Photo sensing unit and photo sensor thereof

• US 8,358,167 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Lan, Wei-Chou, Huang, Sung-Hui, Yeh, Chia-Chun, Shinn, Ted-Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): PERT, EVAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/974,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 257/290, 257/291, 257/431, 257/462, 257/E31.082, 257/E31.053, 257/428, 257/443, 257/E31.054, 327/514, 327/515
• US Class Current: 327/514
• 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 31/02019 for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/766 comprising control or output lines used for a plurality of functions, e.g. for pixel output, driving, reset or power

Abstract

A photo sensing unit used in a photo sensor includes a photo sensing transistor, a storage capacitor, and a switching transistor. The photo sensing transistor receives a light signal for inducing a photo current correspondingly, and a source and a gate thereof are respectively coupled to the first signal source and the second signal source. The storage capacitor stores electrical charges induced by the light signal, one terminal thereof is coupled to drain of the photo sensing transistor, and another terminal thereof is coupled to a low voltage. The switching transistor is controlled by the second signal source for outputting a readout signal from the storage capacitor to the signal readout line. The threshold voltage of the photo transistor is higher than that of the switching transistor.

Claims

1. A photo sensing unit, comprising:

a photo sensing transistor, having a first gate, a first source, and a first drain, used to receive a light signal for inducing a photo current correspondingly, wherein the first source is coupled to a first signal source, and the first gate is coupled to a second signal source;

a storage capacitor, having a first end and a second end, used to store a plurality of electrical charges induced from the light signal, wherein the first end is coupled to the first drain, and the second end is coupled to a low voltage; and

a switching transistor, having a second gate, a second source, and a second drain, controlled by the second signal source, and used to output a readout signal stored in the storage capacitor to a signal readout line, wherein the second source is coupled to the first end, and the second drain is coupled to the signal readout line, and the second gate is coupled to the second signal source;

wherein a threshold voltage of the photo sensing transistor is higher than that of the switching transistor.

2. The photo sensing unit according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor are two oxide thin film transistors, wherein the photo sensing transistor has a first oxide semiconductor layer coupled to the first source and first drain, and the switching transistor has a second oxide semiconductor layer coupled to the second source and second drain.

3. The photo sensing unit according to claim 2, wherein the first and second semiconductor layers is a material containing at least one of In, Ga, Zn.

4. The photo sensing unit according to claim 3, wherein the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor are two In—

Ga—

Zn—

O (IGZO) thin film transistors.

5. The photo sensing unit according to claim 2, wherein the photo sensing transistor has a first gate insulating layer deposited between the first gate and the first oxide semiconductor layer, so as to prevent the first gate from contacting the first oxide semiconductor layer;

and the switching transistor has a second gate insulating layer deposited between the second gate and the second oxide semiconductor layer, so as to prevent the second gate from contacting the second oxide semiconductor layer.

6. The photo sensing unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second gate is a material containing at least one of Mo, Cr, Al, Ti, Ta, and Ni.

7. The photo sensing unit according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate, wherein the photo sensing transistor, the switching transistor, and the storage capacitor is deposited on the substrate.

8. The photo sensing unit according to claim 7, further comprising a protection insulating layer deposited on the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor.

9. The photo sensing unit according to claim 1, wherein during an exposure time, the light signal illuminates the photo sensing transistor, the second signal source provides a write voltage, and the first signal source provides a bias voltage, wherein the write voltage is lower than the threshold voltages of the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor, such that the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor are turned off, the photo current induced by the light signal conveys the electrical charges to the storage capacitor, and the storage capacitor stores the electrical charges.

10. The photo sensing unit according to claim 9, wherein during a readout time, the second source provides a readout voltage, wherein the readout voltage is less than the threshold voltage of the photo sensing transistor and larger than the threshold voltage of the switching transistor, such that the photo sensing transistor is turned off and the switching transistor is turned on, and the readout signal stored in the storage capacitor is outputted to the signal readout line.

11. A photo sensor, comprising:

a plurality of photo sensing units;

a first signal source circuit, used to provide first signal sources to the photo sensing units;

a second signal source circuit, used to provide second signal sources to the photo sensing units; and

an outputting circuit, used to receive readout signals outputted from the photo sensing units, and to output the readout signals sequentially;

wherein each of the photo sensing units comprises;

a photo sensing transistor, having a first gate, a first source, and a first drain, used to receive a light signal for inducing a photo current correspondingly, wherein the first source is coupled to the first signal source, and the first gate is coupled to the second signal source;

a storage capacitor, having a first end and a second terminal, used to store a plurality of electrical charges induced from the light signal, wherein the first end is coupled to the first drain, and the second end is coupled to a low voltage; and

a switching transistor, having a second gate, a second source, and a second drain, controlled by the second signal source, and used to output the readout signal stored in the storage capacitor to a signal readout line, wherein the second source is coupled to the first end, and the second drain is coupled to the signal readout line, and the second gate is coupled to the second signal source;

wherein a threshold voltage of the photo sensing transistor is higher than that of the switching transistor.

12. The photo sensor according to claim 11, wherein the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor are two oxide thin film transistors, wherein the photo sensing transistor has a first oxide semiconductor layer coupled to the first source and first drain, and the switching transistor has a second oxide semiconductor layer coupled to the second source and second drain.

13. The photo sensor according to claim 12, wherein the first and second semiconductor layers are a material containing at least one of In, Ga, Zn.

14. The photo sensor according to claim 13, wherein the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor are two In—

Ga—

Zn—

O (IGZO) thin film transistors.

15. The photo sensor according to claim 12, wherein the photo sensing transistor has a first gate insulating layer deposited between the first gate and the first oxide semiconductor layer, so as to prevent the first gate from contacting the first oxide semiconductor layer;

and the switching transistor has a second gate insulating layer deposited between the second gate and the second oxide semiconductor layer, so as to prevent the second gate from contacting the second oxide semiconductor layer.

16. The photo sensor according to claim 11, wherein the first and second gate is a material containing at least one of Mo, Cr, Al, Ti, Ta, and Ni.

17. The photo sensor according to claim 11, further comprising a substrate, wherein the photo sensing transistor, the switching transistor, and the storage capacitor are deposited on the substrate.

18. The photo sensor according to claim 17, further comprising a protection insulating layer deposited on the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor.

19. The photo sensor according to claim 11, wherein during an exposure time, the light signal illuminates the photo sensing transistor, the second signal source provides a write voltage, and the first signal source provides a bias voltage, wherein the write voltage is lower than the threshold voltages of the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor, such that the photo sensing transistor and the switching transistor are turned off, the photo current induced by the light signal helps the electrical charges to be transmitted to storage capacitor, and the storage capacitor stores the electrical charges.

20. The photo sensor according to claim 19, wherein during a readout time, the second source provides a readout voltage, wherein the readout voltage is less than the threshold voltage of the photo sensing transistor and larger than the threshold voltage of the switching transistor, such that the photo sensing transistor is turned off and the switching transistor is turned on, and the readout signal stored in the storage capacitor is outputted to the signal readout line.