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Samsung patents image sensor design with asymmetric pixel layout

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Samsung has filed a patent for an image sensor that arranges light-collecting areas around a central signal node using a specific geometric layout. The design uses separators and gates that extend in different directions to create an asymmetric structure within each pixel.

Why it mattersThis filing focuses on the internal architecture of camera sensors, which could potentially improve how light is captured in future devices, though the specific performance benefits are not detailed in the abstract.

In the filing’s own words

Provided is an image sensor. The image sensor may include a substrate having pixel regions defined by a pixel separator, floating diffusion regions arranged in the pixel regions of the substrate, a plurality of photoelectric transformation regions arranged adjacent to the floating diffusion regions in the substrate, and a plurality of transmission gates respectively arranged adjacent to the plurality of photoelectric transformation regions, the plurality of transmission gates respectively extending in different directions toward the floating diffusion regions, a plurality of device separators respectively arranged around the plurality of transmission gates and defining active regions having an asymmetry structure with reference to a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a gate electrode crossing the active region in the first direction and having a first gate sidewall and a second gate sidewall spaced apart from each other in the second direction.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An image sensor comprising: a substrate having a pixel region defined by a pixel separator; a floating diffusion region arranged in the pixel region of the substrate; a plurality of photoelectric transformation regions arranged around the floating diffusion region in the substrate; a plurality of transmission gates respectively arranged adjacent to the plurality of photoelectric transformation regions, wherein the plurality of transmission gates extend toward the floating diffusion region respectively in different directions; and a semiconductor device comprising a plurality of device separators and a gate electrode, the plurality of device separators being respectively arranged adjacent to the plurality of transmission gates and defining an active region having an asymmetrical structure with reference to a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the gate electrode crossing the active region in the first direction and having a first gate sidewall and a second gate sidewall spaced apart from each other in the second direction, wherein: the pixel separator comprises lateral extending portions extending in the first direction and the second direction toward a center portion of the pixel region, and in a plan view, the plurality of photoelectric transformation regions arranged in the pixel region are distinguished from each other by being arranged at two sides of the lateral extending portions in the first direction, and the floating diffusion region is arranged in a space between the lateral extending portions arranged in the pixel region and facing each other in the second direction.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
IMAGE SENSOR
Publication number
US20260324110A1
Application number
19533524
Filed
Feb 9, 2026
Published
Oct 15, 2026
Inventors
4
Claims
20

Classified under

H10F 39/80373 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/014 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/182 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/807 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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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.