Patent Abstract:
A CMOS image sensor includes a unit pixel including controlled by a high voltage; a reference high voltage generator for generating a reference high voltage; and a high voltage output unit for generating the high voltage by using the reference high voltage as an operating voltage to thereby output the high voltage to the unit pixel, wherein a level of the high voltage is stably maintained regardless of a variations of the reference high voltage level.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/321,557, entitled “COMPLEMENTARY METAL-OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR (CMOS) IMAGE SENSOR,” filed Dec. 28, 2005, which, in turn, claims priority to Korean application 10-2004-0115887, filed Dec. 30, 2004, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a semiconductor device; and, more particularly, to a CMOS image sensor having high voltage supply circuits. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    In general, an image sensor is one of semiconductor devices for converting an optical image into an electrical signal. The representative image sensor is mainly classified into a charge coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. 
         [0004]    In the CCD, metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) capacitors are arranged such that they are very close to one another, and charge carriers are stored at the capacitors and they are transferred. On the contrary, in the CMOS image sensor, a plurality of MOS transistors, which are correspondent to number of unit pixels, are fabricated using a CMOS technology where a control circuit and a signal processing circuit are used as a peripheral circuit and thus, a processed data is outputted sequentially using the MOS transistors and the peripheral circuit. Herein, the CMOS image sensor employs four MOS transistors typically. 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram setting forth a unit pixel of a conventional CMOS image sensor. 
         [0006]    As shown, a unit pixel  100  includes one photodiode  10  and four NMOS transistors  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14 . The four NMOS transistors are configured with a transfer MOS transistor  11  for transferring photocharges generated at the photodiode  10  to a charge sensing node N, a reset MOS transistor  12  for discharging the photocharges stored at the charge sensing node N for detecting a next signal, a drive MOS transistor  13  for acting as a source follower, and a select MOS transistor  14  for serving roles in switching and addressing. 
         [0007]    In this manner, the four MOS transistors  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  and one photodiode  10  constitute one unit pixel. According to the number of the unit pixels included in the CMOS image sensor, the numbers of the photodiodes and the MOS transistors included in a pixel array of the CMOS image sensor is determined. 
         [0008]    The image sensor receives a light through an optical lens and outputs an electrical digital code corresponding to each color. 
         [0009]    According to a desired resolution, the number of the unit pixels is determined. Each unit pixel operates through one photodiode  10  and four transistors  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  as shown in  FIG. 1  in general. 
         [0010]    The photodiode  10  accumulates electrons corresponding to an incident light and the accumulated electrons are transferred to the sensing node FD, i.e., a floating diffusion node, through the transfer transistor  11  acting as a switch. 
         [0011]    The drive transistor  13  acting as the source follower drives a source terminal according to the electrons applied to the sensing node FD. Thereafter, if the select transistor  14  is turned on, a predetermined signal, which is driven by the drive transistor  13 , is outputted to a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit. 
         [0012]    At this time, the predetermined signal outputted to the CDS circuit incorporates a noise component existing at the sensing node FD as well as a pure data signal transferred to the sensing node FD. 
         [0013]    Therefore, there is a need for eliminating this noise component. To this end, the CMOS image sensor turns on the reset transistor  12  first to receive a reset signal from the sensing node FD. Afterwards, the CDS receives the data signal having the reset signal and calculates a voltage difference between a reset signal voltage and a data signal voltage after measuring the reset and data signal voltages, respectively. Thus, the voltage difference is used as an actual data signal. 
         [0014]    However, in case that the reset transistor  12  is turned on for outputting the reset signal, a voltage reduced to a threshold voltage of the reset transistor  12  is transferred to the sensing node FD. Likewise, a voltage reduced to a threshold voltage of the drive transistor  13  from the voltage level of the sensing node FD is transferred to the source terminal of the drive transistor  13 . Therefore, a dynamic range decreases to the threshold voltage level of the reset transistor  12 . 
         [0015]    In addition, the signal transferred by the photodiode  10  must be transferred in such a state that its voltage level is reduced to the threshold voltage levels of the transfer transistor  11  and the driving transistor  13 . 
         [0016]    This is because all the transistors arranged in the unit pixel of the CMOS image sensor are configured to be NMOS transistors so that it is impossible to transfer the signal of which the voltage level is lower than the threshold voltage level. 
         [0017]    In particular, all the photocharges accumulated at the photodiode  10  cannot be transferred to the sensing node FD under low light level condition so that an image becomes somewhat dark in whole, which results in degrading a total image quality. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a CMOS image sensor of which a dynamic range does not decrease to threshold voltages of transistors in spite of configuring the transistors as NMOS transistors in each unit pixel. 
         [0019]    In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a CMOS image sensor including: a unit pixel including controlled by a high voltage; a reference high voltage generator for generating a reference high voltage; and a high voltage output unit for generating the high voltage by using the reference high voltage as an operating voltage to thereby output the high voltage to the unit pixel, wherein a level of the high voltage is stably maintained regardless of a variations of the reference high voltage level. 
         [0020]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device for converting an optical image into an electrical signal, the semiconductor device including: a unit pixel including controlled by a high voltage; and a high voltage output unit for generating the high voltage to thereby output the high voltage to the unit pixel, wherein the high voltage output unit includes: a reference voltage generator for amplifying a voltage divided from an operational voltage to generate the amplified voltage as a reference voltage; and a regulator for generating the high voltage by amplifying a voltage induced from an inputted reference voltage by an operational amplifier, to thereby output the high voltage to the unit pixel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become better understood with respect to the following description of the preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram setting forth a unit pixel of a conventional CMOS image sensor; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a CMOS image sensor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram explaining a reference voltage generator of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram representing a regulator of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0026]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are waveform diagrams showing an operation of the CMOS image sensor of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    A CMOS image sensor in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a CMOS image sensor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0029]    As shown, the CMOS image sensor of the present invention includes a unit pixel  100  and high voltage supply circuits  200  and  300 , wherein the unit pixel  100  is provided with a photodiode  10  for transferring a data signal accumulated corresponding to an incident light, a transfer transistor  11  for transferring the data signal from the photodiode  10  to a sensing node FD, and a drive transistor  13  of which one side is connected to a power voltage supply terminal VDDA for driving the other side thereof after receiving the data signal transferred from the sensing node FD through a gate thereof. Herein, one side and the other side of each transistor act as source and drain. Meanwhile, the high voltage supply circuits  200  and  300  play roles in supplying a high voltage VPX of which level is higher than a level of a power voltage applied from the power voltage supply terminal VDDA, as a transfer gate voltage VTX. 
         [0030]    In addition, the CMOS image sensor of the present invention further includes a reset transistor  12  connected between the power voltage supply terminal VDDA and the sensing node FD, wherein the reset transistor  12  receives the high voltage VPX as a gate voltage VRX. 
         [0031]    A distinct characteristic of the present invention is that the high voltage VPX of which the level is higher than the power voltage is generated and applied to the gates of the transfer transistor  11  and the reset transistor  12  in the unit pixel  100  of the CMOS image sensor. 
         [0032]    At this time, the high voltage for the transfer transistor  11  and the high voltage for the reset transistor  12  may be separately generated and applied thereto. However, in the present invention, one high voltage VPX is commonly generated and is applied as the gate voltage VTX for the transfer for the transfer and the gate voltage VRX for the reset transistor  12 . 
         [0033]    There is an advantageous merit that an optimum high voltage suitable for each operational characteristic can be generated and applied to the transfer and the reset transistors  11  and  12  if the high voltages for the transfer and the reset transistors  11  and  12  are separately generated, whereas there is a drawback that an additional circuit for generating another high voltage is inevitably needed. 
         [0034]    Hereinafter, supposing that one high voltage be generated and applied to each gate of the transfer transistor  11  and the reset transistor  12 , detail descriptions will be set forth. 
         [0035]    The high voltage supply circuits  200  and  300  is provided with a reference high voltage generator  200  for generating a reference high voltage VPP of which a level is higher than the level of the high voltage VPX, and a high voltage output unit  300  for outputting the high voltage VPX with a stable voltage level regardless of fluctuation of the reference high voltage VPP. The high voltage output unit  300  outputs the high voltage VPX after reducing the level of the reference high voltage VPP to the level of the high voltage VPX. 
         [0036]    The reference high voltage generator  200  includes a detector  210  for detecting the level of the reference high voltage VPP inputted to the high voltage output unit  300 , an oscillator  220  for outputting an oscillated clock in response to the detection result of the detector  210 , and a charge pump  230  for applying the reference high voltage VPP to the high voltage output unit  300  by pumping charges to an output terminal in response to the oscillated clock of the oscillator  220 . 
         [0037]    In addition, the reference high voltage generator  200  further includes a decoder  240  for transferring a set value to the detector  210  in order to adjust a level of the voltage detected at the detector  210 . 
         [0038]    The high voltage output unit  300  includes a reference voltage generator  310  for outputting a reference voltage VPX_REF obtained by dividing the power voltage VDDA into a predetermined voltage level, and a regulator  320  for outputting the high voltage VPX after reducing the reference high voltage VPP to the high voltage VPX in response to the reference voltage VPX_REF. 
         [0039]    The high voltage output unit  300  further includes a decoder  330  for transferring a set value to the reference voltage generator  310  in order to adjust a level of the reference voltage VPX_REF outputted from the reference voltage generator  310 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram explaining the reference voltage generator  310  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0041]    As shown, the reference voltage generator  310  is provided with a voltage divider  311  for outputting a division voltage VDDA/2 obtained by dividing the power voltage applied from the power voltage supply terminal VDDA, and a reference voltage supplier  312  for supplying the reference voltage VPX_REF. Herein, the reference voltage VPX_REF is obtained by summing the division voltage VDDA/2 with a voltage RXI with a predetermined level due to the set value. 
         [0042]    The voltage divider  311  is provided with a first PMOS transistor MP 1  of which one side is connected to the power voltage supply terminal VDDA and a gate is connected to the other side thereof, and a second PMOS transistor MP 2  connected between the other side of the first PMOS transistor MP 1  and a ground voltage supply terminal. Meanwhile, the gate and the other side of the second PMOS transistor MP 2  are commonly connected to the ground voltage supply terminal. 
         [0043]    Herein, though the voltage divider  311  is implemented using the PMOS transistors, it is possible to construct the voltage divider  311  such that NMOS transistors are diode-connected to each other. 
         [0044]    The reference voltage generator  312  is provided with a first current source Is 1  connected to the power voltage supply terminal VDDA for applying a current after adjusting the current to have a predetermined amount corresponding to the set value, a second current source Is 2  connected to the ground voltage supply terminal, and a resistor R provided between the first and the second current sources Is 1  and Is 2 . Herein, the division voltage, which is represented as VX equal to VDDA/2, is applied to one end of the resistor R. 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram representing the regulator  320  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0046]    As shown, the regulator  320  is provided with operational amplifier A, a first PMOS transistor MP 3 , a second PMOS transistor MP 4  and a third PMOS transistor MP 5 . The operational amplifier A receives the reference high voltage VPP and the ground voltage VSSA as a driving voltage. Furthermore, the operational amplifier A receives a feedback voltage VPX_COMP through a positive terminal and the reference voltage VPX_REF through a negative terminal. The first PMOS transistor MP 3  receives the reference high voltage VPP through one side thereof to output the high voltage VPX through the other side thereof in response to the output of the operational amplifier A. In the second PMOS transistor MP 4 , one side and a bulk terminal are commonly connected to the other side of the first PMOS transistor MP 3  and its gate is connected to the other side thereof. The second PMOS transistor MP 4  applies the feedback voltage VPX_COMP through the other side thereof to the operational amplifier A. In the third PMOS transistor MP 5 , one side and a bulk terminal are commonly connected to the other side of the second PMOS transistor MP 4  and the gate and the other side are commonly connected to the ground voltage supply terminal. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are waveform diagrams showing an operation of the CMOS image sensor of  FIG. 2 . In particular,  FIG. 5  shows that the high voltage VPX is outputted with a constant level without any variation although the reference high voltage VPP is fluctuated, in which the high voltage VPX becomes the gate voltages VTX and VRX of the transfer and the reset transistors  11  and  12 , respectively.  FIG. 6  shows that the high voltage VPX may be outputted with different constant levels according to the output of the decoder. 
         [0048]    An operation of the CMOS image sensor in accordance with the embodiment will be set forth with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 6  herebelow. 
         [0049]    To begin with, an operation of the reference high voltage generator  200 , which generates the reference high voltage VPP, will be illustrated. 
         [0050]    The detector  210  detects the level of the reference high voltage VPP transferred to the high voltage output unit  300 . When the detection level is lower than a predetermined level, the detector  210  outputs an enabling signal V LD  enabling the oscillator  220 . 
         [0051]    The oscillator  220  oscillates the clock in response to the enabling signal VLD transferred from the detector  210 . Thereafter, when the oscillated clock is inputted from the oscillator  220 , the charge pump  230  pumps charges to the output terminal. After pumping the charges, the reference high voltage VPP is transferred to the reference high voltage generator  200  while maintaining an original level. At this time, the decoder  240  plays a role in setting the level of the voltage detected at the detector  210 . 
         [0052]    Considering the operation of the reference high voltage generator  300 , to begin with, the voltage divider  311  in the reference voltage generator  310  provides the division voltage VX, i.e., VDDA/2, obtained by dividing the power voltage by two. Then, the reference voltage supplier  312  in the reference voltage generator  310  outputs the reference voltage VPX_REF which is a summation of the division voltage VX with the predetermined voltage. 
         [0053]    Assuming that the current passing through the resistor R of the reference voltage supplier  312  is I, the output, i.e., the reference voltage VPX_REF becomes VX+RI. At this time, by adjusting the currents passing through the current sources Is 1  and Is 2 , it is possible to control the reference voltage VPX_REF to have a desired voltage level. This may be achieved by modulating the set value through the decoder  330 . 
         [0054]    The operational amplifier A of the regulator  320  compares the reference voltage VPX_REF and the feedback voltage VPX_COMP to equalize to each other. That is, when the feedback voltage VPX_COMP becomes equalized to the reference voltage VPX_REF, the high voltage VPX is outputted finally. Herein, the relationship between the high voltage VPX and the reference voltage satisfies a following equation, i.e., VPX=2×VPX_REF. 
         [0055]    The high voltage VPX is supplied to the gate of the transfer transistor  11  or the reset transistor  12  in the unit pixel of the CMOS image sensor. Alternatively, the high voltage VPX may be applied to both the gates of the transfer transistor  11  and the reset transistor  12 . 
         [0056]    When the high voltage VPX is supplied to the gate of the transfer transistor  11  in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to transfer more amount of electrons which cannot be transferred from the photodiode  10  to the sensing node FD due to the threshold voltage of the transfer transistor  11  in the conventional CMOS image sensor. 
         [0057]    Therefore, since much more electrons may be transferred from the photodiode  10 , it is possible to increase the dynamic range of the unit pixel and enhance the image under low light level condition, which results in providing good image quality. 
         [0058]    In addition, when the high voltage VPX is applied to the gate of the reset transistor  12 , it is possible to eliminate the electrons existing at the sensing node FD as much as the threshold voltage for turning on the reset transistor  12 . 
         [0059]    Herein, the reason why the reference high voltage VPP generated at the reference high voltage generator  200  is not directly supplied to the unit pixel is that the level of the reference high voltage VPP is continuously varied because the reference high voltage VPP is achieved by the charge-pumping. At this time, the variation amount of the reference high voltage level ranges from about 100 mV to 200 mV. Thus, if the reference high voltage VPP with the variation is directly supplied to the unit pixel, the reset voltage of the unit pixel is also varied with the amount of about 10 mV to 20 mV, which results in decreasing resolution at an A/D converter so as to degrade the image quality of the image sensor in a large amount. 
         [0060]    To address this problem, the reference high voltage VPP is made to have the voltage level higher than that of the high voltage VPX by about 0.3 V to 0.5 V, and then the reference high voltage VPP is used after reducing its voltage level to a predetermined level. At this time, the high voltage VPX outputted through the regulator  320  is insensitive to the operational voltage variation, the temperature variation, the variations of the process condition, or the like. 
         [0061]    Although it is illustrated four transistors used for the unit pixel in the present invention, it is possible to configure the unit pixel with three transistors without employing the transfer transistor. In this case, the loss due to the threshold voltage of the reset transistor may also be eliminated by applying the high voltage VPX to the gate of the reset transistor. 
         [0062]    As described above, in accordance with the present invention, because the high voltage of which the level is higher than the power voltage level is applied to the gate of the reset transistor and/or the transfer transistor among the transistors in the unit pixel of the CMOS image sensor, the voltage loss due to the threshold voltage of the reset transistor may be eliminated and further the transfer loss due to the threshold voltage of the transfer transistor may be compensated, to thereby increase the dynamic range of the unit pixel and improve the image under the low light level condition. Therefore, it is possible to maintain good image quality. 
         [0063]    The present application contains subject matter related to Korean patent application No. 2004-115887, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 30, 2004, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. While the present invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7