Abstract: Provided are a unit pixel for improving sensitivity in low illumination conditions and a method of manufacturing the unit pixel. The unit pixel includes: a photodiode generating image charges corresponding to an image signal; a transfer transistor transferring the image charges to a floating diffusion area; and a reset transistor having a terminal connected to the floating diffusion area and the other terminal applied with a power supply, wherein concentration of impurity ions implanted into the floating diffusion area is lower than concentration of impurity ions implanted into a diffusion area of the reset transistor applied with the power supply.

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 stacked image sensor. Particularly, provided are a stacked image sensor including a photosensitive element portion having a photo-conductive thin film on an upper portion of a wafer where a peripheral circuit is formed and a method of manufacturing the stacked image sensor. In the stacked image sensor according to the present invention, since a wafer where a circuit is formed and a photosensitive element portion are formed in a stacked structure, a whole size of the image sensor can be reduced, and there is no optical crosstalk due to absorption of incident light to adjacent pixels. In addition, since a photo-conductive element having a high light absorbance is used, a high photo-electric conversion efficiency can be obtained. In addition, in the method of manufacturing a stacked image sensor according to the present invention, since the upper photosensitive element can be formed by using a simple low-temperature process, a production cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A diagnosis device using an image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The diagnosis device using the image sensor includes: a substrate in which an image sensor including a plurality of optical sensors is formed; an insulation layer formed on the substrate; and a plurality of wells formed in the insulation layer in correspondence with the plurality of optical sensors, the plurality of wells into which reference samples for biochemical reactions with a target sample are inserted.

Abstract: A unit pixel having a pixel constructed with a photodiode and a 2-transistor for an image sensor is disclosed. The unit pixel having a 2-transistor structure for an image sensor includes: a photodiode containing impurities having an opposite type of a semiconductor material; a reset transistor connected to the photodiode to initialize the photodiode; and a transistor having selecting and reading-out functions connected to the photodiode to have functions of controlling connection between a pixel and an external lead-out circuit and reading-out the information of the pixel. Accordingly, an aperture surface rises and a pixel size decreases, so that sensitivity increases. Also, the fill factor of the photodiode increases significantly due to a decrease of the number of the transistor, so that the sensitivity increases and costs reduce.

Abstract: Provided is a pixel array having a wide dynamic range, good color reproduction, and good resolution and an image sensor using the pixel array. The pixel array includes a plurality of first type photodiodes, a plurality of second type photodiodes, and a plurality of image signal conversion circuits. A plurality of the second type photodiodes are disposed between the first type photodiodes which are two-dimensionally arrayed. A plurality of the image signal conversion circuits are disposed between the first type photodiodes and the second type photodiodes to process image signals detected by the first type photodiodes and the second type photodiodes. An area of the first type photodiodes is wider than an area of the second type photodiodes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pixel array having a three-dimensional structure and an image sensor having the pixel array. The pixel array has a three-dimensional structure in which a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, a convert transistor, and a select transistor are divided and formed on a first wafer and a second wafer, chips on the first and second wafers are connected in a vertical direction after die-sorting the chips.

Abstract: A method of bonding aluminum (Al) electrodes formed on two semiconductor substrates at a low temperature that does not affect circuits formed on the two semiconductor substrates is provided. The method includes: (a) forming aluminum (Al) electrodes on the two semiconductor substrates, respectively, and depositing a metal alloy that comprises aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) onto the aluminum (Al) electrodes; (b) arranging the aluminum (Al) electrodes of the two semiconductor substrates to face with each other; and (c) heating the aluminum (Al) electrodes at a temperature lower than the melting point of the deposited metal alloy, and applying a specific pressure onto the two semiconductor substrates. Accordingly, bonding can be carried out at a temperature lower than the melting point of an Al0.83Cu0.17 alloy without having an effect on circuits formed on two semiconductor substrates, and can be selectively carried out at regions where pressure is applied.

Abstract: Provided is an optical image receiving device having a high and rapid sensitivity and a wide dynamic range manufacture in a CMOS process. The image receiving device includes a capacitor transistor for a special purpose in addition to a general structure of three transistors and a light receiving portion. The capacitor transistor has first and second source/drain ports connected to the capacitance node and the floating diffusion node, respectively, and is gated in response to activation of a predetermined capacitor control signal. In the CMOS optical image receiving device, the floating diffusion node is pumped over an external power voltage. Thus, the electronic potential of the floating diffusion node in the initialization state is much higher than the maximum voltage of the light receiving portion. Thus, the CMOS active pixel has a very high sensitivity in a region where the intensity of light is weak.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pixel of an image sensor including a protruded photodiode capable of improving photosensitivity and reducing crosstalk between neighboring pixels and a pixel of an image sensor formed using the method are provided. The pixel of the semiconductor image sensor includes a protrudedly shaped photodiode on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A surface area of the photodiode with respect to a surface area of the image sensor pixel increases to improve photosensitivity, and a microlens is not needed due to the improvement of the fill factor. In addition, the crosstalk of neighboring pixels can be removed.

Abstract: Provided are a fingerprint recognition device which performs a fingerprint recognition function and can be inserted into a card, the card including the fingerprint recognition device, and a user authentication method for the card including the fingerprint recognition device. The fingerprint recognition device includes a fingerprint touch unit that a fingerprint touches and an image sensor capturing a fingerprint pattern by using a reflected wave reflected from the fingerprint touch unit 310 and comparing a comparison reference fingerprint pattern with the captured fingerprint pattern.

Abstract: An image sensor using a back-illuminated photodiode and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. According to the present invention, since a surface of the back-illuminated photodiode can be stably treated, the back-illuminated photodiode can be formed to have a low dark current, a constant sensitivity of blue light for all photodiodes, and high sensitivity. In addition, it is possible to manufacture an image sensor with high density by employing a three dimensional structure in which a photodiode and a logic circuit are separately formed on different substrates.

Abstract: Provided are a crystalline solar cell having a stacked structure capable of increasing light absorption efficiency and preventing deterioration in a semiconductor and a method of manufacturing the crystalline solar cell. The crystalline solar cell having a stacked structure includes a non-conductive lattice buffer layer which is made of a non-conductive material and formed between crystalline solar cell layers, wherein the non-conductive lattice buffer layer electrically connects the solar cell layers to each other by a tunneling effect. The method of manufacturing the crystalline solar cell includes steps of forming a crystalline first solar cell layer, forming a non-conductive lattice buffer layer using a non-conductive material on the first solar cell layer, and forming a crystalline second solar cell layer on the non-conductive lattice buffer layer.

Abstract: Provided is a semitransparent crystalline silicon thin film solar cell using a crystalline silicon thin film, including a transparent substrate, an antireflection layer, first transparent electrodes, electricity generation regions, second transparent electrodes, insulating layers. The electricity generation regions include crystalline silicon thin films. Accordingly, the semitransparent crystalline silicon thin film solar cell has a simpler manufacturing process as compared with a semitransparent thin film solar cell using a conventional amorphous thin film and can control transmittance by controlling a thickness of the crystalline thin film without additional apparatuses.

Abstract: In a driving method of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor active pixel, timing of a transmission control signal and a reset control signal generated in a read-out section is performed in advance in a reset section. A potential wall between a photodiode area and a transmission transistor having a size corresponding to one generated in the read-out section is generated in the reset section in advance and the photodiode area is filled with charges. A dead region is reduced in the read-out section. In the reset section, the transmission transistor connecting a collection node to accumulate the signal charges generated from the photodiode and the floating diffusive node is turned on at least one time, and a difference between an initial voltage of the collection node and a voltage of the reset level of the floating diffusive node is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a voice coil module (VCM), and more particularly, to a VCM used for lens fixation and displacement measurement in order to prevent and control power consumption. Accordingly, in the VCM, power is not additionally consumed in order to maintain a specific position of the lens in a state that a focus of the lens is adjusted. Further, the lens is not moved and an optical axis is not distorted when a vibration occurs while an image is captured. Furthermore, the lens can be accurately controlled by measuring the present position of the lens.

Abstract: A chip-stacked image sensor obtained by embodying an image sensor cell in two chips and combining the chips with each other is provided. The chip-stacked image sensor includes first and second semiconductor chips. The first semiconductor chip includes a plurality of image signal sensing cells for generating image charges corresponding to image signals sensed by at least four photodiodes and outputting the generated image charges through at least two common terminals and a plurality of image charge transmission pads. The second semiconductor chip includes a plurality of image signal conversion cells for converting the image signals into electrical signals and a plurality of image charge receiving pads. Here, the image charges generated by the image signal sensing cells are transmitted to corresponding image signal conversion cells via the plurality of image charge transmission pads and the plurality of image charge receiving pads.

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: 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: An image sensor using a back-illuminated photodiode and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. According to the present invention, since a surface of the back-illuminated photodiode can be stably treated, the back-illuminated photodiode can be formed to have a low dark current, a constant sensitivity of blue light for all photodiodes, and high sensitivity. In addition, it is possible to manufacture an image sensor with high density by employing a three dimensional structure in which a photodiode and a logic circuit are separately formed on different substrates.