Abstract: In-pixel separation structures may divide photodiodes of a pixel array into multiple regions. As a result, a lens of an image sensor device may be focused by using combining signals associated with different portions of the photodiodes. As a result, the lens may be focused faster and with fewer pixels of the pixel array, which conserves power, processing resources, and raw materials.

Abstract: An image sensor device may include a pixel sensor array that includes a plurality of pixel sensors. A plurality of transistors may be electrically connected with a back end of line (BEOL) region of the image sensor device. The image sensor device may further include a bonding pad region in which a bonding pad is included. A dielectric plug may surround a portion of the bonding pad and may fully extend through a semiconductor device region to provide electrical, thermal, and/or optical isolation for the pixel sensors of the pixel sensor array. Additionally and/or alternatively, one or more capacitors in the BEOL region of the image sensor device. The one or more capacitors may enable a photocurrent generated by one or more of the pixel sensors to be directly transferred from the one or more source follower transistors to the one or more capacitors for storage.

Abstract: A pixel sensor may include a vertically arranged (or vertically stacked) photodiode region and floating diffusion region. The vertical arrangement permits the photodiode region to occupy a larger area of a pixel sensor of a given size relative to a horizontal arrangement, which increases the area in which the photodiode region can collect photons. This increases performance of the pixel sensor and permits the overall size of the pixel sensor to be reduced. Moreover, the transfer gate may surround at least a portion of the floating diffusion region and the photodiode region, which provides a larger gate switching area relative to a horizontal arrangement. The increased gate switching area may provide greater control over the transfer of the photocurrent and/or may reduce switching delay for the pixel sensor.

Abstract: A method of fingerprint verification includes capturing a fingerprint image by an image sensing device. The image sensing device including a pixel array of a combination of sensing pixels configured to capture minutia points in the fingerprint image and positioning pixels configured to provide positioning codes. The method further includes calculating vectors of the minutia points with reference to the positioning codes, comparing the vectors to reference vectors generated from a reference fingerprint image, and determining a match between the fingerprint image and the reference fingerprint image based on the comparing of the vectors.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: a semiconductor substrate; a gate dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate; and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer. The gate dielectric layer includes a first portion and a second portion thinner than the first portion, wherein the gate electrode is over the first portion and the second portion, and the first portion includes a third portion including nitrogen and enclosed by the first portion.

Abstract: In-pixel separation structures may divide photodiodes of a pixel array into multiple regions. As a result, a lens of an image sensor device may be focused by using combining signals associated with different portions of the photodiodes. As a result, the lens may be focused faster and with fewer pixels of the pixel array, which conserves power, processing resources, and raw materials.

Abstract: A pixel sensor may include a vertically arranged (or vertically stacked) photodiode region and floating diffusion region. The vertical arrangement permits the photodiode region to occupy a larger area of a pixel sensor of a given size relative to a horizontal arrangement, which increases the area in which the photodiode region can collect photons. This increases performance of the pixel sensor and permits the overall size of the pixel sensor to be reduced. Moreover, the transfer gate may surround at least a portion of the floating diffusion region and the photodiode region, which provides a larger gate switching area relative to a horizontal arrangement. The increased gate switching area may provide greater control over the transfer of the photocurrent and/or may reduce switching delay for the pixel sensor.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor structure includes a sensing device, a solar cell, and an interconnecting structure. The solar cell is disposed above the sensing device and is electrically connected to the sensing device. The interconnecting structure is disposed between the sensing device and the solar cell and has a first surface facing the solar cell and a second surface facing the sensing devices. The interconnecting structure comprises a first energy storage component and a second energy storage component. The first energy storage component is disposed closer to the first surface of the interconnecting structure than the second energy storage component.

Abstract: A pixel array includes octagon-shaped pixel sensors and square-shaped pixel sensors. The octagon-shaped pixel sensors may be interspersed in the pixel array with square-shaped pixel sensors to increase the utilization of space in the pixel array, and to allow for pixel sensors in the pixel array to be sized differently. Moreover, the pixel array may include a combination of red, green, and blue pixel sensors to obtain color information from incident light; yellow pixel sensors for blue and green color enhancement and correction for the pixel array; near infrared (NIR) pixel sensors to increase contour sharpness and low light performance for the pixel array; and/or white pixel sensors to increase light sensitivity and brightness for the pixel array. The capability to configure different sizes and types of pixel sensors permits the pixel array to be formed and/or configured to satisfy various performance parameters.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a recess in a semiconductor substrate; disposing a dielectric material into the recess to form a trench isolation; and forming a first pixel in the semiconductor substrate proximate to the trench isolation. The method further includes forming a second pixel in the semiconductor substrate over the first pixel; forming a first gate structure over the semiconductor substrate and laterally between the first pixel and the trench isolation from a top view perspective; and forming a second gate structure over the second pixel and adjacent to the first gate structure.

Abstract: A method includes: forming a barrier layer in a substrate; depositing a first dielectric layer over the substrate; forming a patterned mask layer over the first dielectric layer; patterning the first dielectric layer into a first sublayer of a gate dielectric layer; converting at least part of the patterned mask layer into a second sublayer of the gate dielectric layer; depositing a second dielectric layer adjacent to the first and second sublayers to serve as a third sublayer of the gate dielectric layer; and depositing a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor structure includes a sensing device, a solar cell, and an interconnecting structure. The solar cell is disposed above the sensing device and is electrically connected to the sensing device. The interconnecting structure is disposed between the sensing device and the solar cell and has a first surface facing the solar cell and a second surface facing the sensing devices. The interconnecting structure comprises a first energy storage component and a second energy storage component. The first energy storage component is disposed closer to the first surface of the interconnecting structure than the second energy storage component.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of a first type of light sensing units operable to receive a first amount of radiation. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of a second type of light sensing units operable to receive a second amount of radiation. A first instance of the first type of light sensing unit and a second instance of the first type of light sensing unit are both directly between a first instance of the second type of light sensing unit and a second instance of the second type of light sensing unit, wherein the second instance of the second type of light sensing unit is a closest of the plurality of second type of light sensing units to the first instance of the second type of light sensing unit.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first side, and a trench isolation structure dividing the substrate into sensing units. Each sensing unit includes a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode disposed on the first side, and a first pixel and a second pixel extending into the substrate and disposed between the first and second gate electrodes from a top view perspective. The first pixel is disposed under the second pixel and electrically connected to the first gate electrode, and the second pixel is electrically connected to the second gate electrode. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a trench isolation in a semiconductor substrate; forming a first pixel in the substrate; forming a second pixel in the substrate over the first pixel; forming a first gate structure over the substrate; and forming a second gate structure over the second pixel.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a photodiode extending to a first depth from a first side in a substrate. An isolation structure laterally surrounds the photodiode and includes a first well that extends into a first side of the substrate. A deep trench isolation extends into a second side of the substrate and at least a portion of the deep trench isolation underlies the first well.

Abstract: A pixel sensor includes a transfer fin field effect transistor (finFET) to transfer a photocurrent from a photodiode to a drain region. The transfer finFET includes at least a portion of the photodiode, an extension region associated with the drain region, a plurality of channel fins, and a transfer gate at least partially surrounding the channel fins to control the operation of the transfer finFET. In the transfer finFET, the transfer gate is wrapped around (e.g., at least three sides) of each of the channel fins, which provides a greater surface area over which the transfer gate is enabled to control the transfer of electrons. The greater surface area results in greater control over operation of the finFET, which may reduce switching times of the pixel sensor (which enables faster pixel sensor performance) and may reduce leakage current of the pixel sensor relative to a planar transfer transistor.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit (IC) structure with a solar cell and an image sensor array. An integrated structure according to the present disclosure includes a first substrate including a plurality of photodiodes, an interconnect structure disposed on the first substrate, a first bonding layer disposed on the interconnect structure, a second bonding layer disposed on the first bonding layer, a second substrate disposed on the second bonding layer, and a transparent conductive oxide layer disposed on the second substrate.

Abstract: A pixel array may include a group of time-of-flight (ToF) sensors. The pixel array may include an image sensor comprising a group of pixel sensors. The image sensor may be arranged among the group of ToF sensors such that the image sensor is adjacent to each ToF sensor in the group of ToF sensors.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a photodiode extending to a first depth from a first side in a substrate. An isolation structure laterally surrounds the photodiode and includes a first well that extends into a first side of the substrate. A deep trench isolation extends into a second side of the substrate and at least a portion of the deep trench isolation underlies the first well.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit (IC) structure with a solar cell and an image sensor array. An integrated structure according to the present disclosure includes a first substrate including a plurality of photodiodes, an interconnect structure disposed on the first substrate, a first bonding layer disposed on the interconnect structure, a second bonding layer disposed on the first bonding layer, a second substrate disposed on the second bonding layer, and a transparent conductive oxide layer disposed on the second substrate.