Abstract: A unit pixel of an image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion region, a floating diffusion region, and a transfer gate. The photoelectric conversion region is in an active region defined by an isolation region of a semiconductor substrate. The photoelectric conversion region generates electric charges corresponding to incident light. The transfer gate transfers the electric charges to the floating diffusion region, which is located in the active region.

Abstract: A sensor includes a substrate, a floating diffusion node in the substrate, a photodiode in the substrate laterally spaced apart from the floating diffusion region and a transfer transistor coupling the photodiode and the floating diffusion region. The sensor further includes a photodiode control electrode disposed on the photodiode and configured to control a carrier distribution of the photodiode responsive to a control signal applied thereto. The floating diffusion region may have a first conductivity type, the photodiode may include a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type disposed on a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and the photodiode control electrode may be disposed on the first semiconductor region. The photodiode may be configured to receive incident light from a side of the substrate opposite the photodiode control electrode.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array and a calibration circuit. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixels each of which includes a photoelectric conversion device configured to absorb incident light and generate a photocharge, a transfer transistor configured to transfer the photocharge from the photoelectric conversion device to a floating diffusion node, and a reset transistor configured to reset the floating diffusion node. The calibration circuit is connected to the reset transistor of each pixel, and is configured to apply a different voltage to each pixel and adjust an amount of photocharge generated by the photoelectric conversion device in each pixel.

Abstract: An image sensor includes first pixels in an active region and second pixels in an optical black region of a pixel array. The first pixels have a gate that receives an active transfer control signal, and the second pixels have a gate that receives a passive transfer control signal, like a ground voltage.

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, and a photo converting device in the epitaxial layer. The epitaxial layer has a doping concentration profile of embossing shape, and includes a plurality of layers that are stacked on the substrate. The photo converting device does not include a neutral region that has a constant potential in the vertical direction. Therefore, the image sensor including the pixel cell has high quantization efficiency, and a crosstalk between photo-converting devices is decreased.

Abstract: In a method of driving an image sensor, incident light is converted into electric charges in a photoelectric conversion region during a first operation mode. At least one of collected electric charges and overflowed electric charges is accumulated in a floating diffusion region based on illuminance of the incident light. The collected electric charges indicate electric charges that are collected in the photoelectric conversion region. The overflowed electric charges indicate electric charges that have overflowed from the photoelectric conversion region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor is provided. In this method, a photoelectric conversion unit may be formed within a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes an active pixel region and an optical black region. An annealing layer may be formed on the active pixel region and the optical black region and etched so that the annealing layer covers at least a portion of the optical black region. A wiring pattern may be formed on the annealing layer. A light-blocking pattern may be formed on the wiring pattern so as to cover the entire photoelectric conversion unit of the optical black region, thereby blocking light from being incident upon the optical black region.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor includes a photosensitive device, a floating diffusion region, a transfer transistor, and a pocket photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The floating diffusion region is of a second conductivity type. The transfer transistor has a channel region disposed between the photosensitive device and the floating diffusion region. The pocket photodiode is of the second conductivity type and is formed under a first portion of a bottom surface of the channel region such that a second portion of the bottom surface of the channel region abuts the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, an anti-reflection board and a light shielding film. The substrate includes first pixels to receive a light, and second pixels to provide a black level compensation. The first pixels are formed in an active region and the second pixels are formed in a first region spaced apart from the active region in a row direction. The anti-reflection board is formed in a second region above the substrate, and the second region is between the active region and the first region. The light shielding film is formed above the anti-reflection board, and the light shielding film covers an optical black region including the first and second regions. Therefore, the image sensor may be used in a CCD type image sensor and a CMOS type image sensor to provide a stabilized black level, thereby improving a quality of a displayed image.

Abstract: A sensor includes a substrate, a floating diffusion node in the substrate, a photodiode in the substrate laterally spaced apart from the floating diffusion region and a transfer transistor coupling the photodiode and the floating diffusion region. The sensor further includes a photodiode control electrode disposed on the photodiode and configured to control a carrier distribution of the photodiode responsive to a control signal applied thereto. The floating diffusion region may have a first conductivity type, the photodiode may include a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type disposed on a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and the photodiode control electrode may be disposed on the first semiconductor region. The photodiode may be configured to receive incident light from a side of the substrate opposite the photodiode control electrode.

Abstract: A sensor includes a substrate, a floating diffusion node in the substrate, a photodiode in the substrate laterally spaced apart from the floating diffusion region and a transfer transistor coupling the photodiode and the floating diffusion region. The sensor further includes a photodiode control electrode disposed on the photodiode and configured to control a carrier distribution of the photodiode responsive to a control signal applied thereto. The photodiode may include a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type disposed on a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, the floating diffusion region may have the second conductivity type and the photodiode control electrode may be disposed on the first semiconductor region. The photodiode may be configured to receive incident light from a side of the substrate opposite the photodiode control electrode.

Abstract: Example embodiments may provide a CMOS image sensor. The CMOS image sensor may include a plurality of unit blocks each including two unit pixels. Each unit block may include two photodiodes having a hexagonal shape, a floating diffusion shared by the two unit pixels, a first transfer transistor and a second transfer transistor between the floating diffusion and the two photodiodes, respectively, a reset transistor connected with the floating diffusion, a drive transistor with a gate connected with the floating diffusion, and/or a selection transistor connected to the drive transistor in series. Example embodiment CMOS image sensors may be used in digital cameras, mobile devices, computer cameras, or the like.

Abstract: A pixel cell includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, and a photo converting device in the epitaxial layer. The epitaxial layer has a doping concentration profile of embossing shape, and includes a plurality of layers that are stacked on the substrate. The photo converting device does not include a neutral region that has a constant potential in the vertical direction. Therefore, the image sensor including the pixel cell has high quantization efficiency, and a crosstalk between photo-converting devices is decreased.

Abstract: A pixel circuit of an image sensor includes a floating diffusion node and a reset transistor. The reset transistor is coupled between the floating diffusion node and a reset control signal node of another pixel circuit of the image sensor. A voltage applied on the reset control signal node of the other pixel circuit is a reset voltage transmitted to the floating diffusion node via the reset transistor.

Abstract: Provided are image sensors and a methods of manufacturing image sensors. The image sensors may include a substrate, a pixel array region, and a peripheral circuit region. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The pixel array region may be formed on the first region. The peripheral circuit region may be formed on the second region. The first region may be located higher than the second region. According to the image sensor and the method of manufacturing the same, the vertical height of the pixel array region is decreased as compared to the prior art, and thus the aspect ratio at the pixel array region is minimized. As a result, condensing efficiency the image sensor may be improved.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor is provided. In this method, a photoelectric conversion unit may be formed within a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes an active pixel region and an optical black region. An annealing layer may be formed on the active pixel region and the optical black region and etched so that the annealing layer covers at least a portion of the optical black region. A wiring pattern may be formed on the annealing layer. A light-blocking pattern may be formed on the wiring pattern so as to cover the entire photoelectric conversion unit of the optical black region, thereby blocking light from being incident upon the optical black region.

Abstract: Contacts and/or a transistor are shared by neighboring pixel circuits in an image sensor. In addition, a common interconnect line provides common control signals for minimizing metal wiring. Such minimization of space for the shared contacts, transistor, and control signals enhances the fill factor of photodiodes in the image sensor.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, an anti-reflection board and a light shielding film. The substrate includes first pixels to receive a light, and second pixels to provide a black level compensation. The first pixels are formed in an active region and the second pixels are formed in a first region spaced apart from the active region in a row direction. The anti-reflection board is formed in a second region above the substrate, and the second region is between the active region and the first region. The light shielding film is formed above the anti-reflection board, and the light shielding film covers an optical black region including the first and second regions. Therefore, the image sensor may be used in a CCD type image sensor and a CMOS type image sensor to provide a stabilized black level, thereby improving a quality of a displayed image.

Abstract: A CMOS active pixel sensor includes a photodiode, a transmitting transistor, a reset transistor, a fingered type source follower transistor and a selecting transistor, where the photodiode generates charge in response to incident light, the transmitting transistor transmits the charge stored in the photodiode to a sensing node, the reset transistor, coupled to a power supply voltage, resets a voltage of the sensing node so that the sensing node has substantially a level of the power supply voltage, the fingered type source follower transistor amplifies the voltage of the sensing node, the selecting transistor transmits a voltage of a source electrode of the fingered type source follower transistor into an internal circuit in response to a selection signal, thus, the channel width of the source follower transistor may be increased, and the MOS device noise due to the source follower transistor may be reduced.

Abstract: A sensor includes a substrate, a floating diffusion node in the substrate, a photodiode in the substrate laterally spaced apart from the floating diffusion region and a transfer transistor coupling the photodiode and the floating diffusion region. The sensor further includes a photodiode control electrode disposed on the photodiode and configured to control a carrier distribution of the photodiode responsive to a control signal applied thereto. The floating diffusion region may have a first conductivity type, the photodiode may include a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type disposed on a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and the photodiode control electrode may be disposed on the first semiconductor region. The photodiode may be configured to receive incident light from a side of the substrate opposite the photodiode control electrode.