Patent ID: 7173299

Claim:
A semiconductor imager structure, comprising: a substrate layer of a first dopant type; a photodiode, said photodiode region being provided as a well region formed within said substrate layer, said well region of said photodiode being of having a second dopant type; said substrate layer having a first surface; said well region having a second surface; said well region being formed in said substrate layer such that said first surface and said second surface are substantially co-planar to form a diode surface and an interface between said well region and said substrate layer at said diode surface forms a diode junction; a poly silicon region formed along a periphery of said diode junction; a transistor electrically connected to said photodiode and having a terminal that has a same electrical potential as said photodiode, said terminal of said transistor being of said second dopant type and of a dopant concentration greater than a dopant concentration of said well region of said photodiode; and an oxide layer; said well region of said photodiode having an extended portion so that at least a portion of said terminal of said transistor having the same electrical potential as said photodiode is formed within said extended portion of said well region of said photodiode; said oxide layer being provided over said substrate layer, said well region of said photodiode, and said terminal of said transistor; said oxide layer having a varying height such that a height of said oxide layer associated with said well region of said photodiode is thicker than a height of said oxide layer associated with said terminal of said transistor; said oxide layer including a step region, said step region being located where said height of said oxide layer transitions from said height associated with said well region of said photodiode to said height associated with said terminal of said transistor; said oxide layer having a constant height across a perimeter of said well region of said photodiode that forms a depletion region with said substrate when a reverse bias voltage is applied across said substrate layer and said well region of said photodiode.