Image sensor having TFT gate electrode surrounding the photoelectric conversion element
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
a photoelectric conversion element formed on said substrate for converting luminous energy to electric signals, said photoelectric conversion element defining a first area on a surface of said substrate underlying and being coextensive with said photoelectric conversion element; and
a thin-film switching transistor formed on said substrate, said thin-film switching transistor having a control electrode formed adjacent an edge portion of said photoelectric conversion element, the control electrode for at times conducting said electric signals from said photoelectric conversion element through a gate area underlying and coextensive with said control electrode, in response to application of a voltage applied thereto, said control electrode of said thin-film switching transistor having a U-shaped configuration, said control electrode defining a second area in said surface of said substrate underlying and coextensive with said control electrode, said second area substantially surrounding said first area.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image sensor is reduced in size by combining a photoelectric conversion element with a transfer element thin film transistor (TFT). The photoelectric conversion element comprises a lamination including a metal electrode, a photoconductive layer and a transparent electrode. The TFT transfer element comprises a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a source electrode. In the image sensor, the metal electrode of the photoelectric conversion element also serves as the drain electrode of the TFT. In addition, the gate electrode is formed around the photoelectric conversion element, and the source electrode is formed around the gate electrode.
-
Citations
6 Claims
-
1. An image sensor comprising:
-
a substrate; a photoelectric conversion element formed on said substrate for converting luminous energy to electric signals, said photoelectric conversion element defining a first area on a surface of said substrate underlying and being coextensive with said photoelectric conversion element; and a thin-film switching transistor formed on said substrate, said thin-film switching transistor having a control electrode formed adjacent an edge portion of said photoelectric conversion element, the control electrode for at times conducting said electric signals from said photoelectric conversion element through a gate area underlying and coextensive with said control electrode, in response to application of a voltage applied thereto, said control electrode of said thin-film switching transistor having a U-shaped configuration, said control electrode defining a second area in said surface of said substrate underlying and coextensive with said control electrode, said second area substantially surrounding said first area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
Specification