Image sensors with sinusoidal reset, noise cancellation, and non-pulsed charge transfer for inspection and metrology

Abstract

An image sensor is disclosed. The image sensor may include a plurality of sensing nodes electrically connected to at least one circuit of the circuits, the sensing nodes formed on the first side of a silicon layer adjacent to the circuits. Each sensing node may include a floating diffusion structure connected to one of at least one channel of the circuits and an output circuit. Each sensing node may include a charge reset structure configured to remove a charge from the floating diffusion structure. Each sensing node may include a noise-cancellation gate electrode adjacent to the floating diffusion structure and configured to be driven by a noise-cancellation signal. The image sensor may include a resistive gate electrode configured for at least one of direct current or non-pulsed signals. A charge reset structure of each sensing node may be driven with a voltage following a sinusoidal waveform.