Samsung patents stacked image sensor with vertical transistors
Samsung describes an image sensor that bonds two chips together to create pixels. The top chip holds the light-capturing parts and color filters, while the bottom chip contains transistors built with layers stacked vertically to save space.
In the filing’s own words
An image sensor includes a first lower chip, and an upper chip on and bonded to the first lower chip. The first lower chip and the upper chip collectively provide a plurality of pixels. A respective pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric conversion element, a floating diffusion region, a ground region, and a transfer gate in the upper chip, and a plurality of lower transistors in the first lower chip. A first lower transistor among the plurality of lower transistors includes a plurality of first channel layers stacked vertically, and a first gate on the plurality of first channel layers.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An image sensor comprising: a first lower chip; and an upper chip on and bonded to the first lower chip, wherein the first lower chip and the upper chip collectively comprise a plurality of pixels, wherein a respective pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises: a photoelectric conversion element, a floating diffusion region, a ground region, and a transfer gate in the upper chip; and a plurality of lower transistors in the first lower chip, and wherein a first lower transistor among the plurality of lower transistors comprises a plurality of first channel layers stacked vertically, and a first gate on the plurality of first channel layers, wherein the upper chip further comprises: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing each other; an insulating structure on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate; pixel isolation structures in the semiconductor substrate; and color filters on the insulating structure, wherein the photoelectric conversion element is in the semiconductor substrate, between the pixel isolation structures, and the floating diffusion region and the ground region are in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the first surface.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
- Official title
- Image sensor including stacked chips
- Patent number
- US12740176B2
- Application number
- 18065531
- Filed
- Dec 13, 2022
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H10F 39/809 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/182 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/8053 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/807 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/811 Electricity & electronicsMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.