Image sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10438981-B2
Application number	US-201615251998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	May 23, 2016
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

An image sensor, comprising: a photoelectric conversion element; a transfer transistor formed over the photoelectric conversion element; and a reset transistor formed over the photoelectric conversion element, formed substantially at the same level as the transfer transistor, and spaced apart from the transfer transistor by a gap, wherein the transfer transistor and the reset transistor are trench-type transistors and are symmetrical structure to each other with respect to the gap, wherein the photoelectric conversion element is a continuous layer under both the transfer transistor and the reset transistor, and is completely below the transfer transistor and the reset transistor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensor, comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element;
a transfer transistor formed over the photoelectric conversion element; and
a reset transistor formed over the photoelectric conversion element, formed substantially at the same level as the transfer transistor, and spaced apart from the transfer transistor by a gap,
wherein the transfer transistor and the reset transistor are trench-type transistors and are symmetrical structure to each other with respect to the gap,
wherein the photoelectric conversion element located under the transfer transistor has the same size as the photoelectric conversion element located under the reset transistor.

2. The image sensor of claim 1 ,
wherein the transfer transistor comprises:
a first insulating layer formed over the photoelectric conversion element;
a first conductive layer formed over the first insulating layer;
a first open portion formed through the first insulating layer and the first conductive layer to expose the photoelectric conversion element;
a first channel layer formed in the first open portion, and contacting the photoelectric conversion element and the first conductive layer; and
a first gate formed over the first channel layer, and

wherein the reset transistor comprises:
a second insulating layer formed over the photoelectric conversion element;
a second conductive layer formed over the second insulating layer;
a second open portion formed through the second insulating layer and the second conductive layer to expose the photoelectric conversion element;
a second channel layer formed in the second open portion and contacting the photoelectric conversion element and the second conductive layer; and
a second gate formed over the second channel layer.

3. The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the first gate comprises:
a first gate insulating layer formed over the first channel layer; and
a first gate electrode formed over the first gate insulating layer and filling the first open portion, and
wherein the second gate comprises:
a second gate insulating layer formed over the second channel layer; and
a second gate electrode formed over the second gate insulating layer and filling the second open portion.

4. The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the first channel layer comprises undoped polysilicon or P type polysilicon, and
wherein the second channel layer comprises undoped polysilicon or P type polysilicon.

5. The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the first channel layer comprises N type polysilicon, and
wherein the second channel layer comprises N type polysilicon.

6. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the gap is formed over the photoelectric conversion element and has a line shape which comprises a central point of the photoelectric conversion element and extends in a row direction, or column direction.

7. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the gap is formed over the photoelectric conversion element and has a line shape which comprises a central point of the photoelectric conversion element and extends in a diagonal direction.

8. An image sensor, comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element;
an insulating layer formed over the photoelectric conversion element;
a first conductive layer formed over the insulating layer;
a second conductive layer formed over the insulating layer, formed at the same level as the first conductive layer, spaced apart from the first conductive layer by a gap, and configured symmetrical to the first conductive layer with respect to the gap;
a first open portion formed through the first conductive layer and the insulating layer to expose the photoelectric conversion element;
a second open portion formed through the second conductive layer and the insulating layer to expose the photoelectric conversion element, and configured symmetrical to the first open portion with respect to the gap;
a first channel layer formed in the first open portion and contacting the photoelectric conversion element and the first conductive layer;
a second channel layer formed in the second open portion, contacting the photoelectric conversion element and the second conductive layer, and configured symmetrical to the first channel layer with respect to the gap;
a transfer gate formed over the first channel layer and filling the first open portion; and
a reset gate formed over the second channel layer, filling the second open portion, and configured symmetrical to the transfer gate with respect to the gap.

9. The image sensor of claim 8 ,
wherein the transfer gate comprises:
a first gate insulating layer formed over the first channel layer; and
a first gate electrode formed over the first gate insulating layer and filling the first open portion, and

wherein the reset gate comprises:
a second gate insulating layer formed over the second channel layer; and
a second gate electrode formed over the second gate insulating layer and filling the second open portion.

10. The image sensor of claim 8 ,
wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are formed of the same material as each other,
wherein the first channel layer and the second channel layer are formed of the same material as each other, and
wherein the transfer gate and the reset gate are formed of the same material as each other.

11. The image sensor of claim 8 , wherein each of the first channel layer and the second channel layer includes undoped polysilicon or P type polysilicon.

12. The image sensor of claim 8 , wherein each of the first channel layer and the second channel layer includes N type polysilicon.

13. The image sensor of claim 8 , wherein the photoelectric conversion element covered by the first conductive layer has the same size as the photoelectric conversion element covered by the second conductive layer.

14. The image sensor of claim 13 , wherein the gap is formed over the photoelectric conversion element and has a line shape which comprises a central point of the photoelectric conversion element and extends in a row direction, column direction or diagonal direction.

15. The image sensor of claim 13 , wherein the gap is formed over the photoelectric conversion element and has a line shape which comprises a central point of the photoelectric conversion element and extends in a diagonal direction.

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Kwag Pyong-Su
• Kwon Young-Jun
• Lee Cha-Young

Classifications

• H01L29/78675

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/4236

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/378

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/14614 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N25/78

  Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters · CPC title