Abstract:
A method for controlling well capacity of a photodiode includes providing a reference voltage, which is greater than a voltage of ground, to a gate of a transfer transistor while exposing the photodiode whose one end is connected to ground, so as to control the well capacity of the photodiode.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a method for controlling an active pixel, and more particularly, to a method for controlling well capacity of a photodiode.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a circuit diagram of an active pixel  8  according to the prior art. The active pixel  8  comprises a pinned photodiode  10 , a transfer transistor  12 , a reset transistor  14 , a source-follower transistor  16 , and a row-selector transistor  18 . The pinned photodiode  10  receives light; the transfer transistor  12  controls transfer of photoelectric charge of the pinned photodiode  10 ; the reset transistor  14  resets the pinned photodiode  10 ; the potential of a source of the source-follower transistor  16  changes with the charge at a gate of the source-follower transistor  16 ; and the row-selector transistor  18  controls read-out of light signals or reset signals.  
         [0005]     The operation of the active pixel  8  is as follows. The active pixel  8  performs a reset process, turning on the reset transistor  14  and the transfer transistor  12 . A high voltage, such as a maximum operating voltage Vdd, is provided to gates of the reset transistor  14  and the transfer transistor  12  for resetting the pinned photodiode  10 . Next, the active pixel  8  is exposed for capturing images. During the exposure process, the reset transistor  14  and the transfer transistor  12  are turned off. A low voltage, such as zero volts, is provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12  to turn off the transfer transistor  12 . At the same time, the pinned photodiode  10  receives light and stores charge in its well. Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which shows charge storage at a node P and a node R of  FIG. 1 . The node P represents the charge storage of the pinned photodiode  10 , and the node R represents the charge storage at a source of the reset transistor  14 .  
         [0006]     Next, a reset signal is read. Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is an illustration of reading the reset signal. The charge at the node R is transferred through the source-follower transistor  16  and the row-selector transistor  18 . At this time, the transfer transistor  12  and the reset transistor  14  are turned off while the source-follower transistor  16  and the row-selector transistor  18  are turned on. After the reset signal is read, a light signal is read. Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is an illustration of reading the light signal. The transfer transistor  12  is turned on to transfer the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10 . Then, the light signal is read via the source-follower transistor  16  and the row-selector transistor  18 , completing image capture.  
         [0007]     The active pixel  8  of the prior art has two disadvantages. One is a blooming phenomenon, and the other is image lag. These are detailed as follows.  
         [0008]     Please refer to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 5  shows the transfer transistor  12  and the pinned photodiode  10  in an intense light condition.  FIG. 6  shows photoelectric charge flowing over the well of the pinned photodiode  10  of  FIG. 5 . Zero volts are provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12  to turn off the transfer transistor  12 , exposing the pinned photodiode  10 . If the pinned photodiode  10  is exposed to intense light, the pinned photodiode  10  might receive too much photoelectric charge, and results in photoelectric charge flowing over the well of the pinned photodiode  10 . In other words, the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  is full of photoelectric charge, and cannot store more photoelectric charge. At this time, since the transfer transistor  12  is turned off, there is no path to pass more photoelectric charge. Therefore, photoelectric charge flows to adjacent pixels, resulting in the blooming phenomenon.  
         [0009]     Additionally, during a semiconductor process, it is very difficult to control the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10 . If the well capacity is not properly controlled, image lag results, as shown in  FIG. 7 , which shows image lag at the nodes P and R of  FIG. 1 . Since the charge at the node P of  FIG. 7  cannot be transferred completely, some charge remains at the node P, and thereby image lag occurs. What the prior art usually does for preventing image lag is to control the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  or to control a charge storage at the source of the reset transistor  14  via a semiconductor process. However, it is difficult to control the semiconductor process and the cost is high.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The claimed invention provides an image device comprising a photodiode, a first transistor, a reference voltage control unit, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The photodiode receives light. The first transistor has a source coupled to the photodiode, and controls transfer of photoelectric charge of the photodiode. The reference voltage control unit is coupled to a gate of the first transistor. The reference voltage control unit receives a plurality of control signals, and provides a reference voltage to the gate of the first transistor according to the received control signals for controlling well capacity of the photodiode. The second transistor has a source coupled to an output of the first transistor, and a drain coupled to a voltage source. The second transistor resets the photodiode. The third transistor has a drain coupled to the voltage source, and a gate coupled to the source of the second transistor. The fourth transistor has a drain coupled to a source of the third transistor, and a source coupled to a pixel line. The fourth transistor controls read-out of signals.  
         [0011]     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram of an active pixel according to the prior art.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows charge storage at a node P and a node R of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of the active pixel of  FIG. 1  reading the reset signal.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of the active pixel of  FIG. 1  reading the light signal.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  shows the transfer transistor and the pinned photodiode of  FIG. 1  in an intense light condition.  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  shows photoelectric charge flowing over the well of the pinned photodiode of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  shows image lag at the node P and R of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a diagram of a transfer transistor and a pinned photodiode.  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  shows the well capacity of the pinned photodiode of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a diagram of a device to control the well capacity of the pinned photodiode according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13  show the charge stored in the pinned photodiode when different reference voltages are provided.  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  to  FIG. 16  respectively show the photoelectric charge transfer of the pinned photodiode of  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 17  is a flowchart of controlling the charge stored in the pinned photodiode according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]     The present invention provides a method to control the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  so as to solve the image lag and the blooming phenomenon problems in the prior art.  
         [0026]     Firstly, the concept of the present invention is introduced as follows. If the charge of the pinned photodiode  10  cannot be completely transferred since image lag will occur. Therefore, the present invention reduces the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  so as to prevent image lag. Additionally, the blooming phenomenon results from receiving too much photoelectric charge flowing to adjacent pixels. Controlling the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  can prevent the blooming phenomenon.  
         [0027]     Please refer to  FIG. 8 , which is a diagram of the transfer transistor  12  and the pinned photodiode  10 . When a voltage V g  is provided at the gate of the transfer transistor  12 , since the transfer transistor  12  has a threshold voltage V th , a voltage at the source of the transistor  12  is (V g −V th ), wherein V th  includes a body effect. Please refer to  FIG. 9 , which shows the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  of  FIG. 8 . In  FIG. 9 , voltage values approaching the bottom become larger. That is, the voltage value of V pinned  is larger than the voltage value of (V g −V th ). From  FIG. 9 , the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  is the range between V pinned  and (V g −V th ).  
         [0028]     The well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  is dependent on two voltages, V pinned  and (V g −V th ). The pinned voltage V pinned  and the threshold voltage V th  of the pinned photodiode  10  are constant after the semiconductor process is finished. The only way to change the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  is to change the voltage V g  provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12 . In other words, if the larger voltage V g  is provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12 , the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  is smaller.  
         [0029]     In this way, the present invention controls the voltage provided at the gate of the transfer transistor  12  during the exposure process, so that the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  can be controlled. Please refer to  FIG. 10 , which is a diagram of a device to control the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  according to the present invention. The present invention comprises a reference voltage control unit  20 . When the image lag or the blooming phenomenon occurs, a plurality of control signals are sent to the reference voltage control unit  20  to adjust a reference voltage provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12  during the exposure process. Therefore, the well capacity of the pinned photodiode  10  of  FIG. 9  can be changed.  
         [0030]     In the prior art, zero volts are provided at the gate of the transfer transistor  12  during the exposure process so as to turn off the transfer transistor  12 . However, the present invention provides the reference voltage larger than zero volts to the gate of the transfer transistor  12  during the exposure process, and the reference voltage is smaller than a maximum operating voltage.  
         [0031]     For instance, the reference voltage larger than zero volts is provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12 . Please refer to  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 , which show the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  when different reference voltages are provided, wherein V 1  is smaller than V 2  while V 2  is smaller than V 3 . From  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 13 , the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  of  FIG. 111  is the largest; the next is  FIG. 12 ; and the smallest is  FIG. 13 . That is, the larger voltage provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12 , the less charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10 . The charge of the pinned photodiode  10  is ready to be transferred after the reset process, the exposure process and reading the reset signal are done. Please to refer to  FIG. 14  to  FIG. 16 , which show the transfer of  FIG. 111  to  FIG. 13 , respectively. If image lag, such as that shown in  FIG. 14 , occurs, the voltage provided to the gate of the transfer transistor  12  must be increased, such as providing V 3  to prevent image lag. As shown in  FIG. 16 , the charge of the pinned photodiode  10  is completely transferred.  
         [0032]     From the above, the photodiode is not limited to the pinned photodiode  10 . Other types of active photodiode can be implemented in the present invention.  
         [0033]     Please refer to  FIG. 17 , which is a flowchart of controlling the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  according to the present invention.  
         [0034]     Step  100 : The reset process and the exposure process are performed so as to store photoelectric charge in the pinned photodiode  10 ;  
         [0035]     Step  102 : A reset signal is read;  
         [0036]     Step  104 : The photoelectric charge of the pinned photodiode  10  is transferred, and a light signal is read;  
         [0037]     Step  106 : Detect whether an image has unusual phenomena, such as the blooming phenomenon, image lag, etc. If an unusual phenomenon occurs, step  108  is entered.  
         [0000]     Otherwise, step  110  is entered;  
         [0038]     Step  108 : Control signals are sent to the reference voltage control unit  20 . During the exposure process, the reference voltage control unit  20  provides the reference voltage larger than zero volts to the gate of the transfer transistor  12 , so that the charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  can be reduced. Then step  100  is entered;  
         [0039]     Step  110 : The charge stored in the pinned photodiode  10  is well controlled.  
         [0040]     Compared to the prior art, the present invention provides a method for controlling the well capacity of the pinned photodiode. The reference voltage greater than the voltage of ground is provided to the gate of the transfer transistor so as to change the charge stored in the pinned photodiode, and thereby prevent image lag and the blooming phenomenon. After the semiconductor process is finished, the present invention utilizes the reference voltage control unit to change the well capacity of the pinned photodiode. The method of the present invention makes it easier to control the well capacity of the pinned photodiode than the method of the prior art, and the cost is much lower.  
         [0041]     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.