of the pixel are coupled to a common column output line terminated by a special current sensing correlated double sampling circuit, which is used for subtraction of emitter leakage current. Based on this structure, the pixel has high sensitivity, high response uniformity, low noise, reduced size, and efficient layout.

Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor, the pixel includes a floating diffusion node to sense photo-generated charge, a reset diode to reset the floating diffusion node in response to a reset signal, and a set diode to set the floating diffusion node.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a color filter, an over-coating layer formed on the color filter, and a medium layer formed on the over-coating layer, wherein the medium layer is configured with at least two medium layers of which refractive indices are different from each other.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an image sensor includes forming an insulation layer over a substrate in a logic circuit region and a pixel region, forming a photoresist over the insulation layer, patterning the photoresist to form a photoresist pattern where the insulation layer in the pixel region is exposed and the insulation layer in the logic circuit region is not exposed, wherein a thickness of the photoresist pattern is gradually decreased in an interfacial region between the pixel region and the logic circuit region in a direction of the logic circuit region to the pixel region, and performing an etch back process over the insulation layer and the photoresist pattern in conditions that an etch rate of the photoresist pattern are substantially the same as that of the insulation layer.

Abstract: A stratified photodiode for high resolution CMOS image sensors implemented with STI technology is provided. The photodiode includes a semi-conductive layer of a first conductivity type, multiple doping regions of a second conductivity type, multiple doping regions of the first conductivity type, and a pinning layer. The multiple doping regions of the second conductivity type are formed to different depths in the semi-conductive layer. The multiple doping regions of the first conductivity type are disposed between the multiple doping regions of the second conductivity type and form multiple junction capacitances without full depletion. In particular, the stratified doping arrangement allows the photodiode to have a small size, high charge storage capacity, low dark current, and low operation voltages.

Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor includes a polysilicon layer, and an active region which needs to be electrically coupled with the polysilicon layer, wherein the polysilicon layer extends over a portion of the active region, such that the polysilicon layer and the active region are partially overlapped, and the polysilicon layer and the active region are coupled through a buried contact structure.

Abstract: An image sensor capable of overcoming a decrease in photo sensitivity resulted from using a single crystal silicon substrate, and a method for fabricating the same are provided. An image sensor includes a single crystal silicon substrate, an amorphous silicon layer formed inside the substrate, a photodiode formed in the amorphous silicon layer, and a transfer gate formed over the substrate adjacent to the photodiode and transferring photoelectrons received from the photodiode.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a color filter, an over-coating layer formed on the color filter, and a medium layer formed on the over-coating layer, wherein the medium layer is configured with at least two medium layers of which refractive indices are different from each other.

Abstract: A backside illuminated image sensor includes a light receiving element disposed in a first substrate, an interlayer insulation layer disposed on the first substrate having the light receiving element, an align key spaced apart from the light receiving element and passing through the interlayer insulation layer and the first substrate, a plurality of interconnection layers disposed on the interlayer insulation layer in a multi-layered structure, wherein the backside of the lowermost interconnection layer is connected to the align key, a passivation layer covering the interconnection layers, a pad locally disposed on the backside of the first substrate and connected to the backside of the align key, a light anti-scattering layer disposed on the backside of the substrate having the pad, and a color filter and a microlens disposed on the light anti-scattering layer to face the light receiving element.

Abstract: Disclosed are an image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same. A metal wiring consisting of a lower metal wiring, an upper metal wiring, and a plug connecting the lower and upper metal wirings, in which the lower and upper metal wiring are made of a transparent conductive film pattern, is formed on a substrate with devices formed thereon, the devices including a photodiode and gate electrodes. Then, a passivation film, a color filter, and a microlens are sequentially formed on the metal wiring. All or a portion of the metal wiring is formed in a transparent conductive film pattern. As such, the metal wiring is formed on the photodiode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for integrating an image sensor capable of removing a flicker noise without causing any burdens on a hardware due to setting up additional logics. The method for integrating an exposure time of an image sensor employing a line scan method, including the steps of: performing an integration to a first line when an integer multiple of a light source frequency is different from an integration time; and performing an integration to a second line at a phase substantially equal to a phase in which the integration to the first line is started.

Abstract: The present invention relates a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor capable of improving dynamic range by using an additional driver transistor. The CMOS image sensor according to the present invention has a pixel array which has a plurality of unit pixels each of which includes a photodiode and a fist transistor to act as a source follower buffer amplifier to amplify photogenerated charges accumulated in the photodiode. Also, the CMOS image sensor includes a second transistor for a buffer amplifier to amplify and output a gate input voltage in the unit pixel, wherein an output signal of the first transistor is applied to a gate of the second.

Abstract: A stratified photodiode for high resolution CMOS image sensors implemented with STI technology is provided. The photodiode includes a semi-conductive layer of a first conductivity type, multiple doping regions of a second conductivity type, multiple doping regions of the first conductivity type, and a pinning layer. The multiple doping regions of the second conductivity type are formed to different depths in the semi-conductive layer. The multiple doping regions of the first conductivity type are disposed between the multiple doping regions of the second conductivity type and form multiple junction capacitances without full depletion. In particular, the stratified doping arrangement allows the photodiode to have a small size, high charge storage capacity, low dark current, and low operation voltages.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for concealing a dark defect in an image sensor. The method includes the steps of: setting a window including five sequential pixels from pixel data sequentially outputted, the third pixel and the fifth pixels being identical in Bayer color with each other and the second and the fourth pixels being identical in Bayer color with each other; calculating an average value ? of the first and the fifth pixels and a plurality of ?/n obtained by dividing the average value ? by n; selecting one of the plurality of ?/n; comparing a threshold value ?+?/n calculated by adding the average value ? to the selected ?/n with a value of the third pixel in size; and omitting a concealment of the dark defect when the threshold value ?+?/n is greater than the value of the third pixel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at method of designing a Color Filter Arrays (CFA) for CMOS image sensors under the effects of crosstalk for optimal color reproduction. Instead of a focus on lowering crosstalk, a novel method of designing color filter spectral responses to compensate for the effect of crosstalk at the color imaging system level is proposed. As part of this method, a color reproduction model for CMOS and CCD image sensor under the effect of crosstalk is also proposed.

Abstract: An image sensor has improved functions so as to automatically eliminate a flicker noise. For the purpose, the image sensor includes a pixel array for capturing information about an image provided from the outside and having N pixel rows and M pixel columns for maximizing a feature of reacting to light, wherein M and N are integers, respectively, a flicker noise detective pixel unit containing X pixel rows, which has a form extended from the N pixel rows of the pixel array, and M pixel columns, wherein each pair of X pixel rows has an identical exposure time and X is an even number, and a flicker noise for controlling an exposure point for the flicker noise detective pixel unit and detecting the flicker noise by using outputs of the flicker noise detective pixel unit.