Active pixel sensor pixel having a photodetector whose output is coupled to an output transistor gate
US6943838B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 26, 2000 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F77/40
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node. There is also a readout circuit, part of which can be disposed at the bottom of each column of cells and be common to all the cells in the column. A Simple Floating Gate (SFG) pixel structure could also be employed in the imager to provide a non-destructive readout and smaller pixel sizes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.