Abstract: A photosensitive device includes an array of active pixel sensor devices, each APS device being formed in an isolated cell of silicon. Each cell has an insulating barrier around it, and sits upon an insulating layer formed on an underlying substrate. A semiconductor connector making vertical contact between the pinning layer and the body of each APS device preferably replaces at least some portion of the insulating barrier adjacent to each cell. The semiconductor connector may be a single vertical connection for each cell or it may be an elongated strip connecting multiple APS devices. It may extend only to the underlying insulating layer or it may extend through the insulating layer to the substrate, with the substrate acting to interconnect and ground the pinning layer and the body of each APS device. The invention also includes the method of making the photosensitive device.

Abstract: A method and structure for forming an integrated circuit chip having at least one opening in a substrate includes forming an opening having vertical walls in the substrate, protecting a first portion of the vertical walls of the opening, leaving a second portion of the vertical walls unprotected, and laterally patterning the second portion of the opening to change a shape or property of the opening.

Abstract: A method of detecting electromagnetic radiation with an active pixel sensor photosensitive device having an extremely thin virtual pinning layer formed by inverting semiconductor material at the surface of a photosensitive region. The thin pinning layer improves blue light response. The inverted pinning layer is produced by connecting a negative potential source to a transparent conductive layer, preferably made of indium-tin-oxide positioned over most of the photosensitive region. The conductive layer is insulated from the photosensitive region by a thin insulating layer. Connection to the pinning layer is through a coupling region formed in an area not covered by the conductive and insulating layers. Red light response is improved and the depth of the photosensitive region reduced by creating a strained layer, preferably of germanium silicon, deep within the photosensitive region. The strained layer has a modified bandgap which increases the absorption rate of red light.

Abstract: A photosensitive device includes an array of active pixel sensor devices, each APS device being formed in an isolated cell of silicon. Each cell has an insulating barrier around it, and sits upon an insulating layer formed on an underlying substrate. A semiconductor connector making vertical contact between the pinning layer and the body of each APS device preferably replaces at least some portion of the insulating barrier adjacent to each cell. The semiconductor connector may be a single vertical connection for each cell or it may be an elongated strip connecting multiple APS devices. It may extend only to the underlying insulating layer or it may extend through the insulating layer to the substrate, with the substrate acting to interconnect and ground the pinning layer and the body of each APS device. The invention also includes the method of making the photosensitive device.

Abstract: An improved fin device used as the body of a field effect transistor (“FET”) and an improved process of making the fin device. The fin device allows for the fabrication of very small dimensioned metal-oxide semiconductor (“MOS”) FETs in the size range of micrometers to nanometers, while avoiding the typical short channel effects often associated with MOSFETs of these dimensions. Accordingly, higher density MOSFETs may be fabricated such that more devices may be placed on a single semiconductor wafer. The process of making the fin device results in an improved fully planarized device.

Abstract: The present invention is a complementary active pixel sensor cell and method of making and using the same. The complementary active pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a complementary active pixel sensor cell circuit. Two active pixel sensor cell circuits, an NFET circuit and complementary PFET circuit are created for use with a photodiode. The NFET circuit captures electron current. The PFET circuit captures hole current. The sum of the currents is approximately double that of conventional active pixel sensor circuits using similarly sized photodiode regions.

Abstract: The present invention is a active pixel sensor cell and method of making and using the same. The active pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a active pixel sensor cell circuit. Two active pixel sensor cell circuits, an NFET circuit and PFET circuit are created for use with a photodiode. The NFET circuit captures electron current. The PFET circuit captures hole current. The sum of the currents is approximately double that of conventional active pixel sensor circuits using similarly sized photodiode regions.

Abstract: The present invention is a dual epi active pixel sensor cell having a p- region of dual thickness and a method of making the same. The dual epi active pixel sensor cell produces a sensor with improved noise and latch-up reduction and improved red absorption. The thin p- epi region is positioned in the logic region for improved latch-up immunity. The thick p- epi is positioned in the pixel region for improved red absorption.

Abstract: A photosensitive device includes an array of active pixel sensor devices, each APS device being formed in an isolated cell of silicon. Each cell has an insulating barrier around it, and sits upon an insulating layer formed on an underlying substrate. A semiconductor connector making vertical contact between the pinning layer and the body of each APS device preferably replaces at least some portion of the insulating barrier adjacent to each cell. The semiconductor connector may be a single vertical connection for each cell or it may be an elongated strip connecting multiple APS devices. It may extend only to the underlying insulating layer or it may extend through the insulating layer to the substrate, with the substrate acting to interconnect and ground the pinning layer and the body of each APS device. The invention also includes the method of making the photosensitive device.

Abstract: A novel method of fabricating a double-gate MOSFET structure is disclosed. The method utilizes selective lateral epitaxial growth of silicon into a thin gap formed between two sacrificial dielectric films for accurate thickness control. The sacrificial films are then replaced by a gate material (e.g., polysilicon) such that top and bottom gates are self-aligned to each other and to the channel region. Also disclosed is a self-aligned double-gate MOSFET constructed in accordance with the foregoing method.

Abstract: A charge-coupled imaging device comprising a plurality of trenches in the surface of the silicon substrate which separate adjacent columns in the CCD device. A plurality of surface electrodes are provided on the surface of the charge-coupled device extending perpendicular to the isolation trenches, which electrodes provide for clocked transfer of charges between adjacent cells within each column of the charge-coupled device. The CCD cells are formed on the silicon ridges delineated between the isolation trenches, and this structure maximizes the three dimensional surface area of the CCD cells and facilitates transport of charges along the CCD cell sidewalls. The sidewall CCD with trench isolation provides a CCD cell layout size the same as that of a conventional two dimensional CCD cell, but with an increased charge capacity per CCD cell because of the larger three dimensional areas of the CCD cells. The increase in charge capacity means a larger signal-to-noise ratio and consequently a larger dynamic range.

Abstract: A charge-coupled imaging device comprising a plurality of trenches in the surface of the silicon substrate which separate adjacent columns in the CCD device. A plurality of surface electrodes are provided on the surface of the charge-coupled device extending perpendicular to the isolation trenches, which electrodes provide for clocked transfer of charges between adjacent cells within each column of the charge-coupled device. The CCD cells are formed on the silicon ridges delineated between the isolation trenches, and this structure maximizes the three dimensional surface area of the CCD cells and facilitates transport of charges along the CCD cell sidewalls. The sidewall CCD with trench isolation provides a CCD cell layout size the same as that of a conventional two dimensional CCD cell, but with an increased charge capacity per CCD cell because of the larger three dimensional areas of the CCD cells. The increase in charge capacity means a larger signal-to-noise ratio and consequently a larger dynamic range.

Abstract: A charge-coupled device having a three-dimensional trench structure that achieves a highly effective sensing and storage area in a CCD imager while maintaining a small cell layout area. The trench CCD device includes a plurality of trench electrodes etched in the surface of the device, with surface electrodes in between. The trenches are shaped to facilitate charge transfer along their sidewalls and to maximize trench surface area.