Patents by Inventor Kazuichiro Itonaga

Kazuichiro Itonaga 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).

  • Publication number: 20120154657
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including a photoelectric conversion portion; a floating diffusion region; a transfer gate electrode made of an n-type semiconductor; a sidewall made of an n-type semiconductor formed on the photoelectric conversion portion side of the transfer gate electrode with an insulating film therebetween; and a sidewall made of an insulating layer formed on the floating diffusion region side of the transfer gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20120104479
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate including a pixel portion having a photoelectric conversion portion and a peripheral circuit portion; a first sidewall composed of a sidewall film and disposed on each sidewall of gate electrodes of MOS transistors in the pixel portion; a second sidewall composed of the sidewall film and disposed on each sidewall of gate electrodes of MOS transistors in the peripheral circuit portion; a first silicide blocking film composed of the sidewall film and disposed on the photoelectric conversion portion and a part of the MOS transistors in the pixel portion; and a second silicide blocking film disposed on the MOS transistors in the pixel portion so as to overlap with a part of the first silicide blocking film, wherein the MOS transistors in the pixel portion are covered with the first and second silicide blocking films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuji Matsumoto, Tetsuji Yamaguchi, Keiji Tatani, Yutaka Nishimura, Kazuichiro Itonaga, Hiroyuki Mori, Norihiro Kubo, Fumihiko Koga, Shinichiro Izawa, Susumu Ooki
  • Patent number: 8169523
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a photoelectric conversion portion; a floating diffusion region; a transfer gate electrode made of an n-type semiconductor; a sidewall made of an n-type semiconductor formed on the photoelectric conversion portion side of the transfer gate electrode through an insulating film; and a sidewall made of an insulating layer formed on the floating diffusion region side of the transfer gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20120098081
    Abstract: A backside illumination type solid-state imaging device includes stacked semiconductor chips which are formed such that two or more semiconductor chip units are bonded to each other, at least a first semiconductor chip unit is formed with a pixel array and a first multi-layered wiring layer, and a second semiconductor chip unit is formed with a logic circuit and a second multi-layered wiring layer, a connection wire which connects the first semiconductor chip unit and the second semiconductor chip unit, and a first shield wire which shields adjacent connection wires in one direction therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Machiko Horiike, Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20120049254
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a transistor, and an element separation region separating the photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor. The photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor constitute a pixel. The element separation region is formed of a semiconductor region of a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region of the transistor. A part of a gate electrode of the transistor protrudes toward the element separation region side beyond an active region of the transistor. An insulating film having a thickness substantially the same as that of a gate insulating film of the gate electrode of the transistor is formed on the element separation region continuing from a part thereof under the gate electrode of the transistor to a part thereof continuing from the part under the gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Patent number: 8115154
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate including a pixel portion having a photoelectric conversion portion and a peripheral circuit portion; a first sidewall composed of a sidewall film and disposed on each sidewall of gate electrodes of MOS transistors in the pixel portion; a second sidewall composed of the sidewall film and disposed on each sidewall of gate electrodes of MOS transistors in the peripheral circuit portion; a first silicide blocking film composed of the sidewall film and disposed on the photoelectric conversion portion and a part of the MOS transistors in the pixel portion; and a second silicide blocking film disposed on the MOS transistors in the pixel portion so as to overlap with a part of the first silicide blocking film, wherein the MOS transistors in the pixel portion are covered with the first and second silicide blocking films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takuji Matsumoto, Tetsuji Yamaguchi, Keiji Tatani, Yutaka Nishimura, Kazuichiro Itonaga, Hiroyuki Mori, Norihiro Kubo, Fumihiko Koga, Shinichiro Izawa, Susumu Ooki
  • Patent number: 8097486
    Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging element having a light receiving part generating charges by light irradiation, and a source/drain region of a transistor, both formed in a semiconductor layer. The solid-state imaging element includes a non-silicided region including the light receiving part, in which surfaces of the source/drain region and a gate electrode of the transistor are not silicided; and a silicided region in which the surfaces of the source/drain region and the gate electrode of the transistor are silicided. The non-silicided region has a sidewall formed on a side surface of the gate electrode of the transistor, a hydrogen supply film formed to cover the semiconductor layer, the gate electrode, and the sidewall, and a salicide block film formed on the hydrogen supply film to prevent silicidation. The silicided region has a sidewall formed on the side surface of the gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Kido, Kazuichiro Itonaga, Kai Yoshitsugu, Kenichi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8093635
    Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging element having a light receiving part generating charges by light irradiation, and a source/drain region of a transistor, both formed in a semiconductor layer. The solid-state imaging element includes a non-silicided region including the light receiving part, in which surfaces of the source/drain region and a gate electrode of the transistor are not silicided; and a silicided region in which the surfaces of the source/drain region and the gate electrode of the transistor are silicided. The non-silicided region has a sidewall formed on a side surface of the gate electrode of the transistor, a hydrogen supply film formed to cover the semiconductor layer, the gate electrode, and the sidewall, and a salicide block film formed on the hydrogen supply film to prevent silicidation. The silicided region has a sidewall formed on the side surface of the gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Kido, Kazuichiro Itonaga, Kai Yoshitsugu, Kenichi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8072015
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a transistor, and an element separation region separating the photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor. The photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor constitute a pixel. The element separation region is formed of a semiconductor region of a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region of the transistor. A part of a gate electrode of the transistor protrudes toward the element separation region side beyond an active region of the transistor. An insulating film having a thickness substantially the same as that of a gate insulating film of the gate electrode of the transistor is formed on the element separation region continuing from a part thereof under the gate electrode of the transistor to a part thereof continuing from the part under the gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Patent number: 8067261
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a transistor, and an element separation region separating the photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor. The photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor constitute a pixel. The element separation region is formed of a semiconductor region of a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region of the transistor. A part of a gate electrode of the transistor protrudes toward the element separation region side beyond an active region of the transistor. An insulating film having a thickness substantially the same as that of a gate insulating film of the gate electrode of the transistor is formed on the element separation region continuing from a part thereof under the gate electrode of the transistor to a part thereof continuing from the part under the gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Patent number: 8035714
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solid-state imaging device includes for each pixel a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge accumulating portion, and a potential barrier provided between the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge accumulating portion, in a thickness direction of a substrate. When light is received, a first charge derived from one of electron-hole pairs generated by photoelectric conversion is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit as signal charge, and the potential barrier is modulated by a second charge derived from the other of the electron-hole pairs so that the first charge that has accumulated in the charge accumulating portion is supplied to the photoelectric conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20110157445
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a first semiconductor section including a first wiring layer at one side thereof, a second semiconductor section including a second wiring layer at one side thereof, the first and second semiconductor sections being secured together with the respective first and second wiring layer sides of the first and second semiconductor sections facing each other, a conductive material extending through the first semiconductor section to the second wiring layer of the second semiconductor section and by means of which the first and second wiring layers are in electrical communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuichiro Itonaga, Machiko Horiike
  • Publication number: 20110049590
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that includes at least one pixel. The pixel includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion element in a region of the photodiode and a read out gate electrode at least partially surrounding the floating diffusion element in plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: KAZUICHIRO ITONAGA
  • Patent number: 7879637
    Abstract: A CMOS solid-state imaging device configured to restrain the occurrence of white spots and dark current caused by pixel defects, and also to increase the saturation signal amount. Adjacent pixels are separated by an element isolation portion formed of a diffusion layer and an insulating layer thereon, and the insulating layer of the element isolation portion is formed in a position equal to or shallower than the position of a pn junction on the side of an accumulation layer of a photoelectric conversion portion 38 constituting a pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideshi Abe, Keiji Tatani, Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20100288911
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device that includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of photodiodes thereon and a first wiring portion, a second wiring portion and a third wiring portion, a first wiring layer over the semiconductor substrate and which includes a plurality of metal films and extends across all the wiring portions, and a second wiring layer over the first wiring layer and which extends across the first wiring portion and the second wiring portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyohei Mizuta, Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20100243864
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes plural photodiodes which are formed in a photodiode area of a unit pixel with no element separating area interposed therebetween and in which impurity concentrations of pn junction areas are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Publication number: 20100245637
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: an on-chip color filter having color filter components formed to correspond to pixels; light-shielding members each formed at the boundary of adjacent color filter components; and lenses concave toward a light incident direction, each formed directly below a corresponding one of the color filter components by self-alignment with the light-shielding members as a mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga
  • Patent number: 7759706
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device having an array of unit pixels, each unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element and an amplifier transistor for amplifying a signal corresponding to charge obtained by photoelectric conversion through the photoelectric conversion element and outputting the resultant signal. The amplifier transistor includes a buried channel MOS transistor. According to the present invention, 1/f noise can be basically reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuichiro Itonaga, Suzunori Endo, Ikuo Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20100177226
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a layout in which one sharing unit includes an array of photodiodes of 2 pixels by 4×n pixels (where, n is a positive integer), respectively, in horizontal and vertical directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuichiro Itonaga, Shizunori Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20100167448
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a transistor, and an element separation region separating the photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor. The photoelectric conversion unit and the transistor constitute a pixel. The element separation region is formed of a semiconductor region of a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region of the transistor. A part of a gate electrode of the transistor protrudes toward the element separation region side beyond an active region of the transistor. An insulating film having a thickness substantially the same as that of a gate insulating film of the gate electrode of the transistor is formed on the element separation region continuing from a part thereof under the gate electrode of the transistor to a part thereof continuing from the part under the gate electrode of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuichiro Itonaga