Patent ID: 6665013
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: G11C,H01L,H04N

Abstract:
An imaging device, comprising:a semiconductor substrate defining a plurality of pixel cell areas, and a signal handling area; each said pixel cell area comprising: a) a photogate overlying said substrate, accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of said substrate; b) a charge transfer section, receiving the accumulated photo-generated charge from the photogate; and c) a coupling section, formed on said substrate adjacent said charge transfer section, having a sensing node connected to said photogate through said charge transfer section, wherein said charge transfer section transfers stored charge from said photogate to said sensing node; d) a buffer transistor, operating to buffer signal from said sensing node, and a selection transistor, having a gate, operated to select said pixel; and e) an output node which receives signal only when said selection transistor is operated; a focal plane array including a plurality of logic units, each unit of said focal plane array including a plurality of said pixel cells, each unit having said output nodes of all of said pixels connected together, and further comprising: a readout controller, formed in said substrate, which controls readout of said pixel cells to read out one pixel cell from each of the plurality of units, substantially at the same time; and a plurality of analog to digital converters, formed in said substrate, and each connected to an output node of a unit to read out information from said pixel cells from multiple said units in parallel.