US5235196A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Transfer region design for charge-coupled device image sensor
Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC
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Filing: 1992-07-24
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Granted: 1993-08-10
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Expires: 2012-07-24
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to an image sensor which comprises a body of a semiconductor material having therein a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a line and a CCD shift register extending along the line of photodetectors adjacent to but spaced from an edge of the photodetectors. The CCD shift register includes a channel region and a plurality of first and second gate electrodes extending over and insulated from the channel region. One of each of the first and second gate electrodes extends across a portion of the edge of each photodetector. Each of the first electrodes has an arm extending along the entire edge of its respective photodetector between the photodetector and the second gate electrode. A separate transfer region is in the body between the edge of each photodetector and its respective first electrode and extends along the entire edge of the photodetector. A transfer gate is over and insulated from the transfer regions.
Inventors
- 👤 Constantine N. Anagnostopoulos
- 👤 Herbert J. Erhardt
- 👤 Eric G. Stevens
- 👤 Robert H. Philbrick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
An image sensor comprising: a body of a semiconductor material having a surface; a photodetector in the body at the surface and having an edge; a shift register channel region in the body and extending along but spaced from the edge of the photodetector: first and second conductive gate electrodes over and insulated from the channel region with each of the gate electrodes extending along at least a portion of the edge of the photodetector; the first gate electrode having a portion which extends between the shift register channel region and the edge of the photodetector with the photodetector extending along the entire edge of the portion of the first gate electrode; and a transfer region in the body at the surface extending between the photodetector and the first gate electrode along the entire edge of the photodetector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
An image sensor comprising: a body of a semiconductor material having a surface; a photodetector in the body at the surface and having an edge; a shift register channel region in the body and extending along but spaced from the edge of the photodetector: first and second conductive gate electrodes over and insulated from the channel region with each of the gate electrodes extending along at least a portion of the edge of the photodetector; the first gate electrode having a portion which extends between the shift register channel region and the edge of the photodetector with the photodetector extending along the entire edge of the portion of the first gate electrode; and a transfer region in the body at the surface extending between the photodetector and the first gate electrode along the entire edge of the photodetector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image sensor of claim 1 in which the first gate electrode has an arm which extends along the edge of the photodetector between the photodetector and the second gate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The image sensor of claim 2 wherein the body is of one conductivity type, and the channel region and transfer region are regions of the opposite conductivity type in the body and extending to the surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image sensor of claim 3 further comprising a transfer gate over and insulated from the transfer region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The image sensor of claim 4 further comprising a barrier region between the edge of the photodetector and the transfer gate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The image sensor of claim 5 in which the barrier region is a lightly doped region of the opposite conductivity type in the body and extending to the surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The image sensor of claim 6 further comprising an overflow drain in the body on the side of the photodetector opposite the channel region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The image sensor of claim 3 further comprising a separate barrier region of the opposite conductivity type in the body and extending across the channel region under and along an edge of each of the first and second conductive gate electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The image sensor of claim 8 in which the barrier region under the second gate electrode also extends along an end of the second gate electrode between the second gate electrode and the portion of the first gate electrode which extends along the edge of the same photodetector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The image sensor of claim 9 in which the barrier region under each of the first gate electrodes also extends along an end of its respective first gate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
150 words
An image sensor comprising: a body of semiconductor material of one conductivity type having a surface; a plurality of photodetectors in the body at the surface, the photodetectors being arranged in a line with each photodetector having an edge along the line; a CCD shift register channel region in the body at the surface and extending along the line of photodetectors spaced from the edges of the photodetectors; a plurality of first and second conductive gate electrodes over and insulated from the channel region with adjacent ones of each of the first and second gate electrodes extending along a portion of each of the photodetectors; the first gate electrode at each of the photodetectors having a portion extending along the entire edge of the photodetector; and a separate transfer region in the body at the surface between each photodetector and the channel region along the entire edge of the photodetector.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
150 words
An image sensor comprising: a body of semiconductor material of one conductivity type having a surface; a plurality of photodetectors in the body at the surface, the photodetectors being arranged in a line with each photodetector having an edge along the line; a CCD shift register channel region in the body at the surface and extending along the line of photodetectors spaced from the edges of the photodetectors; a plurality of first and second conductive gate electrodes over and insulated from the channel region with adjacent ones of each of the first and second gate electrodes extending along a portion of each of the photodetectors; the first gate electrode at each of the photodetectors having a portion extending along the entire edge of the photodetector; and a separate transfer region in the body at the surface between each photodetector and the channel region along the entire edge of the photodetector.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image sensor of claim 11 in which each of the first gate electrodes has an arm which extends along the edge of its respective photodetector between the photodetector and the second gate electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image sensor of claim 12 wherein the channel region and each of the transfer regions is a region of opposite conductivity type in the body and extending to the surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image sensor of claim 13 further comprising a transfer gate over and insulated from the transfer region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The image sensor of claim 14 further comprising a barrier region between the edge of each of the photodetectors and the transfer regions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The image sensor of claim 15 in which the barrier region is a lightly doped region in the body and extending to the surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The image sensor of claim 16 further comprising a separate drain region in the body adjacent each of the photodetectors.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The image sensor of claim 13 further comprising a barrier region of the opposite conductivity type in the body and extending across the channel region under and along an edge of each of the first and second conductive gate electrodes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
The image sensor of claim 18 in which the barrier regions under each of the second gate electrodes also extends along an end of its respective second gate electrodes between the second gate electrode and the portion of the adjacent first gate electrode which extends along the photodetector.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image sensor of claim 19 in which the barrier regions under, each of the first gate electrodes also extends along an end of its respective first gate electrode which is along the photodetector.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-09 | 1997-02-08 | 1997-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-09 | 2001-02-08 | 2001-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-09 | 2005-02-08 | 2005-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |