High-performance image sensors including those providing global electronic shutter

• US 10,096,730 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2017
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Beiley, Zachary Michael, Sargent, Edward Hartley
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam, Mohammed R
• Application Number:
  US15/406,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20170207355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 633 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035218 the quantum structure being quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1013 devices sensitive to two or more wavelengths, e.g. multi-spectrum radiation detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/118 of the surface barrier or shallow PN junction detector type, e.g. surface barrier alpha-particle detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/53 Control of the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/00 Organic devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10K39/00, H10K65/00; electrolytic light-sensitive devices H01G9/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

In various embodiments, an electronic device comprises, for example, at least one photosensitive layer and at least one carrier selective layer. Under one range of biases on the device, the photosensitive layer produces a photocurrent while illuminated. Under another range of biases on the device, the photosensitive does not produce a photocurrent while illuminated. A carrier selective layer expands the range of biases over which the photosensitive layer does not produce any photocurrent while illuminated. In various embodiments, an electronic device comprises, for example, at least one photosensitive layer and at least one carrier selective layer. Under a first range of biases on the device, the photosensitive layer is configured to collect a photocurrent while illuminated. Under a second range of biases on the device, the photosensitive layer is configured to collect at least M times lower photocurrent while illuminated compared to under the first range of biases.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one photosensitive layer; and

at least one carrier selective layer;

wherein, under a first range of biases on the electronic device, the at least one photosensitive layer is configured to collect a photocurrent while illuminated;

wherein, under a second range of biases on the electronic device, the at least one photosensitive layer is configured to collect at least M times lower photocurrent while illuminated compared to under the first range of biases, wherein M=100; and

wherein the at least one carrier selective layer includes one layer that is configured to collect electrons under the first range of biases and to collect holes under the second range of biases.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier selective layer is configured to expand a voltage range corresponding to the second range of biases.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first range of biases is to exceed about 1 volt.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second range of biases is less than about 1 volt.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein M is greater than about 1,000.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein M is greater than about 10,000.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein M is greater than about 100,000.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, under a range of illumination levels, an electrical bias across the electronic device remains substantially unchanged across an entire integration time.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the electrical bias changes by less than about 0.2 volts.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the range of illumination levels spans a range of about 0 lux to about 10 lux on pixel.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein another one of the at least one carrier selective layer is configured to collect electrons under the second range of biases.