CIRCUIT AND PHOTO SENSOR OVERLAP FOR BACKSIDE ILLUMINATION IMAGE SENSOR

• Main Authors: RHODES HOWARD E, NOZAKI HIDETOSHI, TAI HSIN CHIH, MANABE SOHEI, DAI TIEJUN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Korean
• Published: 11.11.2010
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

A method of operation of a backside illuminated (BSI) pixel array includes acquiring an image signal with a first photosensitive region of a first pixel within the BSI pixel array. The image signal is generated in response to light incident upon a backside of the first pixel. The image signal acquired by the first photosensitive region is transferred to pixel circuitry of the first pixel disposed on a frontside of the first pixel opposite the backside. The pixel circuitry at least partially overlaps the first photosensitive region of the first pixel and extends over die real estate above a second photosensitive region of a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel such that the second pixel donates die real estate unused by the second pixel to the first pixel to accommodate larger pixel circuitry than would fit within the first pixel.