US4760273A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solid-state image sensor with groove-situated transfer elements
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1987-05-07
•
Granted: 1988-07-26
•
Expires: 2007-05-07
Abstract
Abstract Grooves 8a are formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate 8 and a vertical charge transfer element is formed on a side wall of each groove 8a. As a result, the areas occupied by the vertical charge transfer elements on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate 8 are substantially zero, whereby the areas occupied by Schottky barrier photo sensors 1 can be increased.
Inventors
- 👤 Masafumi Kimata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:27
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D44/00; H10D44/40; H10D44/45; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A solid-state image sensor comprising: a plurarity of photo sensors (1) arrayed in a matrix on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate (8); a plurality of transfer gates (13) for reading out stored charge from said plurarity of photo sensors; and a plurarity of vertical charge transfer elements (11) provided in association with the respective columns of said photo sensors for transferring said charge read out by said transfer gates in the direction of the respective columns of said photo sensors, each of said vertical charge transfer elements being formed on a side wall of a corresponding one of a plurality of grooves 8a provided on the main surface of said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A solid-state image sensor comprising: a plurarity of photo sensors (1) arrayed in a matrix on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate (8); a plurality of transfer gates (13) for reading out stored charge from said plurarity of photo sensors; and a plurarity of vertical charge transfer elements (11) provided in association with the respective columns of said photo sensors for transferring said charge read out by said transfer gates in the direction of the respective columns of said photo sensors, each of said vertical charge transfer elements being formed on a side wall of a corresponding one of a plurality of grooves 8a provided on the main surface of said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
155 words
A solid-state image sensor comprising: a plurality of Schottky barrier photo sensors (1) arrayed in a matrix on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate (8), transfer gates (13) selected successively along each row of said Schottky barrier photo sensors for reading out charge stored in said Schottky barrier photo sensors for each row, and a plurality of vertical charge transfer elements (11) provided in association with the respective columns of said Schottky barrier photo sensors, each of said vertical charge transfer elements being controlled by a single gate electrode (14), thereby to transfer, at least once in one horizontal scanning period, said charge read out by said transfer gates in the direction of the respective columns of said Schottky barrier photo sensors, each of said vertical charge transfer elements being formed on a side wall of a corresponding one of a plurality of grooves 8a provided on the main surface of said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
155 words
A solid-state image sensor comprising: a plurality of Schottky barrier photo sensors (1) arrayed in a matrix on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate (8), transfer gates (13) selected successively along each row of said Schottky barrier photo sensors for reading out charge stored in said Schottky barrier photo sensors for each row, and a plurality of vertical charge transfer elements (11) provided in association with the respective columns of said Schottky barrier photo sensors, each of said vertical charge transfer elements being controlled by a single gate electrode (14), thereby to transfer, at least once in one horizontal scanning period, said charge read out by said transfer gates in the direction of the respective columns of said Schottky barrier photo sensors, each of said vertical charge transfer elements being formed on a side wall of a corresponding one of a plurality of grooves 8a provided on the main surface of said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of said grooves is provided between the respective adjacent columns of said Schottky barrier photo sensors, and each of said vertical charge transfer elements is formed on a side wall of said corresponding groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of said grooves is provided in an intercolumn region of said Schottky barrier photo sensors at intervals of two columns thereof, and each of said vertical charge transfer elements is formed on both side walls of said corresponding groove.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 2, wherein said transfer gates are formed on the main surface of said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A solid-state image sensor in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of said transfer gates is formed in any portion of the side wall of said corresponding groove.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB1310868A
Cited
US3890633A
Cited
US4156247A
Cited
US4581539A
Cited
US4644402A
Cited
US4586084A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-07-26 | 1992-01-25 | 1992-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-26 | 1996-01-25 | 1996-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-26 | 2000-01-25 | 2000-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |