Patent ID: 7834383

Claim:
A pixel, comprising: a substrate of a first conductivity type and having a surface; a photodetector of a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type; a floating diffusion region of the second conductivity type; a transfer region between the photodetector and the floating diffusion; a gate positioned above the transfer region and partially overlapping the photodetector; a pinning layer of the first conductivity type extending at least across the photodetector from the gate; and a channel implant of the first conductivity type extending from between a midpoint of the transfer gate and the floating diffusion to at least across the photodiode and having a dopant concentration such that a dopant concentration of the transfer region is greater proximate to the photodetector than the floating diffusion, and wherein a peak dopant concentration of the channel implant is at a level and at a depth below the surface such that a partially-buried channel is formed in the transfer region between the photodetector and floating diffusion when the transfer gate is energized.