Sensor pixel unit and electronic equipment
By shortening the distance between the photodiode and the gate of the source follower transistor in the pixel unit of the CMOS image sensor and using polysilicon to connect the devices, parasitic capacitance is reduced, photosensitivity is improved, and image acquisition performance is enhanced.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202423319788.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-12-31
AI Technical Summary
In existing CMOS image sensors, the photodiodes in the pixel units have large parasitic capacitance, resulting in insufficient photosensitivity and affecting the image sensor's acquisition performance.
By shortening the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate of the source follower transistor, and by using polysilicon to connect the devices, parasitic capacitance is reduced and photoelectric conversion gain is improved.
It improves the photosensitivity of image sensor pixels to light signals and optimizes the acquisition quality of pulse sequence image sensors.
Smart Images
Figure CN223829392U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of sensor technology, and in particular to a sensor pixel unit and electronic device. Background Technology
[0002] Image sensors have been widely used in digital cameras, mobile phones, medical devices, automobiles, drones, and machine recognition, especially with the rapid development of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor technology, which has led to higher demands on the output image quality of image sensors. CMOS image sensors can be divided into two categories based on their signal acquisition methods: one method involves setting the exposure time for each pixel and then measuring the change in voltage signal; the other method involves setting the voltage change for each pixel and then measuring the exposure time. Utility Model Content
[0003] In one aspect of this disclosure, a sensor pixel unit is provided, including: a photodiode, a reset transistor, a source follower transistor, and a pixel selection transistor;
[0004] In the circuit layout, the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor is less than a preset distance, and they are connected by a connecting device made of a preset material.
[0005] The active region of the photodiode is also connected to the source terminal of the reset transistor;
[0006] The gate terminal of the reset transistor receives a reset signal, and the drain terminal of the reset transistor is connected to a power supply signal.
[0007] The source terminal of the source follower transistor is connected to the source terminal of the pixel select transistor, and the drain terminal of the source follower transistor is connected to the power supply signal.
[0008] The gate terminal of the pixel selection transistor receives an external output signal, and the drain terminal of the pixel selection transistor serves as the output terminal of the sensor pixel unit.
[0009] Optionally, the preset material is a metallic conductor;
[0010] The connecting device, the active region of the photodiode, and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor are not on the same plane, and the connecting device connects the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor in a bridge shape.
[0011] Optionally, the preset material is polycrystalline silicon;
[0012] The connecting device is on the same plane as the gate terminal of the source follower transistor, and the connecting device is connected to the active region of the photodiode through a columnar connecting end that connects the two planes.
[0013] Optionally, the photodiode, reset transistor, source follower transistor, and pixel select transistor are fabricated on a semiconductor silicon substrate, and the portion of the active region of the photodiode that is not connected to the connection device and the source terminal of the reset transistor is covered by a gate oxide layer.
[0014] Optionally, shallow trench isolation regions are respectively provided in the semiconductor silicon substrate covered by the gate oxide layer on both sides below the gate terminal of the source follower transistor.
[0015] In another aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising:
[0016] An electronic device, characterized in that it includes: a processor, and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, and further includes a sensor pixel unit as described in any of the above embodiments;
[0017] The memory stores computer-executed instructions;
[0018] The processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory to control the sensor pixel units.
[0019] Optionally, the electronic device may be included as any of the following: image data acquisition device, audio / video player, navigation device, entertainment device, communication device, roadside traffic facility, device in motor vehicle, industrial testing device, flight equipment, medical device, security device.
[0020] This disclosure provides a sensor pixel unit and an electronic device, comprising a photodiode, a reset transistor, a source follower transistor, and a pixel selection transistor. In the circuit layout, the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor is less than a preset distance, and they are connected by a connection device made of a preset material. The active region of the photodiode is also connected to the source terminal of the reset transistor. The gate terminal of the reset transistor receives a reset signal, and the drain terminal of the reset transistor is connected to a power supply signal. The source terminal of the source follower transistor is connected to the source terminal of the pixel selection transistor, and the drain terminal of the source follower transistor is connected to the power supply signal. The gate terminal of the pixel selection transistor receives an external output signal, and the drain terminal of the pixel selection transistor serves as the output terminal of the sensor pixel unit. This disclosure reduces parasitic capacitance and improves the photoelectric conversion gain of the photocharge collected by the photodiode by shortening the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor, thereby enhancing the photosensitivity of the image sensor pixel to light signals and optimizing the image quality acquired by the pulse sequence image sensor.
[0021] The technical solutions of this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description
[0022] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.
[0023] This disclosure will become clearer with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, wherein:
[0024] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram of one embodiment of the sensor pixel unit of this disclosure;
[0025] Figure 2 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a layout structure of one embodiment is provided;
[0026] Figure 3 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 2 Partial cross-sectional view of the provided embodiment;
[0027] Figure 4 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 1 Another layout structure diagram of the provided embodiment;
[0028] Figure 5 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 4 Partial cross-sectional view of the provided embodiment;
[0029] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a method for locally fabricating a sensor pixel unit according to an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0030] Figure 7a This is a schematic diagram of substrate fabrication in a local fabrication method for a sensor pixel unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0031] Figure 7b A schematic diagram of contact hole fabrication in a local fabrication method for a sensor pixel unit provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0032] Figure 7c A schematic diagram of polysilicon deposition in a local fabrication method for a sensor pixel unit provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0033] Figure 7d A schematic diagram of spin-coating photoresist in a local fabrication method for a sensor pixel unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0034] Figure 7e A schematic diagram of photoresist development in a local fabrication method for a sensor pixel unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0035] Figure 7f A schematic diagram of polysilicon etching in a local fabrication method for a sensor pixel unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0036] Figure 8 A schematic diagram comparing the photoelectric conversion gain of three different pixel unit structures is shown.
[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an application embodiment of the electronic device disclosed herein. Detailed Implementation
[0038] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.
[0039] Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the embodiments of this disclosure are only used to distinguish different steps, devices, or modules, and do not represent any specific technical meaning, nor do they indicate a necessary logical order between them.
[0040] It should also be understood that in the embodiments disclosed herein, "multiple" can refer to two or more, and "at least one" can refer to one, two or more.
[0041] It should also be understood that any component, data or structure mentioned in the embodiments of this disclosure can generally be understood as one or more unless expressly defined or given to the contrary in the context.
[0042] Furthermore, the term "and / or" in this disclosure is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this disclosure generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.
[0043] It should also be understood that the description of the various embodiments in this disclosure emphasizes the differences between the various embodiments, and the similarities or similarities can be referred to each other. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail.
[0044] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.
[0045] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.
[0046] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.
[0047] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.
[0048] The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to electronic devices such as terminal devices, computer systems, and servers, and can operate together with a wide range of other general-purpose or special-purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known terminal devices, computing systems, environments, and / or configurations suitable for use with electronic devices such as terminal devices, computer systems, and servers include, but are not limited to: personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments including any of the above systems, etc.
[0049] Electronic devices such as terminal devices, computer systems, and servers can be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions (such as program modules) executed by a computer system. Typically, program modules can include routines, programs, object programs, components, logic, data structures, etc., which perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Computer systems / servers can be implemented in distributed cloud computing environments, where tasks are executed by remote processing devices linked through communication networks. In distributed cloud computing environments, program modules can reside on local or remote computing system storage media, including storage devices.
[0050] In the process of developing this disclosure, the inventors discovered that the pixel unit of a pulse sequence image sensor employs a three-transistor pixel signal acquisition method. The photosensitivity of a pixel depends on the capacitance CPD of the photodiode in the pixel unit. Under a fixed pixel area, the photosensitivity of the pixel unit is inversely proportional to the CPD. In pixel layout design, a contact hole is typically provided in the active region of the photodiode in the pixel unit near the reset transistor, and a metal layer is arranged to connect to the gate terminal of the source follower transistor. The capacitance CPD of the photodiode consists of two parts: the parasitic capacitance CAA of the active region of the photodiode and the parasitic capacitance CM of the metal layer. Under a fixed pixel area, it is difficult to optimize and reduce the parasitic capacitance CAA of the active region of the photodiode. Therefore, based on the technical solution provided in this disclosure, the parasitic capacitance CM of the metal layer is reduced to improve the photosensitivity of the sensor pixel unit.
[0051] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram of one embodiment of the sensor pixel unit of this disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the sensor pixel unit provided in this embodiment includes: a photodiode 101, a reset transistor 102, a source follower transistor 103, and a pixel selection transistor 104.
[0052] In this embodiment, the connection relationship between the components is the same as that of the existing 3T pixel unit. One end of the photodiode 101 is grounded, and the other end of the photodiode 101 is connected to the drain terminal of the reset transistor 102 and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103.
[0053] The source terminal of the reset transistor 102 is connected to the power supply terminal Vdd. The gate terminal of the reset transistor 102 receives a reset signal and is turned on or off according to the control of the reset signal. When the reset transistor 102 is turned on, the photodiode 101 is reset, that is, the photoelectric charge in the active region of the photodiode 101 flows to the power supply terminal Vdd, clearing the active region of the photodiode 101.
[0054] Figure 2 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a layout structure according to an embodiment is provided. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in the circuit layout, the distance between the active region of the photodiode 101 and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103 is less than a preset distance, and they are connected by a connection device made of a preset material.
[0055] This embodiment reduces parasitic capacitance CM and improves the photosensitivity of the sensor pixel unit by shortening the distance between the active region and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103; therefore, the smaller the preset distance, the better. This embodiment is based on... Figure 2 It can be seen that the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103 is positioned as close as possible to the point directly below the active region.
[0056] The photodiode 101 is used for photoelectric conversion to obtain photoelectric charge and accumulates the photoelectric charge in the active region. In response to the achievement of the charge output condition, the photoelectric charge in the active region is input to the gate terminal of the source follower transistor through the path formed by the connecting devices.
[0057] To more clearly describe the local structural connection structure of this disclosure, Figure 3 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of the provided embodiment. Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the device at position 21. A shallow trench isolation region 301 is disposed between the various devices (e.g., photodiodes and source follower transistors), and can be made of an insulating material to isolate adjacent devices. Figure 3 In order to show the connection relationship between the active region and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103, the active region and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103 are separately labeled. The active region 302 is the photoelectric charge collection region of the photodiode 101, and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103 is labeled as 303. The gate terminal 303 can be made of polycrystalline silicon material. Figure 3 The location of the connecting device 201 is clearly shown. The left side of the connecting device 201 is connected to the gate terminal 303 through a contact hole, and the right side of the connecting device 201 is connected to the active region 302 through a contact hole. In this embodiment, by placing the source follower transistor 103 close to the photodiode 101, with only a small shallow trench isolation region 301 separating them, the length of the connecting device 201 is significantly shortened compared to the prior art, thus reducing parasitic capacitance. Figure 3 As shown, pixel units can be fabricated on a semiconductor silicon substrate (P-epi).
[0058] like Figure 2As shown, the active region of photodiode 101 is also connected to the source terminal of reset transistor 102. In response to the reset transistor 102 receiving a reset signal through its gate terminal, the drain terminal of reset transistor 102 is connected to the power supply signal. The active region of photodiode 101 is connected to the power supply signal through reset transistor 102, clearing the photoelectric charge in the active region and completing the reset operation of photodiode.
[0059] The source terminal of the source follower transistor 103 is connected to the source terminal of the pixel selection transistor 104, and the drain terminal of the source follower transistor 103 is connected to the power supply signal.
[0060] The source follower transistor 103 is used to follow the charge change in the photodiode to generate a corresponding target signal (e.g., voltage signal Vpix, etc.), and outputs it through the pixel selection transistor 104.
[0061] The gate terminal of the pixel selection transistor 104 receives the external output signal, and the drain terminal of the pixel selection transistor 104 serves as the output terminal of the sensor pixel unit.
[0062] The pixel selection transistor 104 is turned on or off according to the control of the external output signal. When the external output signal is high, the pixel selection transistor 104 is turned on and outputs the target signal originally generated by the follower transistor 103.
[0063] In circuit layout, it can be done according to Figure 2 The provided embodiment is laid out such that the reset transistor 102 is located at the lower right corner of the photodiode 101, the source follower transistor 103 is located at the bottom of the photodiode 101 near the reset transistor 102, and the pixel selection transistor 104 is located to the left of the source follower transistor 103.
[0064] This embodiment of the present disclosure reduces parasitic capacitance by shortening the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor, thereby increasing the photoelectric conversion gain of the photocharge collected by the photodiode, and thus improving the photosensitivity of the image sensor pixels to light signals and optimizing the image quality acquired by the pulse sequence image sensor.
[0065] In some optional embodiments, the preset material is a metallic conductor;
[0066] like Figure 3 As shown, the connecting device 201, the active region 302 of the photodiode, and the gate terminal 303 of the source follower transistor are not on the same plane. The connecting device 301 connects the active region 302 of the photodiode and the gate terminal 303 of the source follower transistor in a bridge shape.
[0067] That is, the connecting device 301 not only has a lateral connecting portion, but also includes contact hole portions that are respectively connected to the active region 302 and the gate terminal 303. In this embodiment, during the fabrication process, contact holes can be fabricated above the active region 302 and the gate terminal 303, and then the two contact holes are filled by depositing metal conductors. A metal connecting line is then fabricated between the two contact holes to realize the fabrication of the connecting device 301. This embodiment reduces the parasitic capacitance CM by shortening the length of the metal connecting device, thereby improving the photosensitivity of the sensor pixel unit.
[0068] Figure 4 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 1 Another layout structure diagram of the provided embodiment. Figure 5 For the sensor pixel unit corresponding to this disclosure Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of the provided embodiment. Figure 4 The 41 mark indicates the tangent position. In this embodiment, the preset material is polycrystalline silicon; by using polycrystalline silicon, the use of metal to fabricate the connection device is avoided, directly eliminating the parasitic capacitance CM.
[0069] like Figure 5 As shown in the cross-sectional view, the connecting device 401 and the gate terminal 303 of the source follower transistor are on the same plane. The connecting device 401 is connected to the active region 302 of the photodiode through a columnar connecting end that connects the two planes.
[0070] In this embodiment, Figure 4 The local wiring scheme shown has been improved and optimized for connecting devices. Figure 4 As shown, the contact hole 402 (which is also part of the connecting device) in the active region 302 of the photodiode 101 is in contact with the connecting device 401. The material of the contact hole 402 and the connecting device 401 is the same, which is polycrystalline silicon. The material of the gate terminal 303 of the source follower transistor is also polycrystalline silicon. Therefore, steps can be saved during fabrication. The gate terminal 303 and the connecting device are fabricated in the same step, which reduces the fabrication steps and improves the fabrication efficiency. At the same time, the resulting pixel unit has improved photosensitivity because there is no parasitic capacitance of the metal layer. Figure 5 In this design, a shallow trench isolation region 301 is disposed between various devices (e.g., a photodiode and a source follower transistor), and can be made of an insulating material to isolate adjacent devices. The active region 302 is the photoelectric charge collection region of the photodiode 101, and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103 is marked 303, which can be made of polycrystalline silicon. Figure 5 The connection relationship between the connecting device and the active region 302 and the gate terminal 303 is clearly shown in the diagram. For example... Figure 5As shown, pixel units can be fabricated on a semiconductor silicon substrate (P-epi).
[0071] This embodiment of the invention shortens the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate of the source follower transistor, and uses polysilicon to fabricate the connection device, eliminating parasitic capacitance, further improving the photoelectric conversion gain of the photocharge collected by the photodiode, enhancing the photosensitivity of the image sensor pixels to light signals, and further optimizing the image quality acquired by the pulse sequence image sensor.
[0072] Optionally, the photodiode 101, reset transistor 102, source follower transistor 103, and pixel select transistor 104 are fabricated on a semiconductor silicon substrate, and the portion of the active region of the photodiode 101 that is not connected to the connecting device and the source end of the reset transistor 102 is covered by a gate oxide layer.
[0073] Optionally, shallow trench isolation regions 301 are respectively provided in the semiconductor silicon substrate covered by the gate oxide layer on both sides below the gate terminal of the source follower transistor 103.
[0074] like Figure 3 and 5 As shown, the gate terminal is isolated from other devices by a shallow trench isolation region 301.
[0075] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a method for locally fabricating sensor pixel units according to embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the preparation method provided in this embodiment can be used to prepare the above-mentioned... Figure 1 , 4 -5 The sensor pixel unit provided in any embodiment includes:
[0076] Step 602: Fabricate a photodiode, a shallow trench isolation region, and a gate oxide layer covering the photodiode on a semiconductor silicon substrate.
[0077] In this embodiment, the process of fabricating the active region, shallow trench isolation region, and gate oxide layer covering the photodiode on the semiconductor silicon substrate can refer to the commonly used fabrication methods for pixel units in the prior art, and will not be repeated here. Optionally, it can be as follows: Figure 7a As shown, a portion of the pixel unit fabrication is displayed, in which the active region 302, shallow trench isolation region 301, and gate oxide layer of the photodiode are fabricated on a semiconductor silicon substrate (P-epi).
[0078] Step 604: Perform an opening operation on the gate oxide layer covering the active region of the photodiode to obtain a contact hole.
[0079] The distance between the contact hole and the shallow trench isolation region is less than a preset distance. In this embodiment, to minimize the length of the connecting device and reduce parasitic capacitance, the distance between the contact hole and the shallow trench isolation region is compressed, bringing the contact hole as close as possible to the gate terminal of the source follower transistor. Optionally, it can be as follows: Figure 7b As shown, a hole is made in the gate oxide layer so that the contact hole contacts the active region of the photodiode.
[0080] Step 606: Deposit polysilicon material over the gate oxide layer and fill the contact holes with the polysilicon material.
[0081] In this embodiment, corresponding to the above Figure 4 , 5 In the provided embodiment, both the gate terminals of the connection device and the source follower transistor are made of polysilicon. Therefore, this embodiment can achieve connection between the connection device and the active region of the photodiode by depositing polysilicon material and filling contact holes in one step. Optionally, it can be as follows: Figure 7c As shown, by depositing polycrystalline silicon material above the gate oxide layer, the polycrystalline silicon material will naturally fill the contact holes, thereby achieving the connection between the polycrystalline silicon material and the active region of the photodiode.
[0082] Step 608: Generate the gate terminal of the source follower transistor in the sensor pixel unit based on polycrystalline silicon material, and a connection device connecting the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor.
[0083] In this embodiment, the gate terminal of the source follower transistor and the connecting device are directly fabricated based on the polycrystalline silicon material deposited in the above steps. This improves the fabrication efficiency of the pixel unit, avoids multiple deposition and removal operations for various different materials, and makes the connection state more stable and eliminates parasitic capacitance, thereby improving the photosensitivity of the sensor pixel unit.
[0084] In some alternative embodiments, step 608 may include:
[0085] Polycrystalline silicon material is processed by photoresist development to form a predetermined shape.
[0086] This embodiment improves the preparation efficiency of polycrystalline silicon materials by using photoresist development.
[0087] The gate and connection devices of an integrated source follower transistor are generated from polycrystalline silicon material of a predetermined shape.
[0088] This embodiment improves the fabrication efficiency of pixel units by using the same material (polycrystalline silicon) to measure the gate terminal and connection devices of the source follower transistor.
[0089] Optionally, the polycrystalline silicon material is processed by photoresist development to form a predetermined shape, including:
[0090] like Figure 7d As shown, photoresist is spin-coated over polycrystalline silicon material.
[0091] like Figure 7e As shown, a polycrystalline silicon material with a predetermined shape is determined by photoresist development.
[0092] The polycrystalline silicon material can be shaped more precisely by using photoresist development, and it can be formed in one step, avoiding the problem of inaccurate shapes that require multiple modifications as in other methods.
[0093] like Figure 7f As shown, excess polysilicon material is removed to obtain polysilicon material of a predetermined shape. Optionally, excess polysilicon material can be removed by chemical ion etching.
[0094] After removing the photoresist from the polycrystalline silicon surface, the gate terminal and interconnects of the fabricated source follower transistor can be obtained, resulting in... Figure 5 The pixel unit is shown. This embodiment uses chemical ion etching to remove excess polycrystalline silicon material, achieving the shape fabrication of polycrystalline silicon material without damaging the electronic performance of electronic devices, which has significant advantages over other physical methods.
[0095] To more clearly illustrate the advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure, Figure 8 A schematic diagram comparing the photoelectric conversion gain of three different pixel unit structures is shown. The three different pixel unit structures include: a conventional pixel unit, and... (The sentence is incomplete and requires further context to be fully translated.) Figure 2-3 The pixel units of the provided embodiments, and this disclosure Figure 4-5 The pixel unit provided in the embodiment; the pixel unit of the conventional structure corresponds to a photoelectric conversion gain of 801, this disclosure Figure 2-3 The pixel unit provided in the embodiment corresponds to photoelectric conversion gain 802, and this disclosure Figure 4-5 The pixel unit in the provided embodiment corresponds to a photoelectric conversion gain of 803. Based on Figure 8 It is understood that this disclosure Figure 2-3 The photoelectric conversion gain of the pixel unit provided in the embodiment is higher than that of the pixel unit in the conventional structure. Figure 4-5 The photoelectric conversion gain of the pixel unit in the provided embodiment is higher than that of this disclosure. Figure 2-3 The photoelectric conversion gain of the pixel unit in the provided embodiment.
[0096] In addition, this disclosure also provides an electronic device, including:
[0097] The processor, and the memory communicatively connected to the processor, further include the sensor pixel unit described in any of the above embodiments;
[0098] The memory stores computer-executed instructions;
[0099] The processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory to control the sensor pixel units.
[0100] The electronic devices provided in this disclosure can be included in any of the following: image data acquisition devices, audio / video players, navigation devices, entertainment devices, communication devices, roadside traffic facilities, devices in motor vehicles, industrial testing equipment, flight equipment, medical devices, security equipment, etc.
[0101] The electronic equipment provided in this disclosure can be applied to any of the following: image data acquisition equipment, audio / video player, navigation equipment, entertainment equipment, communication equipment, roadside traffic facilities, equipment in motor vehicles, industrial testing equipment, flight equipment, medical equipment, security equipment, etc.
[0102] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an application embodiment of the electronic device disclosed herein. Below, reference is made to… Figure 9 This describes an electronic device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device may be either or both of a first device and a second device, or a standalone device independent of them, which may communicate with the first device and the second device to receive acquired input signals from them.
[0103] like Figure 9 As shown, the electronic device includes one or more processors and memory.
[0104] A processor can be a central processing unit (CPU) or other form of processing unit with data processing and / or instruction execution capabilities, and can control other components in an electronic device to perform desired functions.
[0105] The memory can store one or more computer program products, and the memory can include various forms of computer-readable storage media, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, etc. One or more computer program products can be stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and the processor can run the computer program products to implement the sensor pixel units and their fabrication methods of the various embodiments of this disclosure described above, and / or other desired functions.
[0106] In one example, the electronic device may also include input devices and output devices, which are interconnected via a bus system and / or other forms of connection mechanism (not shown).
[0107] In addition, the input device may also include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc.
[0108] This output device can output various information to the outside, including determined distance information, direction information, etc. The output device may include, for example, a display, a speaker, a printer, and a communication network and its connected remote output devices, etc.
[0109] Of course, for the sake of simplicity, Figure 9 Only some of the components of the electronic device relevant to this disclosure are shown, omitting components such as buses, input / output interfaces, etc. In addition, the electronic device may include any other suitable components depending on the specific application.
[0110] In addition to the methods and apparatus described above, embodiments of this disclosure may also be computer program products comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the sensor pixel units and methods for preparing the same according to various embodiments of this disclosure as described in the foregoing portion of this specification.
[0111] The computer program product can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages to perform the operations of the embodiments of this disclosure. The programming languages include object-oriented programming languages such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on a user's computing device, partially on a user's computing device, as a standalone software package, partially on a user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server.
[0112] Furthermore, embodiments of this disclosure may also be computer-readable storage media storing computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the sensor pixel units and their fabrication methods according to various embodiments of this disclosure as described in the foregoing portion of this specification.
[0113] The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A readable storage medium may, for example, include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.
[0114] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.
[0115] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For system embodiments, since they largely correspond to method embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.
[0116] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems disclosed herein are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.
[0117] The methods and apparatus of this disclosure may be implemented in many ways. For example, they may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order of steps for the methods is for illustrative purposes only, and the steps of the methods of this disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, this disclosure may also be implemented as a program recorded on a recording medium, the program including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure also covers recording media storing programs for performing the methods according to this disclosure.
[0118] It should also be noted that in the apparatus, devices, and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be disassembled and / or recombined. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions to this disclosure.
[0119] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be carried out within the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
[0120] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations therein.
Claims
1. A sensor pixel unit, characterized in that, include: Photodiode, reset transistor, source follower transistor, and pixel selection transistor; In the circuit layout, the distance between the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor is less than a preset distance, and they are connected by a connecting device made of a preset material. The active region of the photodiode is also connected to the source terminal of the reset transistor; The gate terminal of the reset transistor receives a reset signal, and the drain terminal of the reset transistor is connected to a power supply signal. The source terminal of the source follower transistor is connected to the source terminal of the pixel select transistor, and the drain terminal of the source follower transistor is connected to the power supply signal. The gate terminal of the pixel selection transistor receives an external output signal, and the drain terminal of the pixel selection transistor serves as the output terminal of the sensor pixel unit.
2. The pixel unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset material is a metallic conductor; The connecting device, the active region of the photodiode, and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor are not on the same plane, and the connecting device connects the active region of the photodiode and the gate terminal of the source follower transistor in a bridge shape.
3. The pixel unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset material is polycrystalline silicon; The connecting device is on the same plane as the gate terminal of the source follower transistor, and the connecting device is connected to the active region of the photodiode through a columnar connecting end that connects the two planes.
4. The pixel unit according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The photodiode, reset transistor, source follower transistor, and pixel select transistor are fabricated on a semiconductor silicon substrate, and the active region of the photodiode that is not connected to the connection device and the source terminal of the reset transistor is covered by a gate oxide layer.
5. The pixel unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, Shallow trench isolation regions are respectively provided in the semiconductor silicon substrate on both sides below the gate terminal of the source follower transistor and covered by the gate oxide layer.
6. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: The processor, and the memory communicatively connected to the processor, further include the sensor pixel unit as described in any one of claims 1-5; The memory stores computer-executed instructions; The processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory to control the sensor pixel units.
7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The electronic device is included in any of the following: image data acquisition device, audio / video player, navigation device, entertainment device, communication device, roadside traffic facility, device in motor vehicle, industrial testing device, flight equipment, medical device, security device.