Patents by Inventor Zhiliang J. Chen

Zhiliang J. Chen 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).

  • CMOS photodiode having reduced dark current and improved light sensitivity and responsivity
    Patent number: 6753202
    Abstract: A method for the fabrication of a light-sensing diode in a high-resistivity semiconductor substrate. A high-energy implant of ions into the substrate is patterned to form an annular well of the same conductivity type as the substrate; followed by a second high-energy implant of the opposite conductivity type, within the center of the annulus; followed by a third implant, of lower energy and high dosage, to form a region of the first conductivity type extending laterally near the substrate surface. The resulting diode junction is thereby patterned to include two planes near the substrate surface, allowing incident light to traverse the junction twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • CMOS photodiode having reduced dark current and improved light sensitivity and responsivity
    Publication number: 20030230704
    Abstract: A light-sensing diode in a high resistivity semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the substrate having a surface protected by an insulator, comprising
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • CMOS photodiode having reduced dark current and improved light sensitivity and responsivity
    Patent number: 6621064
    Abstract: A light-sensing diode having improved efficiency due to an extended junction geometry that provides more than one level of interaction with the light input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • Integrated CMOS structure for gate-controlled buried photodiode
    Patent number: 6512280
    Abstract: A light-sensing diode fabricated in a semiconductor substrate having a surface protected by an insulator, comprising a first region of one conductivity type in this substrate, a second region of the opposite conductivity type forming a junction with the first region in the substrate; this junction having a convoluted shape, providing two portions generally parallel to the surface, and a constricted intersection with the surface; and a gate for applying electrical bias across the junction, this gate positioned on the insulator such that it covers all portions of the junction intersection with the surface, thereby creating a gate-controlled photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • Integrated CMOS structure for gate-controlled buried photodiode
    Publication number: 20020171097
    Abstract: A light-sensing diode fabricated in a semiconductor substrate having a surface protected by an insulator, comprising a first region of one conductivity type in this substrate, a second region of the opposite conductivity type forming a junction with the first region in the substrate; this junction having a convoluted shape, providing two portions generally parallel to the surface, and a constricted intersection with the surface; and a gate for applying electrical bias across the junction, this gate positioned on the insulator such that it covers all portions of the junction intersection with the surface, thereby creating a gate-controlled photodiode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • CMOS photodiode having reduced dark current and improved light sensitivity and responsivity
    Publication number: 20020162945
    Abstract: A light-sensing diode in a high resistivity semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the substrate having a surface protected by an insulator, comprising
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai
  • Integrated structure for reduced leakage and improved fill-factor in CMOS pixel
    Patent number: 6392263
    Abstract: A densely integrated pixel, fabricated by CMOS technology, comprises a photodiode formed by a n-well, with cathode, surrounded by a p-well; a reset MOS transistor formed such that its polysilicon gate is positioned, for diode control, across the junction formed by p-well and n-well regions, and its source is merged with the photodiode cathode; and a sensing MOS transistor formed such that its source is combined with the drain of the reset transistor and its gate is electrically connected to the source of the reset transistor. In the pixel of the invention, the photodiode leakage current is greatly reduced, because no n+/p-well junction is connected to the photodiode, and the fill factor is improved, because the pixel size is much reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiliang J. Chen, Kuok Y. Ling, Hisashi Shichijo, Katsuo Komatsuzaki, Chin-Yu Tsai