Stacked Pixel Electrode Layout for Reduced Electrical Color Mixture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging devices with vertically adjacent pixel electrodes suffer from capacitive coupling and electrical color mixture due to the lack of columnar electrodes, leading to suboptimal image quality.
Innovation Solution
The imaging device configuration includes multiple photoelectric conversion layers and counter electrodes arranged in a specific order to reduce coupling capacitance between pixel electrodes, with adjustable counter electrode thicknesses to manage bias voltage and parasitic sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pixel electrodes are arranged vertically adjacent to each other without columnar electrodes, then manufacturing is simplified, but capacitive coupling occurs and electrical color mixture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces counter electrode films as intermediary elements positioned between vertically adjacent pixel electrodes. These counter electrode films act as shielding structures that reduce capacitive coupling between neighboring pixel electrodes, thereby suppressing electrical color mixture while preserving the simplified manufacturing approach of vertical electrode arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension by introducing counter electrode films that extend in the vertical direction between pixel electrodes. This dimensional addition creates physical separation and shielding in the vertical axis, reducing capacitive coupling without requiring changes to the horizontal pixel electrode layout
2Reliability
If counter electrode films are arranged between pixel electrodes to reduce capacitive coupling, then electrical color mixture is suppressed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The counter electrode films serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as shielding structures to reduce capacitive coupling between pixel electrodes, and they also function as common electrodes for the photoelectric conversion films. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
3Power
If counter electrode thickness is increased to manage bias voltage, then voltage control improves, but parasitic sensitivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting the thickness of counter electrode films to optimize the balance between bias voltage control and parasitic sensitivity. By carefully controlling the thickness parameter, the system achieves adequate voltage management while minimizing the increase in parasitic capacitance that would result from excessive thickness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively suppresses electrical color mixture, improves image quality by reducing coupling capacitance, and alleviates manufacturing-related unevenness and bias voltage reductions.
Implementation Method 1
a first photoelectric conversion layer that converts light into first electric charge, a second photoelectric conversion layer that converts light into second electric charge, a third photoelectric conversion layer that converts light into third electric charge
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device includes pixels. Each of the pixels includes a first photoelectric conversion layer, a first pixel electrode, a second photoelectric conversion layer, a second pixel electrode, a third photoelectric conversion layer, a third pixel electrode, a first counter electrode, and a second counter electrode. The first pixel electrode, the first photoelectric conversion layer, the first counter electrode, the second photoelectric conversion layer, the second pixel electrode, the second counter electrode, the third photoelectric conversion layer, and the third pixel electrode are arranged in this order.