Method and apparatus for implementing efficient CMOS photo sensors
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic image sensor apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
- an n-well implant with a monotonically graded dopant that eliminates minority carrier traps; and
highly doped guard rings at regions where dark current originates, to locally increase carrier recombination.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Semiconductor photo sensor and semiconductor wafer processing designs are disclosed. The disclosed designs provide significantly improved photo sensor performance within the framework of a CMOS process. CMOS compatible fabrication procedures are presented, that enable tailoring of the 3-dimensional doping profile and defect structure within a photo sensor, to optimize light detection efficiency and minimize noise from dark current.
46 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. An electronic image sensor apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
-
an n-well implant with a monotonically graded dopant that eliminates minority carrier traps; and
highly doped guard rings at regions where dark current originates, to locally increase carrier recombination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
a surface recombination trap created using highly doped near a surface.
-
-
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electronic image sensor device comprises a p-well diode structure.
-
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electronic image sensor device comprises an n-well diode structure.
-
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guard rings are placed near a SiO2 bird'"'"'s beak.
-
6. An electronic image sensor apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
-
an n-well implant with a monotonically graded dopant that eliminates minority carrier traps; and
a highly doped surface recombination region. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
highly doped guard rings at regions where dark current originates to locally increase carrier recombination.
-
-
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said electronic image sensor device comprises a p-well diode structure.
-
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said electronic image sensor device comprises an n-well diode structure.
-
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said guard rings are placed near a SiO2 bird'"'"'s beak.
Specification