Abstract: A depth sensor includes a substrate that includes a first face and a second face opposite to each other in a first direction; a photoelectric conversion element disposed in the substrate; and first and second taps connected to the photoelectric conversion element. Each of the first and second taps includes: a floating diffusion area disposed in the substrate; a transfer transistor connected to the floating diffusion area; a photo transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element; a tap transfer transistor connected to the photo transistor; and a storage transistor connected to the tap transfer transistor and the transfer transistor. The storage transistor includes a storage gate electrode. The storage gate electrode includes a first extension and a second extension that extend from the first face of the substrate toward the second face, and the first extension and the second extension are spaced apart from each other in a second direction.

Abstract: An image sensor, which stores electric charge overflowing from a photoelectric conversion layer, includes: (1) a substrate including a first surface and a second surface, which is opposite to the first surface and upon which light is incident, (2) a photoelectric conversion layer in the substrate, (3) an isolation film disposed on the substrate, along the photoelectric conversion layer, (4) a storage conductive pattern disposed in the isolation film, (5) a transfer gate disposed on a first surface of the substrate, (6) a first impurity-injected area disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the isolation film, and (7) a second impurity-injected area disposed on the first surface of the substrate and connected to the transfer gate. The first and second impurity-injected areas are electrically connected.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes a first substrate having an upper pixel. The upper pixel includes a photoelectric element and first and second photogates connected to the photoelectric element. A second substrate includes a lower pixel, which corresponds to the upper pixel, that is spaced apart from the first substrate in a vertical direction. The lower pixel includes a first transfer transistor that transmits a first signal provided by the first photogate. A first source follower generates a first output signal in accordance with the first signal. A second transfer transistor transmits a second signal provided by the second photogate. A second source follower generates a second output signal in accordance with the second signal. First and second bonding conductors are disposed between the first and second substrates and electrically connect the upper and lower pixels.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel group including a first region and a second region; and a color filter having a first color on the pixel group, wherein the first region includes a first pixel including a first photodiode, a first floating diffusion region on the first photodiode, and a first transfer transistor on the first photodiode, the second region includes a second pixel including a second photodiode, a second floating diffusion region, and a second transfer transistor connected to the second photodiode and the second floating diffusion region, at least one of the first pixel and the second pixel is arranged in m*n (m and n are natural numbers of 2 or more), and from a planar point of view, a total area of the first photodiode included in the first region is greater than a total area of the second photodiode included in the second region.

Abstract: A 3D image sensor include a depth pixel and at least two polarization pixels adjacent to the depth pixel. The depth pixel includes a charge generation region in a substrate. The depth pixel is configured to generate depth information associated with a depth of an object from the 3D image sensor in a 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. Each polarization pixel includes a photodiode in the substrate and a polarizer on the substrate in a light-incident direction. The polarization pixel is configured to generate shape information associated with a shape of a surface of the object in the 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. The polarization pixels and the depth pixel collectively define a unit pixel. The respective polarizers are associated with different polarization directions.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing to the first surface, first pixel separation patterns defining a plurality of unit pixels, which include photoelectric conversion regions in the substrate, each of the first pixel separation patterns including a first conductive film and a second conductive film on the first conductive film, and microlenses on the second surface of the substrate, wherein the first conductive film extends along sidewalls of the second conductive film to separate the second conductive film from the substrate, the first conductive film has a greater reflectance than the second conductive film for a predetermined wavelength range, and the second conductive film has a greater step coverage than the first conductive film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device including a substrate, a gate structure on the substrate, and including first and second sides extended in parallel with a first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction, and a third side extended in parallel with the second direction, and a plurality of source/drain areas including first and second source/drain areas spaced apart from each other in the second direction and a third source/drain area spaced apart from at least one of the first or second source/drain area in the first direction, the first and second source/drain areas overlap the first and second sides, respectively, the third source/drain area overlaps one of the first side or the third side, and a voltage applied to the first and second source/drain areas and a voltage applied to the third source/drain area operate based on their respective values different from each other.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises an upper chip including pixels; and a lower chip placed below the upper chip, wherein a pixel of the pixels includes an optical conversion element configured that light is incident on the optical conversion element, a first storage gate or a first storage node which is electrically connected to the optical conversion element and configured to store electric charge transferred from the optical conversion element during a first time interval, and a second storage gate or a second storage node which is electrically connected to the optical conversion element and configured to store the electric charge transferred from the optical conversion element during a second time interval different from the first time interval, the pixel is configured to generate a first pixel signal on the basis of the electric charge stored in the first storage gate, the lower chip includes a frame buffer.

Abstract: A unit pixel includes a first photoelectric converter, a first transfer transistor disposed between to the first photoelectric converter and a first node, a connection transistor disposed between and connected to a second node and the first node, a second transfer transistor disposed between and connected to a third node and the second node, a second photoelectric converter connected to the third node, and a storage metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor connected to the third node. The storage MOS capacitor stores charges from the second photoelectric converter. For a first time period, first charges accumulated in the first photoelectric converter are transferred to the first node, for a second time period, second charges accumulated in the first photoelectric converter are transferred to the first node and the second node, and for a third time period, third charges accumulated in the second photoelectric converter are transferred to the first to third nodes.

Abstract: An image sensor may include a first photo gate and a second photo gate each extending substantially in parallel in a first direction, the first photo gate and the second photo gate isolated from direct contact with each other in a second direction, the second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, a first overflow gate between the first photo gate and the second photo gate, the first overflow gate extending in the first direction, a first charge collection region on the first photo gate, a second charge collection region on the second photo gate and isolated from direct contact with the first charge collection region in the second direction, a first floating diffusion region that may receive first charge from the first charge collection region and output the first charge, and a second floating diffusion region that may receive second charge from the second charge collection region and output the second charge.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of pixel regions, a first surface, and a second surface opposing the first surface, a plurality of transistors adjacent to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate in each of the plurality of pixel regions, a microlens on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of conductive patterns in contact with the semiconductor substrate and closer to the second surface of the semiconductor substrate than to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate in each of the plurality of pixel regions.

Abstract: An image sensor, which stores electric charge overflowing from a photoelectric conversion layer, includes: (1) a substrate including a first surface and a second surface, which is opposite to the first surface and upon which light is incident, (2) a photoelectric conversion layer in the substrate, (3) an isolation film disposed on the substrate, along the photoelectric conversion layer, (4) a storage conductive pattern disposed in the isolation film, (5) a transfer gate disposed on a first surface of the substrate, (6) a first impurity-injected area disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the isolation film, and (7) a second impurity-injected area disposed on the first surface of the substrate and connected to the transfer gate. The first and second impurity-injected areas are electrically connected.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including a first surface and a second surface and further includes a well region and a first floating diffusion region that are each adjacent to the first surface. The image sensor includes a first vertical transmission gate and a second vertical transmission gate isolated from direct contact with each other and each extend from the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate through at least a portion of the well region. The image sensor includes a first storage gate between the first vertical transmission gate and the first floating diffusion region and on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate. The image sensor includes a first tap transmission gate between the first storage gate and the first floating diffusion region and on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises an upper chip including pixels; and a lower chip placed below the upper chip, wherein a pixel of the pixels includes an optical conversion element configured that light is incident on the optical conversion element, a first storage gate or a first storage node which is electrically connected to the optical conversion element and configured to store electric charge transferred from the optical conversion element during a first time interval, and a second storage gate or a second storage node which is electrically connected to the optical conversion element and configured to store the electric charge transferred from the optical conversion element during a second time interval different from the first time interval, the pixel is configured to generate a first pixel signal on the basis of the electric charge stored in the first storage gate, the lower chip includes a frame buffer.

Abstract: A 3D image sensor include a depth pixel and at least two polarization pixels adjacent to the depth pixel. The depth pixel includes a charge generation region in a substrate. The depth pixel is configured to generate depth information associated with a depth of an object from the 3D image sensor in a 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. Each polarization pixel includes a photodiode in the substrate and a polarizer on the substrate in a light-incident direction. The polarization pixel is configured to generate shape information associated with a shape of a surface of the object in the 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. The polarization pixels and the depth pixel collectively define a unit pixel. The respective polarizers are associated with different polarization directions.

Abstract: A Time-of-Flight (ToF)-based three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes at least two first photogates symmetrically arranged in a central portion of a pixel, at least two first gates configured to remove an overflow charge generated in the at least two first photogates, and a first gate group. The at least two first gates are arranged symmetrically in an outer portion of the pixel. The first gate group includes a plurality of gates configured to store and transmit charges generated in the at least two first photogates. The first gate group is arranged in the outer portion of the pixel.

Abstract: A 3D image sensor include a depth pixel and at least two polarization pixels adjacent to the depth pixel. The depth pixel includes a charge generation region in a substrate. The depth pixel is configured to generate depth information associated with a depth of an object from the 3D image sensor in a 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. Each polarization pixel includes a photodiode in the substrate and a polarizer on the substrate in a light-incident direction. The polarization pixel is configured to generate shape information associated with a shape of a surface of the object in the 3D scene based on detecting light reflected from the object. The polarization pixels and the depth pixel collectively define a unit pixel. The respective polarizers are associated with different polarization directions.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes a first substrate having an upper pixel. The upper pixel includes a photoelectric element and first and second photogates connected to the photoelectric element. A second substrate includes a lower pixel, which corresponds to the upper pixel, that is spaced apart from the first substrate in a vertical direction. The lower pixel includes a first transfer transistor that transmits a first signal provided by the first photogate. A first source follower generates a first output signal in accordance with the first signal. A second transfer transistor transmits a second signal provided by the second photogate. A second source follower generates a second output signal in accordance with the second signal. First and second bonding conductors are disposed between the first and second substrates and electrically connect the upper and lower pixels.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes a first substrate having an upper pixel. The upper pixel includes a photoelectric element and first and second photogates connected to the photoelectric element. A second substrate includes a lower pixel, which corresponds to the upper pixel, that is spaced apart from the first substrate in a vertical direction. The lower pixel includes a first transfer transistor that transmits a first signal provided by the first photogate. A first source follower generates a first output signal in accordance with the first signal. A second transfer transistor transmits a second signal provided by the second photogate. A second source follower generates a second output signal in accordance with the second signal. First and second bonding conductors are disposed between the first and second substrates and electrically connect the upper and lower pixels.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, at least one of the pixels comprising: a photodiode configured to generate charges in response to light; and a pixel circuit disposed on the substrate, and including a storage transistor configured to store the charges generated by the photodiode, and a transfer transistor connected between the storage transistor and a floating diffusion node, wherein a potential of a boundary region between the storage transistor and the transfer transistor has a first potential when the transfer transistor is in a turned-off state, and has a second potential, lower than the first potential, when the transfer transistor is in a turned-on state.