Abstract: Methods for forming image sensor structures are provided. The method includes forming an isolation structure in a substrate and forming a first light sensing region and a second light sensing region. The method further includes forming a first gate structure and a second gate structure, and the first gate structure and the second gate structure are positioned at a front side of the substrate. The method further includes forming a first source/drain structure adjacent to the first gate structure and a second source/drain structure adjacent to the second gate structure and forming an interlayer dielectric layer over the front side of the substrate. The method further includes forming a contact trench through the interlayer dielectric layer and forming a contact in the contact trench.

Abstract: A readout circuit includes a first analog circuit configured to receive an output of a first sub-array of a pixel array and to output a first signal based on the received output of the first sub-array. A second analog circuit is configured to receive an output of a second sub-array of the pixel array and to output a second signal based on the received output of the second sub-array. A first digital circuit is configured to receive the first signal and convert the first signal to a first digital signal, and receive the second signal and convert the second signal to a second digital signal.

Abstract: An active pixel sensor (APS) with a vertical transfer gate and a pixel transistor (e.g., a transfer transistor, a source follower transistor, a reset transistor, or a row select transistor) electrically isolated by an implant isolation region is provided. A semiconductor substrate has a photodetector buried therein. The vertical transfer gate extends into the semiconductor substrate with a channel region in electrical communication with the photodetector. The pixel transistor is arranged over the photodetector and configured to facilitate the pixel operation (e.g., reset, signal readout, etc.). The implant isolation region is arranged in the semiconductor substrate and surrounds and electrically isolates the pixel transistor. A method for manufacturing the APS is also provided.

Abstract: An image sensor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The image sensor structure includes a substrate having a front side and a backside and a light-sensing region formed in the substrate. The image sensor structure further includes a front side isolation structure formed at the front side of the substrate and a backside isolation structure formed at the back side of the substrate.

Abstract: A circuit includes a signal line and a pixel unit cell. The pixel unit cell includes one or more light sensing elements, a conversion circuit, and a selection switch between the conversion circuit and the signal line. In the pixel unit cell, the conversion circuit is configured to convert charge carriers from the one or more light sensing elements to a voltage signal at an output node of the conversion circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor structure is provided. The image sensor structure includes a substrate including a first light sensing region and a second light sensing region. The image sensor structure further includes an isolation structure formed through the substrate to separate the first light sensing region and the second light sensing region and a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure formed at a front side of the substrate. In addition, the first source/drain structure and the second source/drain structure are located at opposite sides of the isolation structure. The image sensor structure further includes a contact formed over the isolation structure, a portion of the first source/drain structure, and a portion of the second source/drain structure.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a power receiving unit and a secondary battery. The electronic device can send an instruction to an outside to stop power transmission, and operates by a discharge current of the secondary battery. In a case where the secondary battery is charged and a voltage of the secondary battery becomes higher than a first threshold and lower than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, charging of the secondary battery is stopped without sending the instruction to stop the power transmission, and after an elapse of a predetermined period of time, the charging of the secondary battery is restarted. When the voltage of the secondary battery thereafter becomes higher than the second threshold, the instruction to stop the power transmission is sent, and the charging of the secondary battery is stopped.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a CMOS image sensor having a doped region, arranged between deep trench isolation structures and an image sensing element, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the CMOS image sensor has a pixel region disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The pixel region has an image sensing element configured to convert radiation into an electric signal. A plurality of back-side deep trench isolation (BDTI) structures extend into the semiconductor substrate on opposing sides of the pixel region. A doped region is laterally arranged between the BDTI structures and separates the image sensing element from the BDTI structures and the back-side of the semiconductor substrate. Separating the image sensing element from the BDTI structures prevents the image sensing element from interacting with interface defects near edges of the BDTI structures, and thereby reduces dark current and white pixel number.

Abstract: An image sensor structure is provided. The image sensor structure includes a substrate including a first light sensing region and a second light sensing region. The image sensor structure further includes an isolation structure formed through the substrate to separate the first light sensing region and the second light sensing region and a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure formed at a front side of the substrate. In addition, the first source/drain structure and the second source/drain structure are located at opposite sides of the isolation structure. The image sensor structure further includes a contact formed over the isolation structure, a portion of the first source/drain structure, and a portion of the second source/drain structure.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor comprises a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, and a plurality of column signal processing circuits which read out signals from the pixel array via a plurality of column signal lines arranged in correspondence with respective columns of the pixel array, wherein signals of the pixels of different colors in the pixel array are read out by the plurality of column signal processing circuits during a single period, and wherein at least the column signal processing circuits which process signals of the pixels of different colors, of the plurality of column signal processing circuits, are driven via conductive lines which are separated from each other in a region where at least the column signal processing circuits which process signals of the pixels of different colors are arranged.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include devices and sensor packages and methods of forming the same. An embodiment is a device including a first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip includes a first substrate, a first conductive pad over the first substrate. The device further includes a second semiconductor chip having a second surface bonded to a first surface of the first semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip includes a second substrate and a second conductive pad over the second substrate. The second conductive pad and the first conductive pad form a first capacitor.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a plurality of visible light photosensitive devices, an infrared photosensitive device, a plurality of color filters, an infrared band-pass filter, a micro-lens layer and an infrared filter layer. The plurality of visible light photosensitive devices and the infrared photosensitive device are disposed in the substrate, wherein the plurality of visible light photosensitive devices and the infrared photosensitive device are arranged in an array. The plurality of color filters are respectively disposed to cover the plurality of visible light photosensitive device. In addition, the infrared band-pass filter disposed to cover the infrared photosensitive device. Furthermore, the micro-lens layer is disposed on the plurality of color filters and the infrared band-pass filter. The infrared filter layer is disposed to cover the plurality of visible light photosensitive device.

Abstract: An image sensor for high angular response discrimination is provided. A plurality of pixels comprises a phase detection autofocus (PDAF) pixel and an image capture pixel. Pixel sensors of the pixels are arranged in a semiconductor substrate. A grid structure is arranged over the semiconductor substrate, laterally surrounding color filters of the pixels. Microlenses of the pixels are arranged over the grid structure, and comprise a PDAF microlens of the PDAF pixel and an image capture microlens of the image capture pixel. The PDAF microlens comprises a larger optical power than the image capture microlens, or comprises a location or shape so a PDAF receiving surface of the PDAF pixel has an asymmetric profile. A method for manufacturing the image sensor is also provided.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a plurality of visible light photosensitive devices, an infrared photosensitive device, a plurality of color filters, an infrared band-pass filter, a micro-lens layer and an infrared filter layer. The plurality of visible light photosensitive devices and the infrared photosensitive device are disposed in the substrate, wherein the plurality of visible light photosensitive devices and the infrared photosensitive device are arranged in an array. The plurality of color filters are respectively disposed to cover the plurality of visible light photosensitive device. In addition, the infrared band-pass filter disposed to cover the infrared photosensitive device. Furthermore, the micro-lens layer is disposed on the plurality of color filters and the infrared band-pass filter. The infrared filter layer is disposed to cover the plurality of visible light photosensitive device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a power receiving unit and a secondary battery. The electronic device can send an instruction to an outside to stop power transmission, and operates by a discharge current of the secondary battery. In a case where the secondary battery is charged and a voltage of the secondary battery becomes higher than a first threshold and lower than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, charging of the secondary battery is stopped without sending the instruction to stop the power transmission, and after an elapse of a predetermined period of time, the charging of the secondary battery is restarted. When the voltage of the secondary battery thereafter becomes higher than the second threshold, the instruction to stop the power transmission is sent, and the charging of the secondary battery is stopped.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device which includes, on a semiconductor substrate, an image pickup area which includes plural columns of pixels, and plural column amplifier circuits each provided at each column of pixels or at every plural columns of pixels, wherein: each of the column amplifier circuits includes at least two amplifier circuit stages; a preceding amplifier circuit is a variable-gain amplifier circuit and the switchable gains include plural one or more gains; and a subsequent amplifier circuit is capable of amplifying, at one or more gains, the signal amplified at one or more gains in the preceding amplifier circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure for back side illumination (BSI) pixel sensors is provided. Photodiodes are arranged within a semiconductor substrate. A metal grid overlies the semiconductor substrate and is made up of metal grid segments that surround outer perimeters of the photodiodes, respectively, such that first openings within the metal grid overlie the photodiodes, respectively. A low-n grid is made up of low-n grid segments that surround the respective outer perimeters of the photodiodes, respectively, such that second openings within the low-n grid overlie the photodiodes, respectively. Color filters are arranged in the first and second openings of the photodiodes and have a refractive index greater than a refractive index of the low-n grid. A substrate isolation grid extends into the semiconductor substrate and is made up of isolation grid segments that surround outer perimeters of the photodiodes, respectively. A method for manufacturing the BSI pixel sensors is also provided.

Abstract: A circuit includes a signal line and a pixel unit cell. The pixel unit cell includes one or more light sensing elements, a conversion circuit, and a selection switch between the conversion circuit and the signal line. In the pixel unit cell, the conversion circuit is configured to convert charge carriers from the one or more light sensing elements to a voltage signal at an output node of the conversion circuit.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.