Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, ltd. (20240105750). CMOS IMAGE SENSOR simplified abstract

CMOS IMAGE SENSOR

Organization Name

taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, ltd.

Inventor(s)

Ming-Hsien Yang of Taichung City (TW)

Chun-Hao Chou of Tainan City (TW)

Kuo-Cheng Lee of Tainan City (TW)

CMOS IMAGE SENSOR - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240105750 titled 'CMOS IMAGE SENSOR

Simplified Explanation

A CMOS image sensor with improved quantum efficiency and uniformity is described in the patent application. The sensor includes PDAF pixels with binned photodiodes, a PDAF color filter, a PDAF micro-lens, and a unique isolation structure. The first isolation structure consists of low-n dielectric grids and a metal grid enclosed by the second low-n dielectric grid, with a filler dielectric material different from the second low-n dielectric grid material.

• PDAF pixels in the CMOS image sensor have binned photodiodes, a PDAF color filter, and a PDAF micro-lens.
• The first isolation structure includes low-n dielectric grids and a metal grid enclosed by the second low-n dielectric grid.
• The second low-n dielectric grid has a filler dielectric material different from the second low-n dielectric grid material.

Potential Applications

The technology described in the patent application could be applied in:

• Digital cameras
• Smartphones
• Surveillance systems

Problems Solved

The technology addresses the following issues:

• Improving quantum efficiency in CMOS image sensors
• Enhancing uniformity in image capture

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Improved image quality
• Enhanced performance in low-light conditions
• Better color reproduction

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology could find commercial applications in:

• Consumer electronics
• Automotive cameras
• Medical imaging devices

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be the use of micro-lenses in image sensors to improve light sensitivity and image quality.

How does the unique isolation structure contribute to the improved quantum efficiency of the CMOS image sensor?

The unique isolation structure with low-n dielectric grids and a metal grid enclosed by the second low-n dielectric grid helps reduce crosstalk and improve light sensitivity, leading to enhanced quantum efficiency.

What impact does the varying first horizontal distance between the center of the PDAF color filter and the binned photodiodes have on the overall performance of the CMOS image sensor?

The varying first horizontal distance helps optimize the light-gathering capabilities of the PDAF pixels, resulting in improved image quality and uniformity across the sensor array.

Original Abstract Submitted

a cmos image sensor includes pdaf pixels distributed in an array of image pixels in plan view. each pdaf pixel includes m�m binned photodiodes, a pdaf color filter overlying the binned photodiodes and laterally surrounded by a first isolation structure, and a pdaf micro-lens overlying the pdaf color filter. a first horizontal distance between a center of the pdaf color filter and a center of the binned photodiodes varies depending on a location of the pdaf pixel in plan view in the cmos image sensor. additionally, the first isolation structure includes a first low-n dielectric grid, a second low-n dielectric grid underlying the first low-n dielectric grid, and a metal grid enclosed by the second low-n dielectric grid. the second low-n dielectric grid includes a filler dielectric material different from a second low-n dielectric grid material. thus, quantum efficiency and uniformity of the cmos image sensor are improved.