Multispectral Infrared Imager Having A Stacked Pixel-element Structure, E.g., Npn, Npnpn Or Mqw Structures (epo) Patents (Class 257/E27.138)
  • Patent number: 11953380
    Abstract: Described herein is a sensor in chip scale package form factor. For example, a non-vacuum packaged sensor chip described herein includes a substrate, and a sensing element arranged on the substrate. The sensing element is configured to change resistance with temperature. Additionally, the non-vacuum packaged sensor chip includes an absorbing layer configured to absorb middle infrared (“MIR”) radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NextInput, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Foughi, Julius Minglin Tsai, Christopher Edwards
  • Patent number: 11948951
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wide spectrum multi-band detection structure with selective absorption enhancement and its preparation method. The structure comprises a plurality of sub-pixel units capable of detecting incident light in different bands. Each sub-pixel unit is composed of a square well-shaped microstructure array and a metal lower electrode (2), a photosensitive layer (3) and an upper electrode (4) on the surface thereof. The size and array spacing of square well-shaped microstructures in different sub-pixel units are determined according to the detection bands of the sub-pixel units where they are located. The upper openings of the square well-shaped microstructures are hollow to form a resonant cavity, and the adjacent square well-shaped microstructures in the same sub-pixel unit form a resonant cavity, thus solving the problem that the detector structure in the prior art cannot simultaneously realize visible light-near infrared multi-band absorption enhancement detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Xi An Technological University
    Inventors: Huan Liu, Weiguo Liu, Yan An, Minyu Bai, Jun Han, Zhuoman Wang, Jiaxing Hu, Changlong Cai
  • Patent number: 11496701
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a bloom transistor frontend configured to receive an integrator output voltage and generate a comparator input voltage. The apparatus also includes a comparator configured to generate an output signal based on whether the comparator input voltage meets or exceeds a reference voltage. The bloom transistor frontend includes a first transistor configured to charge an input capacitance associated with the comparator in order to change the comparator input voltage. The bloom transistor frontend also includes a second transistor configured to discharge the input capacitance associated with the comparator in order to reset the comparator input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Joshua J. Cantrell
  • Patent number: 8581307
    Abstract: An image sensor pixel includes a photosensitive element having a first doping type disposed in semiconductor material. A deep extension having the first doping type is disposed beneath and overlapping the photosensitive element in the semiconductor material. A floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor material. A transfer gate is disposed over a gate oxide that is disposed over the semiconductor material. The transfer gate is disposed between the photosensitive element and the floating diffusion. The photosensitive element and the deep extension are stacked in the semiconductor material in a “U” shape extending from under the transfer gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Duli Mao, Hsin-Chih Tai
  • Patent number: 8243770
    Abstract: Emissive quantum photonic imagers comprised of a spatial array of digitally addressable multicolor pixels. Each pixel is a vertical stack of multiple semiconductor laser diodes, each of which can generate laser light of a different color. Within each multicolor pixel, the light generated from the stack of diodes is emitted perpendicular to the plane of the imager device via a plurality of vertical waveguides that are coupled to the optical confinement regions of each of the multiple laser diodes comprising the imager device. Each of the laser diodes comprising a single pixel is individually addressable, enabling each pixel to simultaneously emit any combination of the colors associated with the laser diodes at any required on/off duty cycle for each color. Each individual multicolor pixel can simultaneously emit the required colors and brightness values by controlling the on/off duty cycles of their respective laser diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ostendo Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hussein S. El-Ghoroury, Robert G. W. Brown, Dale A. McNeill, Huibert DenBoer, Andrew J. Lanzone
  • Patent number: 8203204
    Abstract: A stacked semiconductor package provides an enhanced data storage capacity along with an improved data processing speed. The stacked semiconductor package includes a substrate having chip selection pads and a connection pad; a semiconductor chip module including a plurality of semiconductor chips including data bonding pads, a chip selection bonding pad, and data redistributions electrically connected with the data bonding pads and a data through electrode passing through the data bonding pad and connected with the data redistribution, the semiconductor chips being stacked so as to expose the chip selection bonding pad; and a conductive wire for connecting electrically the chip selection pad and the chip selection bonding pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Jong Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8049231
    Abstract: Emissive quantum photonic imagers comprised of a spatial array of digitally addressable multicolor pixels. Each pixel is a vertical stack of multiple semiconductor laser diodes, each of which can generate laser light of a different color. Within each multicolor pixel, the light generated from the stack of diodes is emitted perpendicular to the plane of the imager device via a plurality of vertical waveguides that are coupled to the optical confinement regions of each of the multiple laser diodes comprising the imager device. Each of the laser diodes comprising a single pixel is individually addressable, enabling each pixel to simultaneously emit any combination of the colors associated with the laser diodes at any required on/off duty cycle for each color. Each individual multicolor pixel can simultaneously emit the required colors and brightness values by controlling the on/off duty cycles of their respective laser diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ostendo Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hussein S. El-Ghoroury, Robert G. W. Brown, Dale A. McNeill, Huibert DenBoer, Andrew J. Lanzone
  • Patent number: 8035115
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate; and a plurality of semiconductor thin films formed on said substrate, each of said semiconductor thin films having a pn-junction, and electrodes of p-type and n-type for injecting carriers to the pn-junction, wherein said semiconductor thin films are formed so that all or a part of said pn-junctions are connected serially. As different from a semiconductor thin film constituted of a single pn-junction, the light emission with the invented semiconductor apparatus is the summation of the light emission intensities of the entire pn-junctions, so that the light emitting intensity can be increased largely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiko Ogihara, Takahito Suzuki, Hiroshi Kurokawa, Taishi Kaneto
  • Publication number: 20110147707
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image pickup device used to capture an image of an object by receiving light in a near infrared region reflected from the object. The image pickup device includes semiconductor light-receiving elements each having a light-receiving layer with a band gap wavelength of 1.65 to 3.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi INADA, Yasuhiro IGUCHI, Youichi NAGAI, Hiroki MORI, Kouhei MIURA
  • Patent number: 7767479
    Abstract: Emissive quantum photonic imagers comprised of a spatial array of digitally addressable multicolor pixels. Each pixel is a vertical stack of multiple semiconductor laser diodes, each of which can generate laser light of a different color. Within each multicolor pixel, the light generated from the stack of diodes is emitted perpendicular to the plane of the imager device via a plurality of vertical waveguides that are coupled to the optical confinement regions of each of the multiple laser diodes comprising the imager device. Each of the laser diodes comprising a single pixel is individually addressable, enabling each pixel to simultaneously emit any combination of the colors associated with the laser diodes at any required on/off duty cycle for each color. Each individual multicolor pixel can simultaneously emit the required colors and brightness values by controlling the on/off duty cycles of their respective laser diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Ostendo Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hussein S. El-Ghoroury, Robert G. W. Brown, Dale A. McNeill, Huibert DenBoer, Andrew J. Lanzone
  • Patent number: 7598136
    Abstract: An image sensor comprising a transfer gate electrode having a uniform impurity doping distribution is provided. The image sensor further comprises a semiconductor substrate comprising a pixel area, wherein the pixel area comprises an active region and the transfer gate electrode is disposed on the active region. A method of fabricating the image sensor is also provided. The method comprises preparing a semiconductor substrate, forming a polysilicon layer on the semiconductor substrate, doping the polysilicon layer with impurity ions, and patterning the polysilicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Hoon Park, Jae-Ho Song, Won-Je Park
  • Patent number: 7492029
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure. The structure includes (a) a semiconductor channel region, (b) a semiconductor source block in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region; (c) a source contact region in direct physical contact with the semiconductor source block, wherein the source contact region comprises a first electrically conducting material, and wherein the semiconductor source block physically isolates the source contact region from the semiconductor channel region, and (d) a drain contact region in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region, wherein the semiconductor channel region is disposed between the semiconductor source block and the drain contact region, and wherein the drain contact region comprises a second electrically conducting material; and (e) a gate stack in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7405458
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same. The structure includes (a) a semiconductor channel region, (b) a semiconductor source block in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region; (c) a source contact region in direct physical contact with the semiconductor source block, wherein the source contact region comprises a first electrically conducting material, and wherein the semiconductor source block physically isolates the source contact region from the semiconductor channel region, and (d) a drain contact region in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region, wherein the semiconductor channel region is disposed between the semiconductor source block and the drain contact region, and wherein the drain contact region comprises a second electrically conducting material; and (e) a gate stack in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7329937
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same. The structure includes (a) a semiconductor channel region, (b) a semiconductor source block in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region; (c) a source contact region in direct physical contact with the semiconductor source block, wherein the source contact region comprises a first electrically conducting material, and wherein the semiconductor source block physically isolates the source contact region from the semiconductor channel region, and (d) a drain contact region in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region, wherein the semiconductor channel region is disposed between the semiconductor source block and the drain contact region, and wherein the drain contact region comprises a second electrically conducting material; and (e) a gate stack in direct physical contact with the semiconductor channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward J. Nowak
  • Patent number: 7307327
    Abstract: CMOS image sensor having high sensitivity and low crosstalk, particularly at far-red to infrared wavelengths, and a method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor. A CMOS image sensor has a substrate, an epitaxial layer above the substrate, and a plurality of pixels extending into the epitaxial layer for receiving light. The image sensor also includes at least one of a horizontal barrier layer between the substrate and the epitaxial layer for preventing carriers generated in the substrate from moving to the epitaxial layer, and a plurality of lateral barrier layers between adjacent ones of the plurality of pixels for preventing lateral diffusion of electrons in the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep R. Bahl, Frederick P. LaMaster, David W. Bigelow