Active cell with analog storage for a CMOS technology photosensitive sensor

US6838652B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA—RECHERCHE ET DÉVELOPPEMENT · CH

Inventors

• Stefan C. Lauxtermann · Porta Westfalica, DE
• Georg Paul Israel · Würenlos, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 4, 2002
• Grant date: Jan 4, 2005
• Expiry date: Dec 6, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F39/803

Abstract

An active cell for a photosensitive sensor that includes photosensitive diode in which the transistors of the cell are implemented using CMOS technology. The cell operates with an exposure phase in which the quantity of light impinging on the cell is detected followed by a scanning phase during which the luminance information caused by the impinging light is extracted from the cell. The cell is arranged in such a way to virtually completely isolate the charge accumulation node from the remainder of the cell after the exposure phase to eliminate stray accumulation of charge carriers.