IMAGE SENSOR

• US 20160204150A1
• Filed: 01/07/2016
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Moo-Sup Lim, Young-Chan Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Young-chan, Oh, Min-Seok, Lim, Moo-sup
• Granted Patent: US 9,640,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14623 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1463 Pixel isolation structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14638 Structures specially adapted for transferring the charges across the imager perpendicular to the imaging plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1464 Back illuminated imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to an image sensor supporting a global shutter for minimizing image distortion. An example image sensor includes a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other; a photosensitive device, which is formed in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and accumulates charges based on light incident via the second surface; a charge storage device, which is formed in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and temporarily stores charges accumulated by the photosensitive device; a first transmission transistor, which transmits charges accumulated by the photosensitive device to the charge storage device and includes a first gate formed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer; and a leakage photogenerated charge drain region, which is formed in the semiconductor layer near the second surface, is apart from the charge storage device, and is arranged above the charge storage device.

Claims

1. An image sensor comprising:

a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other;

a photosensitive device in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and that is configured to accumulate charges based on light incident at the second surface;

a charge storage device in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and that is configured to temporarily store charges accumulated by the photosensitive device;

a first transmission transistor configured to transmit charges accumulated by the photosensitive device to the charge storage device and that includes a first gate on the first surface of the semiconductor layer; and

a leakage photogenerated charge drain region in the semiconductor layer near the second surface, apart from the charge storage device, and above the charge storage device.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a blocking on the second surface of the semiconductor layer and configured to block light traveling toward the charge storage device.

3. The image sensor of claim 2, further comprising a drain contact plug electrically connecting the blocking layer to the leakage photogenerated charge drain region.

7. The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a floating diffusion region to which charges stored in the charge storage device are transmitted; and

a second transmission transistor that is configured to transmit charges stored in the charge storage device to the floating diffusion region and that includes a second gate,

wherein the leakage photogenerated charge drain region is across the charge storage device and the floating diffusion region.

8. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the charge storage device and the leakage photogenerated charge drain region are of a first conduction type,

the image sensor further comprising a well region of a second conduction type that is different from the first conduction type and that is between the charge storage device and the leakage photogenerated charge drain region.

9. The image sensor of claim 8, further comprising:

a first isolation layer buried in a first isolation trench in the semiconductor layer between the first surface and the second surface and surrounding a unit pixel including the photosensitive device and the charge storage device; and

a second isolation layer between the photosensitive device and the charge storage device and buried in a second isolation trench in the semiconductor layer between the first surface and the second surface.

13. The image sensor of claim 9, further comprising an interface covering region covering a surface of the second isolation layer in the semiconductor layer.

4-6. -6. (canceled)

10-12. -12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. An image sensor comprising:

a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other; and

a plurality of unit pixels,

wherein one or more of the plurality of unit pixels includes;

a photosensitive device in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and configured to accumulate charges based on light incident via the second surface;

a charge storage device in the semiconductor layer near the first surface and that is configured to store charges accumulated by the photosensitive device;

a first transmission transistor configured to transmit charges accumulated by the photosensitive device to the charge storage device and includes a first gate on the first surface of the semiconductor layer;

a leakage photogenerated charge drain region in the semiconductor layer near the second surface, that is apart from the charge storage device, and that is above the charge storage device; and

a blocking layer on the second surface of the semiconductor layer, that is configured to block light travelling to the charge storage device, and is electrically connected to the leakage photogenerated charge drain region.

16. The image sensor of claim 15, wherein a positive bias is applied to the blocking layers of the plurality of unit pixels in common.

17. The image sensor of claim 15, wherein the charge storage device overlaps substantially the entire blocking layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the second surface of the semiconductor layer.

18. The image sensor of claim 15, further comprising:

an interlayer insulation layer between the second surface of the semiconductor layer and the blocking layer; and

a drain contact plug configured to penetrate through the interlayer insulation layer and to electrically connect the blocking layer to the leakage photogenerated charge drain region.

19. The image sensor of claim 15, wherein the photosensitive device, the charge storage device, and the leakage photogenerated charge drain region are of a first conduction type,

the image sensor further comprising a well region of a second conduction type that is different from the first conduction type and that is arranged between the charge storage device and the leakage photogenerated charge drain region.

20. The image sensor of claim 19, further comprising:

a first isolation layer between the plurality of unit pixels and that is buried in a first isolation trench in the semiconductor layer between the first surface and the second surface; and

a second isolation layer between the photosensitive device and the charge storage device and that is buried in a second isolation layer in the semiconductor layer and extends from the second surface toward the first surface.

23. The image sensor of claim 20, further comprising an interface covering region in the semiconductor layer and that surrounds the first isolation layer and is of the second conduction type.

27. The image sensor of claim 20, wherein one or more of the plurality of unit pixels further comprises:

a floating diffusion region to which charges stored in the charge storage device are transmitted; and

a second transmission transistor configured to transmit charges stored in the charge storage device to the floating diffusion region and that includes a second gate on the first surface of the semiconductor layer,

21-22. -22. (canceled)

24-26. -26. (canceled)

28-30. -30. (canceled)

31. An image sensor comprising:

one or more unit pixels in a semiconductor layer, the one or more pixels including;

a photosensitive device configured to accumulate charges generated via light incident on the semiconductor layer;

a charge storage device configured to store charges accumulated by the photosensitive device; and

a leakage photogenerated charge drain region configured to discharge photogenerated charges outside the semiconductor layer.

32. The image sensor of claim 31, further comprising a transmission transistor configured to transmit charges accumulated by the photosensitive device to the charge storage device.

33. The image sensor of claim 31, wherein the photosensitive device is near a first surface of the semiconductor layer and the light is incident on a second surface of the semiconductor layer;

the image sensor further comprising a blocking layer configured to substantially block light from reaching the charge storage device from the second surface of the semiconductor layer.

34. The image sensor of claim 33, wherein the first surface is opposite the second surface.

35. The image sensor of claim 31, wherein the charge storage device is configured to temporarily store the charges accumulated by the photosensitive device.