Auto-focus image sensor and digital image processing device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375100-B2
Application number	US-202017005423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

The inventive concepts provide an auto-focus image sensor and a digital image processing device including the same. The auto-focus image sensor includes a substrate including at least one first pixel used for detecting a phase difference and at least one second pixel used for detecting an image, a deep device isolation portion disposed in the substrate to isolate the first pixel from the second pixel, and a light shielding pattern disposed on the substrate of at least the first pixel. The amount of light incident on the first pixel is smaller than the amount of light incident on the second pixel by the light shielding pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auto-focus image sensor comprising:
a substrate including a first auto-focus (AF) green pixel, a second AF green pixel and a third AF green pixel configured to detect a phase difference, the substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface,
wherein the first AF green pixel is next to the second AF green pixel in a first direction, and
wherein the second AF green pixel is next to the third AF green pixel in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first isolation pattern between the first AF green pixel and the second AF green pixel; and
a second isolation pattern between the second AF green pixel and the third AF green pixel.

3. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 2 , further comprising a light shielding pattern on at least the first AF green pixel.

4. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 3 , wherein each of the first isolation pattern and the second isolation pattern includes an air gap.

5. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first image pixel next to the first AF green pixel in the second direction; and
a second image pixel next to the first AF green pixel in a direction opposite to the second direction,
wherein the first and second image pixels are disposed under color filters of the same color.

6. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first image pixel next to the first AF green pixel in the second direction;
a second image pixel next to the first AF green pixel in a direction opposite to the second direction; and
a third image pixel provided in a diagonal direction from the second AF green pixel,
wherein the first to third image pixels are disposed under color filters of the same color.

7. An auto-focus image sensor comprising:
a substrate including a first auto-focus (AF) pixel, a second AF pixel and a third AF pixel configured to detect a phase difference, the substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
a first isolation pattern between the first AF pixel and the second AF pixel; and
a second isolation pattern between the second AF pixel and the third AF pixel,
wherein the first AF pixel is next to the second AF pixel in a first direction, and
wherein the second AF pixel is next to the third AF pixel in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 7 , further comprising a light shielding pattern on at least the first AF pixel.

9. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first image pixel next to the first AF pixel in the second direction; and
a second image pixel next to the first AF pixel in a direction opposite to the second direction,
wherein the first and second image pixels are disposed under color filters of the same color.

10. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first image pixel next to the first AF pixel in the second direction;
a second image pixel next to the first AF pixel in a direction opposite to the second direction; and
a third image pixel provided in a diagonal direction from the second AF pixel,
wherein the first to third image pixels are disposed under color filters of the same color.

11. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 9 , wherein each of the first isolation pattern and the second isolation pattern includes an air gap.

12. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 10 , wherein each of the first isolation pattern and the second isolation pattern includes an air gap.

13. The auto-focus image sensor of claim 12 , wherein the first AF pixel is a first AF green pixel and the second AF pixel is a second AF green pixel.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Bumsuk
• Ahn Jungchak

Classifications

• H04N25/704

  Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets · CPC title

• H04N23/672 Primary

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• H04N25/135

  based on four or more different wavelength filter elements · CPC title

• H04N25/133

  including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light · CPC title

• H04N23/673

  based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method · CPC title