Image sensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417692-B2
Application number	US-202117234392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2020
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

An image sensing device includes a plurality of image sensor pixels including a first image sensor pixel and a second image sensor pixel and a transmission driver. The transmission driver is coupled to first and second transfer gates to apply a first transmission signal to the first transfer gate to control the first transfer gate and a second transmission signal to the second transfer gate to control the second transfer gate. A first distance between the first image sensor pixel and the transmission driver is shorter than a second distance between the second image sensor pixel and the transmission driver, and the first and second transfer gates of the first image sensor pixel are different in structure from the first and second transfer gates of the second image sensor pixel, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensing device comprising:
a substrate;
an image sensor pixel array supported by the substrate and structured to include a plurality of image sensor pixels that generate photocharges in response to light, the plurality of image sensor pixels including a first image sensor pixel and a second image sensor pixel, each of the first and second image sensor pixels including a first transfer gate and a second transfer gate, the first transfer gate structured to transfer photocharges generated during a first period to a first region structured to hold the photocharges, the second transfer gate structured to transfer photocharges generated during a second period to a second region structured to hold the photocharges; and
a transmission driver coupled to the first and second transfer gates, and configured to apply a first transmission signal to the first transfer gate to control the first transfer gate and a second transmission signal to the second transfer gate to control the second transfer gate,
wherein a first distance between the first image sensor pixel and the transmission driver is shorter than a second distance between the second image sensor pixel and the transmission driver, and
wherein the first and second transfer gates of the first image sensor pixel are different in structure from the first and second transfer gates of the second image sensor pixel, respectively.

2. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first transfer gate and the second transfer gate has a recess structure formed within the substrate.

3. The image sensing device according to claim 2 , wherein:
a depth of the recess structure of the first transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel in the substrate is less than a depth of the recess structure of the first transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel in the substrate; and
a depth of the recess structure of the second transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel in the substrate is less than a depth of the recess structure of the second transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel in the substrate.

4. The image sensing device according to claim 2 , wherein:
the first transfer gate includes a first gate electrode structured to receive the first transmission signal and a first gate insulation layer structured to surround the first gate electrode;
the second transfer gate includes a second gate electrode structured to receive the second transmission signal and a second gate insulation layer structured to surround the second gate electrode;
a thickness of the first gate insulation layer of the first image sensor pixel is larger than a thickness of the first gate insulation layer of the second image sensor pixel; and
a thickness of the second gate insulation layer of the first image sensor pixel is larger than a thickness of the second gate insulation layer of the second image sensor pixel.

5. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first transfer gate and the second transfer gate has a planar structure extending along one surface of the substrate.

6. The image sensing device according to claim 5 , wherein:
the first transfer gate includes a first gate electrode structured to receive the first transmission signal and a first gate insulation layer disposed between the first gate electrode and the substrate;
the second transfer gate includes a second gate electrode structured to receive the second transmission signal and a second gate insulation layer disposed between the second gate electrode and the substrate;
a thickness of the first gate insulation layer of the first image sensor pixel is larger than a thickness of the first gate insulation layer of the second image sensor pixel; and
a thickness of the second gate insulation layer of the first image sensor pixel is larger than a thickness of the second gate insulation layer of the second image sensor pixel.

7. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein:
a threshold voltage of a transistor corresponding to the first transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel is higher than a threshold voltage of a transistor corresponding to the first transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel; and
a threshold voltage of a transistor corresponding to the second transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel is higher than a threshold voltage of a transistor corresponding to the second transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel.

8. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein:
an activation time of the first transmission signal applied to the first transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel is identical to an activation time of the first transmission signal applied to the first transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel; and
an activation time of the second transmission signal applied to the second transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel is identical to an activation time of the second transmission signal applied to the second transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel.

9. The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor pixel and the second image sensor pixel are coupled to the transmission driver through the same transmission signal line.

10. An image sensing device comprising:
an image sensor pixel array including a plurality of image sensor pixels structured to include photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, that generate photocharges in response to light, each of the plurality of image sensor pixels including a first floating diffusion region adjacent to a corresponding photoelectric conversion element, a first transfer gate coupled between the photoelectric conversion element and the first floating diffusion region, a second floating diffusion region adjacent to the photoelectric conversion element but separate from the first floating diffusion region, and a second transfer gate coupled between the photoelectric conversion element and the second floating diffusion region, the first transfer gate structured to be operable to transfer first photocharges generated in the corresponding photoelectric conversion element during a first period to the first floating diffusion region which holds the first photocharges, and the second transfer gate structured to be operable to transfer second photocharges generated in the corresponding photoelectric conversion element during a second period to the second floating diffusion region which holds the second photocharges; and
a transmission driver coupled to the first and second transfer gates and configured to apply a first transmission signal to the first transfer gate to operate the first transfer gate to transfer the first photocharges and a second transmission signal to the second transfer gate to operate the second transfer gate to transfer the second photocharges,
wherein the plurality of image sensor pixels includes first to third image sensor pixels that have different signal transmission distances from the transmission driver, and
wherein the first transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel, the first transfer gate of the second image sensor pixel and the first transfer gate of the third image sensor pixel have different structures, including at least one of a depth of the first transfer gate in a substrate, a material of a gate electrode of the first transfer gate, a thickness of a gate insulation layer of the first transfer gate, or a material of the gate insulation layer.

11. The image sensing device according to claim 10 , wherein:
a depth of the first transfer gate of the first image sensor pixel in the substrate is less than a depth of the first transfer gate of the second image sensor p

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Jang Jae Hyung

Classifications

• H04N25/40 Primary

  Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled · CPC title

• H04N25/70

  SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith · CPC title

• H04N25/77

  Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components · CPC title

• H10F39/802 Primary

  Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes · CPC title

• H10F39/80377

  characterised by the channel of the transistor, e.g. channel having a doping gradient · CPC title