Abstract: An image sensor having a wave guide includes a semiconductor substrate formed with a photodiode and a peripheral circuit region; an anti-reflective layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; an insulation layer formed on the anti-reflective layer; a wiring layer formed on the insulation layer and connected to the semiconductor substrate; at least one interlayer dielectric stacked on the wiring layer; and a wave guide connected to the insulation layer by passing through the interlayer dielectric and the wiring layer which are formed over the photodiode.

Abstract: An image sensor is capable of judging proximity to a subject. The image sensor judges the distance to the subject using a change in output voltage value by the presence or absence of a specific band of wavelengths of infrared (IR) measured by optical sensors such as proximity pixels. Thereby, the image sensor enables an ordinary image sensor to easily realize a proximity function, and makes it possible to minimize damage to a quality of image when the image is picked up in a night photography mode or in a proximity photography mode.

Abstract: Provided is a pixel for picking up an image signal capable of suppressing an occurrence of a cross-talk. The pixel for picking up an image signal includes a substrate surrounded by a trench, a photodiode, and a pass transistor. The photodiode is formed at an upper portion of the substrate and includes a P-type diffusion area and an N-type diffusion area which are joined with each other in a longitudinal direction. The pass transistor is formed at the upper portion of the substrate and includes the one terminal that is the joined P-type diffusion area and the N-type diffusion area, the other terminal that is a floating diffusion area, and a gate terminal disposed between the two terminals. The pixel for picking up an image signal is surrounded by the trench which penetrates the substrate from the upper portion to the lower portion of the substrate, and the trench is filled with an insulator.

Abstract: A separation type unit pixel of an image sensor, which can control light that incidents onto a photodiode at various angles, and be suitable for a zoom function in a compact camera module by securing an incident angle margin, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The unit pixel of an image sensor includes: a first wafer including a photodiode containing impurities having an impurity type opposite to that of a semiconductor material and a pad for transmitting photoelectric charge of the photodiode to outside; a second wafer including a pixel array region in which transistors except the photodiode are arranged regularly, a peripheral circuit region having an image sensor structure except the pixel array, and a pad for connecting pixels with one another; and a connecting means connecting the pad of the first wafer and the pad of the second wafer.

Abstract: Provided are a separation type unit pixel for preventing sensitivity reduction to prevent a depletion area from decreasing and a method of driving the unit pixel. The separation type unit pixel for preventing sensitivity reduction includes: a substrate; a photodiode constructed with a junction of a P-type diffusion area and an N-type diffusion area which are formed under a surface of the substrate in a vertical direction; a gate electrode conductor which is disposed on an upper portion of the surface of the substrate to be adjacent to the N-type or P-type diffusion area; a floating diffusion area formed to be adjacent to another surface of the gate electrode conductor; and a sensitivity reduction preventing conductor disposed on an upper portion of the photodiode area to cover the photodiode area.

Abstract: Disclosed are a 4T-4S step & repeat unit pixel used in an image sensor and an image sensor having the same. The 4T-4S step & repeat unit pixel has four diffusion area patterns for photodiodes and three diffusion area patterns for an image signal conversion circuit. An aperture ratio of the image sensor increases in maximum by using four photodiodes arranged in a diagonal direction from each other and three diffusion area patterns arranged between the photodiodes near their edges.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technology for reducing dark current noise by discharging electrons accumulated on a surface of an image sensor photodiode. In an N-type or P-type photodiode, a channel is formed between the photodiode and a power voltage terminal, so that electrons (or holes) accumulated on a surface of the photodiode are discharged to the power voltage terminal through the channel.

Abstract: Provided is a one-chip vitality measuring image sensor. The image sensor includes one chip where a plurality of IR pixels and a plurality of visible pixels are alternately disposed, IR pass filters which are disposed on the IR pixels, and color pass filters which are disposed on the visible pixels. In the image sensor, IR strength and color strengths are obtained from light which is incident to the IR pixels and the visible pixels, and a vitality of a subject is measured by comparing the IR strength with the color strengths.

Abstract: A 3T-4S step & repeat unit cell obtained by combining four image sensor unit cells each including three transistors and a 3T-4S image sensor including the 3T-4S step & repeat unit cell are provided. The 3T-4S step & repeat unit cell includes first to fourth photodiodes. A first shared image sensor unit cell is obtained by combining the first and second photodiodes with four transistors. A second shared image sensor unit cell is obtained by combining the third and fourth photodiodes with four transistors. Signals corresponding to images incident onto the first and second photodiodes are output through a first common detection line. Signals corresponding to images incident onto the third and fourth photodiodes are output through a second common detection line. A terminal of each of the four photodiodes is connected to a first voltage source. Conversion voltages corresponding to image signals incident onto two photodiodes via green filters are output through a common detection line.

Abstract: There is provided an image sensor with a spectrum sensor including an image sensor region having a plurality of light-detection parts and a spectrum sensor region located in the image sensor region. The present invention provides an advantage of manufacturing a low-cost image sensor with a spectrum sensor. Thus, the image sensor with a spectrum sensor is commercially available to measure the structure and quantity of an organic material in an object in a simple manner.

Abstract: A unit pixel of an image sensor having a three-dimensional structure includes a first chip and a second chip which are stacked, one of the first chip and the second chip having a photodiode, and the other of the first chip and the second chip having a circuit for receiving information from the photodiode and outputting received information. The first chip includes a first pad which is projectedly disposed on an upper surface of the first chip in such a way as to define a concavo-convex structure, and the second chip includes a second pad which is depressedly disposed on an upper surface of the second chip in such a way as to define a concavo-convex structure corresponding to the concavo-convex structure of the first chip. The first chip and the second chip are mated with each other through bonding of the first pad and the second pad.

Abstract: A 4T-4S step & repeat unit cell obtained by combining four image sensor unit cells each including four transistors and a 4T-4S image sensor including the 4T-4S step & repeat unit cell are provided. The 4T-4S step & repeat unit cell includes first and second shared image sensor unit cells. The first shared image sensor unit cell includes first and third photodiodes and five transistors. The second shared image sensor unit cell includes second and fourth photodiodes and five transistors. The second photodiode is disposed over the first photodiode. The third photodiode is disposed at a side of the second photodiode. A terminal of each of the fourth photodiode is connected to a first voltage source. Signals corresponding to images incident onto the first and third photodiodes are output through a first common detection line OUT1. Signals corresponding to images incident onto the second and fourth photodiodes are output through a second common detection line OUT2.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a crystalline semiconductor thin film formed on an amorphous or poly-crystalline substrate such as a glass substrate, a ceramic substrate, and a plastic substrate through induction heating using photo-charges. The method of manufacturing a crystalline semiconductor thin film includes a process of forming a low-concentration semiconductor layer on an inexpensive amorphous or poly-crystalline substrate such as a glass substrate, a ceramic substrate, and a plastic substrate and a process of crystallizing the low-concentration semiconductor layer through an induction heating manner using photo-charges. Accordingly, a low-concentration crystalline semiconductor thin film having characteristics better than those of general amorphous or poly-crystalline semiconductor thin film can be obtained by using simple processes at low production cost.

Abstract: A method for forming a pad in a wafer with a three-dimensional stacking structure includes: (a) a first process of bonding a device wafer and a handling wafer; (b) a second process of thinning a back side of an Si substrate which is formed on the device wafer, after the first process; (c) a third process of forming an anti-reflective layer and a PMD (preferential metal deposition) dielectric layer, after the second process; (d) a fourth process of forming vias on back sides of super contacts which are formed on the Si substrate, after the third process; and (e) a fifth process of forming a pad, after the fourth process.

Abstract: An image sensor capable of realizing night-photographing and functions of a proximity sensor and an illuminance sensor. The image sensor includes a light source for emitting light toward a subject; a light source control section for controlling current applied to the light source; an illuminance sensor section for sensing an illuminance of surrounding environment; and a sensor section having an image sensor unit for sensing an image signal.

Abstract: A biochip having an image sensor with a back side illumination photodiode structure includes: a biochip layer; and an image sensor layer attached to one surface of the biochip layer and configured to sense light with biochemical reaction information, which is emitted from the biochip layer, wherein the image sensor layer includes a plurality of light sensing parts which receive the light directed toward a back side of a wafer.

Abstract: A back side illumination image sensor reduced in chip size has a capacitor disposed in a vertical upper portion of a pixel region in the back side illumination image sensor in which light is illuminated from a back side of a subscriber, thereby reducing a chip size, and a method for manufacturing the back side illumination image sensor. The capacitor of the back side illumination image sensor reduced in chip size is formed in the vertical upper portion of the pixel region, not in the outside of a pixel region, so that the outside area of the pixel region for forming the capacitor is not required, thereby reducing a chip size.

Abstract: A separation type unit pixel having a 3D structure for an image sensor, composed of a plurality of transistors, includes: a first wafer which includes a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a node of a floating diffusion area functioning as static electricity for converting electric charge into a voltage, and a pad connecting the floating diffusion area and the transfer transistor to an external circuit, respectively; a second wafer which includes the rest of the circuit elements constituting a pixel (i.e., a reset transistor, a source-follower transistor, and a blocking switch transistor), a read-out circuit, a vertical/horizontal decoder, a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit which involves in a sensor operation and an image quality, an analog circuit, an analog-digital converter (ADC), a digital circuit, and a pad connecting each pixel; and a connecting means which connects the pad of the first wafer and the pad of the second wafer.

Abstract: A JPEG decoder having a scaling function includes an inverse discrete cosine transform block, wherein the JPEG decoder selectively performs an inverse discrete cosine transform on a part of pixel data of a macroblock through the inverse discrete cosine transform block and outputs a scaled image file. The JPEG decoder and the scaling method using the JPEG decoder increase a decoding speed, thereby enabling an image to be output in real time, especially when the JPEG decoder and/or the scaling method are applied to a mobile field. Also, the JPEG decoder and the scaling method using the JPEG decoder can achieve an efficient scaling, even without a separate circuit for scaling, thereby reducing a circuit size and the number of components.

Abstract: An image sensor for reducing crosstalk includes anti-reflection films which are formed between a plurality of metal wire lines of the lowest metal wiring layer and a semiconductor substrate and between one of the metal wiring layers and another metal wiring layer. The image sensor having the anti-reflection films according to the present invention can reduce color crosstalk and noises in comparison with a conventional image sensor by using the anti-reflection films formed above the surroundings of the photodiodes.