Patent ID: 7858915

Claim:
An image sensor comprising: (a) a sensor wafer comprising: a first array of pixel regions with each pixel region including: a photodetector for collecting charge in response to incident light; a charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism; a transfer mechanism for transferring charge from the photodetector to the charge-to-voltage mechanism; and a reset mechanism for discharging the charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism; (b) a support circuit wafer connected to the sensor wafer and including: a second array of pixel regions having support circuitry for each pixel region in the first array, wherein each pixel region in the second array is associated with one or more pixel regions in the first array, and the support circuitry includes an amplifier; and (c) an inter-wafer connector between each charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism on the sensor wafer and a gate of the amplifier in a respective pixel region on the support circuit wafer for transferring charge from the charge-to-voltage conversion mechanism to the amplifier.