CMOS image sensor with different pixel sizes for different colors

• US 6,137,100 A
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Photobit Corporation (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fossum, Eric R., Kaplinsky, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Application Number:
  US09/093,968
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 250/208.2, 250/226, 348/272, 348/273, 348/275, 348/276, 348/277, 348/280, 348/281, 348/282, 348/283, 348/300, 348/301, 348/308, 348/311, 348/315, 358/482, 358/483, 257/431, 257/432, 257/440
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

Active pixel sensor with separated pixel areas, each sensing a different primary color, red, green or blue. Each of the colors is sensed using a different size color filter element to allow receiving an amount of light dependent on the responses of the image sensor to the specific color.

Claims

1. A color pixel assembly, comprising:

a plurality of macro pixels, each macro pixel comprising;

a plurality of individually-addressable pixel elements, each pixel element receiving light, and producing an output signal indicative of an amount of light received, and including a first pixel element with a first color filter of a specified size, representing a first primary color, a second color filter of a second specified size, smaller than said first specified size, and representing a second primary color, and a third filter of a third specified size, representing a third primary color, wherein said third specified size is smaller than said first and second specified sizes, wherein said primary colors are blue, green and red, respectively.

2. An assembly as in claim 1, wherein said pixel elements include a light collecting area underlying each said color filter, each light collecting area being substantially the same size as said color filter which it underlies.

3. A color pixel assembly, comprising:

a plurality of macro pixels, each macro pixel comprising;

a plurality of individually-addressable pixel elements, each pixel element receiving light, and producing an output signal indicative of an amount of light received, and including a first pixel element with a first color filter of a specified size, representing a first primary color, a second color filter of a second specified size, smaller than said first specified size, and representing a second primary color, and a third filter of a third specified size, representing a third primary color, wherein said pixel elements include light collecting areas underlying said color filters, each of said light collecting areas being substantially the same size, and at least one of said light collecting areas being a different size than an overlying color filter, and said overlying color filter overlies at least two of said light collecting areas.

4. An assembly as in claim 3, wherein said pixel elements include photodiode light collecting areas underlying said color filters.

5. An assembly as in claim 3, wherein said pixel elements include photogate light collecting areas underlying said color filters.

6. An assembly as in claim 3, further comprising a reverse based diode separating two adjacent pixels.

7. An active color pixel assembly, comprising:

a plurality of macro pixels, each macro pixel comprising;

a plurality of individually-addressable pixel elements, each pixel element having a light collecting area receiving incoming light, and producing an output signal indicative of an amount of light received, each pixel element including associated circuitry therein which processes said output signal prior to its output, said associated circuitry being formed of a logic family that is compatible with CMOS, said pixels including a first pixel element with a first color filter of a specified size, representing a first primary color, a second color filter of a second specified size, smaller than said first specified size, and representing a second primary color, wherein said light collecting area of said first pixel element has a less efficient response to said second primary color than to said first primary color, and a third filter of a third specified size, representing a third primary color, wherein said third specified size is smaller than said first and second specified sizes, and wherein said primary colors are red, green and blue, respectively.

9. An active color pixel assembly, comprising:

a plurality of macro pixels, each macro pixel comprising;

a plurality of individually-addressable pixel elements, each pixel element having a light collecting area receiving incoming light, and producing and output signal indicative of an amount of light received, each pixel element including associated circuitry therein which processes said output signal prior to its output, said associated circuitry being formed of a logic family that is compatible with CMOS, said pixels including a first pixel element with a first color filter of a specified size, representing a first primary color, a second color filter of a second specified size, smaller than said first specified size, and representing a second primary color, wherein said light collecting area of said first pixel element has a less efficient response to said second primary color than to said first primary color, and a third filter of a third specified size, representing a third primary color, wherein each of said light collecting areas is substantially the same size, and at least one of said light collecting areas being a different size than an overlying color filter and said overlying color filter overlies at least two of said light collecting areas.

8. An assembly as in claim 11 wherein each light collecting area is substantially the same as an associated said color filter.

10. An assembly as in claim 9, wherein said pixel elements include photodiode light collecting areas underlying said color filters.

11. An assembly as in claim 9, wherein said pixel elements include photogate light collecting areas underlying said color filters.

12. An assembly as in claim 9, further comprising a reverse biased diode separating two adjacent pixels.