Patents by Inventor Frédéric LALANNE
Frédéric LALANNE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11923465Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a photodiode including at least one memory area, each memory area including at least two charge storage regions.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2020Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Arnaud Tournier, Boris Rodrigues Goncalves, Frederic Lalanne
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Patent number: 11610933Abstract: Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing an image sensor includes forming a structure having a front side and a back side. The structure includes a semiconductor layer extending between the front side and the back side of the structure, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer between the front side and the back side of the structure. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductive or semiconductor material. The method further includes selectively etching, from the back side of the structure, portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of conductive or semiconductor material, while retaining adjacent portions of the first and second insulating walls.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic Lalanne, Laurent Gay, Pascal Fonteneau, Yann Henrion, Francois Guyader
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Publication number: 20230071932Abstract: An image sensor includes an array of pixels inside and on top of a substrate. A control circuit is configured to apply voltage potentials to the substrate. During a first phase, the control circuit applies a ground potential to the substrate. During a second phase, the control circuit applies a potential positive with respect to the ground potential to the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Laurent SIMONY, Frederic LALANNE
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Publication number: 20230051181Abstract: A photosensitive sensor is capable of operating in a global shutter mode and in a rolling shutter mode. The sensor includes at least one pixel with a photosensitive region configured to photogenerate charges. A first transfer gate is configured to transfer photogenerated charges from the photosensitive region to a transfer node. A source-follower transistor is configured to transmit a reading signal to a read node, in the global shutter mode, in a manner controlled by a potential of the photogenerated charges on the transfer node. A second transfer gate is configured to transfer the photogenerated charges from the photosensitive region to the read node in the rolling shutter mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
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Publication number: 20220336520Abstract: Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided. One such method includes forming a structure that includes a semiconductor layer extending from a front side to a back side, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductor or a semiconductor material. Portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of the conductor or semiconductor material are selectively etched, and the first and second insulating walls have portions protruding outwardly beyond a back side of the semiconductor layer and of the region of the conductor or semiconductor material. A dielectric passivation layer is deposited on the back side of the structure, and portions of the dielectric passivation layer are locally removed on a back side of the protruding portions of the first and second insulating walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Laurent GAY, Frederic LALANNE, Yann HENRION, Francois GUYADER, Pascal FONTENEAU, Aurelien SEIGNARD
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Patent number: 11451730Abstract: An image sensor includes pixels each including: a first transistor and a first switch that are connected in series between a first node configured to receive a first potential and an internal node of the pixel, a gate of the first transistor being coupled with a floating diffusion node of the pixel; a capacitive element, a first terminal of which is connected to the floating diffusion node of the pixel; and several assemblies each including a capacitance connected in series with a second switch coupling the capacitance to the internal node. The sensor also includes a control circuit configured to control, each time a voltage is stored in one of the assemblies of a pixel, an increase of a determined value of a difference in potential between the floating diffusion node and the internal node of the pixel.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Crolles2) SASInventors: Pierre Malinge, Frederic Lalanne, Laurent Simony
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Patent number: 11444110Abstract: A pixel includes a photoconversion zone, an insulated vertical electrode and at least one charge storage zone. The photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate and each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the substrate physically separated from the first part of the substrate by the insulated vertical electrode.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Boris Rodrigues Goncalves, Frederic Lalanne
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Patent number: 11398521Abstract: Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided. One such method includes forming a structure that includes a semiconductor layer extending from a front side to a back side, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductor or a semiconductor material. Portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of the conductor or semiconductor material are selectively etched, and the first and second insulating walls have portions protruding outwardly beyond a back side of the semiconductor layer and of the region of the conductor or semiconductor material. A dielectric passivation layer is deposited on the back side of the structure, and portions of the dielectric passivation layer are locally removed on a back side of the protruding portions of the first and second insulating walls.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Laurent Gay, Frederic Lalanne, Yann Henrion, Francois Guyader, Pascal Fonteneau, Aurelien Seignard
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Publication number: 20220155144Abstract: In an embodiment a method for measuring ambient light includes successively synchronizing optical signal acquisition phases with extinction phases of a disruptive light source, wherein the disruptive light source periodically provides illumination phases and the extinction phases, accumulating, in each acquisition phase, photo-generated charges by at least one photosensitive pixel comprising a pinned photodiode, wherein an area of the pinned photodiode is less than or equal to 1/10 of an area of the at least one photosensitive pixel, transferring, for each pixel, the accumulated photo-generated charges to a sensing node, converting, for each pixel, the transferred charges to a voltage at a voltage node and converting, for each pixel, the transferred charges to a digital numberType: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Pierre MALINGE, Frédéric LALANNE, Jeffrey M. RAYNOR, Nicolas MOENECLAEY
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Publication number: 20210343766Abstract: A pixel includes a photoconversion zone, an insulated vertical electrode and at least one charge storage zone. The photoconversion zone belongs to a first part of a semiconductor substrate and each charge storage zone belongs to a second part of the substrate physically separated from the first part of the substrate by the insulated vertical electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Boris RODRIGUES GONCALVES, Frederic LALANNE
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Publication number: 20210344866Abstract: A pixel includes a photosensitive circuit, a sense node, a first transistor and a first capacitor. A first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A second electrode of the first capacitor is to a node of application of a first control signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
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Publication number: 20210288102Abstract: Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing an image sensor includes forming a structure having a front side and a back side. The structure includes a semiconductor layer extending between the front side and the back side of the structure, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer between the front side and the back side of the structure. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductive or semiconductor material. The method further includes selectively etching, from the back side of the structure, portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of conductive or semiconductor material, while retaining adjacent portions of the first and second insulating walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2021Publication date: September 16, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Laurent GAY, Pascal FONTENEAU, Yann HENRION, Francois GUYADER
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Patent number: 11102429Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated image sensor includes an array of pixels in which each pixel includes a photosensitive area configured to integrate a luminous signal by generating electron-hole pairs so as to form a first signal representative of the number of electrons in the generated electron-hole pairs and a second signal representative of the number of holes in the generated electron-hole pairs. A first circuit portion is configured to store the first signal sheltered from light. A second circuit portion is configured to store the second signal sheltered from light. A third circuit portion is configured to read the first signal and the second signal and able to perform combination operations between the first signal and the second signal so as to generate a combined signal representative of an image, where the integrated image sensor is tailored to operate in a global shutter control mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SASInventors: Pierre Malinge, Frédéric Lalanne
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Patent number: 11089252Abstract: A pixel includes a photosensitive circuit, a sense node, a first transistor and a first capacitor. A first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A second electrode of the first capacitor is to a node of application of a first control signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic Lalanne, Pierre Malinge
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Publication number: 20210193849Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a photodiode including at least one memory area, each memory area including at least two charge storage regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2020Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Arnaud TOURNIER, Boris RODRIGUES GONCALVES, Frederic LALANNE, Pascal FONTENEAU
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Patent number: 11031433Abstract: Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing an image sensor includes forming a structure having a front side and a back side. The structure includes a semiconductor layer extending between the front side and the back side of the structure, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer between the front side and the back side of the structure. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductive or semiconductor material. The method further includes selectively etching, from the back side of the structure, portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of conductive or semiconductor material, while retaining adjacent portions of the first and second insulating walls.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2019Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles) SASInventors: Frederic Lalanne, Laurent Gay, Pascal Fonteneau, Yann Henrion, Francois Guyader
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Publication number: 20200382738Abstract: An image sensor includes pixels each including: a first transistor and a first switch that are connected in series between a first node configured to receive a first potential and an internal node of the pixel, a gate of the first transistor being coupled with a floating diffusion node of the pixel; a capacitive element, a first terminal of which is connected to the floating diffusion node of the pixel; and several assemblies each including a capacitance connected in series with a second switch coupling the capacitance to the internal node. The sensor also includes a control circuit configured to control, each time a voltage is stored in one of the assemblies of a pixel, an increase of a determined value of a difference in potential between the floating diffusion node and the internal node of the pixel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Pierre MALINGE, Frederic LALANNE, Laurent SIMONY
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Publication number: 20200350355Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor that includes first and second pixels. One or more transistors of the first pixel share an active region with one or more transistors of the second pixel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED, STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Jeff M. RAYNOR, Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
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Publication number: 20200236320Abstract: A pixel includes a photosensitive circuit, a sense node, a first transistor and a first capacitor. A first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A second electrode of the first capacitor is to a node of application of a first control signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2019Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
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Publication number: 20200227451Abstract: Image sensors and methods of manufacturing image sensors are provided. One such method includes forming a structure that includes a semiconductor layer extending from a front side to a back side, and a capacitive insulation wall extending through the semiconductor layer. The capacitive insulation wall includes first and second insulating walls separated by a region of a conductor or a semiconductor material. Portions of the semiconductor layer and the region of the conductor or semiconductor material are selectively etched, and the first and second insulating walls have portions protruding outwardly beyond a back side of the semiconductor layer and of the region of the conductor or semiconductor material. A dielectric passivation layer is deposited on the back side of the structure, and portions of the dielectric passivation layer are locally removed on a back side of the protruding portions of the first and second insulating walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Laurent GAY, Frederic LALANNE, Yann HENRION, Francois GUYADER, Pascal FONTENEAU, Aurelien SEIGNARD