Patent ID: 7977716
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A photosensor comprising: a light conversion region that converts photons in an optical band to mobile charges, said light conversion region comprising a continuous doped region of a first conductivity type in a region of a second conductivity type; a plurality of separate charge storage regions of said first conductivity type separated by barriers of said first conductivity type within said doped region, each charge storage region being doped relative to said barriers such that said mobile charges generated in that charge storage region are prevented from moving to an adjacent charge storage region; and a plurality of transfer gates, each transfer gate comprising a gate region adjacent to a corresponding one of said charge storage regions and disposed between that charge storage region and said drain region, wherein said charge collection regions and said drain regions are doped such that said mobile charges collected in said charge storage region will flow to said drain region when a first electric field is applied to said gate region and wherein said mobile charges collected in said charge collection region are inhibited from flowing to said drain region when a second electric field is applied to said gate region.