CN104010142B - Active pixel and imaging sensor and its control sequential - Google Patents
Active pixel and imaging sensor and its control sequential Download PDFInfo
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- CN104010142B CN104010142B CN201410262327.6A CN201410262327A CN104010142B CN 104010142 B CN104010142 B CN 104010142B CN 201410262327 A CN201410262327 A CN 201410262327A CN 104010142 B CN104010142 B CN 104010142B
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Abstract
The invention discloses a kind of active pixel and imaging sensor and its control sequential, active pixel includes being placed in the first photo-sensitive cell in semiconductor substrate, the transmission transistor between the first photo-sensitive cell and floating node, the first reset transistor for connecting floating node, also include follow transistor, row selecting transistor and the row bit line of connection floating node, active pixel also includes the second photo-sensitive cell, second photo-sensitive cell is connected by auxiliary capacitor with the floating node, and second photo-sensitive cell is also associated with the second reset transistor.The capacitance at floating node can be automatically regulated according to the incident quantity of illumination on imaging sensor and pixel;Compared with low lighting environment, under high lighting environment, the electric capacity increase at floating node is so that the signal saturated capacity increase of floating node, then improve the dynamic range of imaging sensor, while also increase signal to noise ratio.
Description
Technical field
The present invention relates to a kind of imaging sensor, more particularly to when a kind of active pixel and imaging sensor and its control
Sequence.
Background technology
Imaging sensor has been widely used in digital camera, cell phone, medicine equipment, automobile and other application
Occasion.The fast development of CMOS (CMOS complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) image sensor technologies is particularly manufactured, makes people couple
The output image quality of imaging sensor has higher requirement.
In the prior art, fixed capacity is typically all used at the floating node of cmos image sensor pixel, such as Fig. 1 institutes
Show, be the active pixel using the transistor of cmos image sensor four, in the art also referred to as 4T active pixels.4T has source image
The component of element includes:Photodiode 101, transmission transistor 102, reset transistor 103, follow transistor 104 and row
Selection transistor 105.Photodiode 101 receives the light of extraneous incidence, produces photosignal, opens transmission transistor 102,
Photosignal is transmitted to floating node FD (Floating Diffusing) closing transmission transistors 102 afterwards, this photosignal
Detected by follow transistor 104, while open row selecting transistor 105, read signal by row bit line 106.Wherein,
Caused photosignal amount is directly proportional to the incident quantity of illumination in photodiode 101, then transistor 104 is at floating node FD
The signal detected is also proportional with the quantity of illumination.
The photoelectric respone of above-mentioned imaging sensor of the prior art is linear, is referred to as linear sensing in the art
Device.The quantity of illumination scope that linear transducer is detected is small, and information in kind is beyond recognition out under particularly high lighting environment, it is impossible to
The whole signals changed to from half-light thread environment under strong light environment are enough gathered, the dynamic range in the field of business that is referred to as is small, so as to reduce
The output image quality of sensor.
The content of the invention
It is an object of the invention to provide electric capacity at a kind of floating node have can automatic regulation function active pixel and figure
As sensor and its control sequential, the whole changed to from half-light thread environment under strong light environment can not be gathered by solving prior art
The problem of signal, expand the dynamic range of imaging sensor and pixel.
The purpose of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:
The active pixel of the present invention, including the first photo-sensitive cell, photosensitive positioned at described first being placed in semiconductor substrate
Transmission transistor, the first reset transistor of connection floating node between element and floating node, in addition to connection floating section
Follow transistor, row selecting transistor and the row bit line of point, the active pixel also include the second photo-sensitive cell, and described second
Photo-sensitive cell is connected by auxiliary capacitor with the floating node, and second photo-sensitive cell is also associated with the second reset crystal
Pipe;
Second photo-sensitive cell is used to test the incident quantity of illumination;
The electric charge that second reset transistor is used in the second photo-sensitive cell potential well is removed before exposure starts;
The auxiliary capacitor is used for the quantity of illumination according to received by second photo-sensitive cell and adjust automatically its size.
The imaging sensor of the present invention, arranges some active pixels in a matrix fashion in the vertical and horizontal direction, described
Active pixel is above-mentioned active pixel.
The control sequential of the above-mentioned active pixel of the present invention, including step:
First, the transmission transistor, the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor are opened while, removes described the
Electric charge in one photo-sensitive cell and the second photo-sensitive cell potential well;
Then, the transmission transistor, the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor are closed, described first photosensitive yuan
Part and the second photo-sensitive cell start to expose;
During end exposure, after the electric charge for removing the floating node, the photo-electric charge in first photo-sensitive cell is turned
Move to the floating node;
The incident quantity of illumination that the capacitance of the floating node is received by second photo-sensitive cell controls described auxiliary
Help the source and drain potential height of electric capacity and automatically adjust.
As seen from the above technical solution provided by the invention, active pixel and image provided in an embodiment of the present invention pass
Sensor and its control sequential, because active pixel also includes the second photo-sensitive cell, the second photo-sensitive cell passes through auxiliary capacitor and drift
Floating node connection, the second photo-sensitive cell are also associated with the second reset transistor, can be according to entering on imaging sensor and pixel
Penetrate the quantity of illumination and automatically regulate capacitance at floating node;Compared with low lighting environment, under high lighting environment, floating node
The electric capacity at place increases the signal saturated capacity increase so that floating node, then improves the dynamic range of imaging sensor,
Also increase signal to noise ratio simultaneously.
Brief description of the drawings
Fig. 1 is the schematic diagram of four transistors (4T) active pixel of the cmos image sensor of prior art;
Fig. 2 is the schematic diagram of four transistors (4T) active pixel of cmos image sensor in the embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is the SECO schematic diagram that 4T active pixels work in the embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is that the floating node electric capacity in the embodiment of the present invention in active pixel is illustrated with the variation relation of the incident quantity of illumination
Figure.
Fig. 5 is the imaging sensor schematic diagram for using active pixel in the embodiment of the present invention.
Embodiment
The embodiment of the present invention will be described in further detail below.
The active pixel of the present invention, its preferable embodiment are:
Including being placed in the first photo-sensitive cell in semiconductor substrate, between first photo-sensitive cell and floating node
Transmission transistor, connect the first reset transistor of floating node, include connecting the follow transistor, OK of floating node
Selection transistor and row bit line, the active pixel also include the second photo-sensitive cell, and second photo-sensitive cell is by aiding in electricity
Appearance is connected with the floating node, and second photo-sensitive cell is also associated with the second reset transistor;
Second photo-sensitive cell is used to test the incident quantity of illumination;
The electric charge that second reset transistor is used in the second photo-sensitive cell potential well is removed before exposure starts;
The auxiliary capacitor is used for the quantity of illumination according to received by second photo-sensitive cell and adjust automatically its size.
First photo-sensitive cell and the second photo-sensitive cell include following any one or more elements:Photodiode, PIN
Type photodiode, part PIN-type photodiode or polysilicon grid-type photodiode.
The auxiliary capacitor is that can be used for the transistor capacitance as MOS transistor work.
The source and drain end of the auxiliary capacitor is connected with second photo-sensitive cell, grid is connected with the floating node.
The present invention imaging sensor, arrange some active pixels in a matrix fashion in the vertical and horizontal direction, its compared with
Good embodiment is:
The active pixel is above-mentioned active pixel.
The control sequential of the above-mentioned active pixel of the present invention, its preferable embodiment are:
Including step:
First, the transmission transistor, the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor are opened while, removes described the
Electric charge in one photo-sensitive cell and the second photo-sensitive cell potential well;
Then, the transmission transistor, the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor are closed, described first photosensitive yuan
Part and the second photo-sensitive cell start to expose;
During end exposure, after the electric charge for removing the floating node, the photo-electric charge in first photo-sensitive cell is turned
Move to the floating node;
The incident quantity of illumination that the capacitance of the floating node is received by second photo-sensitive cell controls described auxiliary
Help the source and drain potential height of electric capacity and automatically adjust.
The present invention in cmos image sensors, in order to obtain the image of high-quality, from improve 4T pixels photoelectric respone
Property is started with, and compresses photoelectric respone sensitivity curve during high lighting environment, increases the photoelectricity electricity at the floating node FD of pixel
Lotus saturated capacity, the saturation time of pixel is postponed, expand the dynamic range of sensor.For example, in low lighting environment, floating section
Point FD electric capacity is 1.2fF, and floating node FD voltage swing is 1V, then electric charge saturated capacity is 7491, during lucky saturation
The corresponding quantity of illumination is Q1;If in high lighting environment, FD electric capacity is increased to 2fF, then electric charge saturated capacity is increased to
12484, the corresponding quantity of illumination is Q during lucky saturation2;So as to sensor pixel can detect illumination zone increase to it is original
1.67(Q2/Q1=12484/7491=1.67) times, i.e., dynamic range is expanded to original 1.67 times.The figure to work in this way
More detailed information in kind under high lighting environment are detected as sensor pixel, so as to improve the image of sensor output
Quality.
Specific embodiment:
As shown in Fig. 2 part component is with the addition of on the basis of four transistor pixels shown in Fig. 1, auxiliary transistor (electricity
Hold) 203 grid end is connected with floating node FD, and its source and drain end SD is connected with the second photodiode 201, the second reset transistor
202 can make the operation for removing electric charge in the second photodiode 201 before exposure starts;Electric capacity CARepresent auxiliary transistor
203 auxiliary capacitor, electric capacity CAIncluding device source and drain overlap capacitance CVWith device gate-oxide electric capacity CXTwo parts;Electric capacity CFRepresent electricity
Hold CAOutside other parts floating node FD parasitic capacitances;Wherein FD total capacitance CFDEqual to CAElectric capacity and CFThe sum of electric capacity.
In the present embodiment, PIN-type photodiode is used in pixel, and photo-electric charge is N-type electronics, all transistors are
N-type cmos device.In Fig. 2, the TX marked is the grid of transmission transistor 102, and RX is the grid of the first reset transistor 103
Pole, SX are the grid of row selecting transistor 105, and AUX is the grid of the second reset transistor 202, and Vdd is supply voltage, and 106 are
Passage of the row bit line as output photoelectric signal.Wherein, if grid is high voltage, such as Vdd, represent to open this transistor;If
Grid is low-voltage, such as gnd, represents to close this transistor.
Implement the pixel SECO schematic diagram of the present embodiment as shown in figure 3, the operation that sequential 301 is completed is, exposure
Before beginning, while the electronics in the first photodiode 101 and the potential well of the second photodiode 201 is removed, the rise of potential well potential,
Referred to as reset photodiode;Concrete operations are, in t0TX, RX and AUX are set to high level by the moment by low level simultaneously, are opened
Transistor 102,103 and 202, while SX keeps low level, T01After period, in t1TX, RX and AUX are set to low electricity by the moment simultaneously
It is flat, close transistor 102,103 and 202, SX keep low level, the operation of sequential 301 is completed, and the first and second photodiodes are same
When start to expose.
The operation that second sequential 302 is completed is that the electronics at FD is removed before end exposure, the rise of FD potentials, is referred to as
Reset FD;Concrete operations are, in t2RX is set to high level by the moment by low level, opens transistor 103, while TX, AUX and SX
Keep low level, T23After period, in t3RX is set to low level by the moment, and TX, AUX and SX keep low level, and sequential 302 has operated
Into.After the completion of sequential operation 302, in t3With t4In period, the operation of read reset signal is completed, details is not done herein and explains
State.
The operation that 3rd sequential 303 is completed is, by Photon-Electron electrons caused by the first photodiode 101 transmit to
FD;Concrete operations are, in t4TX and SX is set to high level by the moment by low level, opens transistor 102 and 105, at the same RX and
AUX keeps low level, T45After period, TX and SX are put back into low level and put, close transistor 102 and 105, sequential 303 has operated
Into the end exposure of the first photodiode 101.Wherein, in T45Later stage period, the light detected by follow transistor 104
Electric signal is read and recorded by reading circuit by row bit line 106.At the end of exposure cycle, in the second photodiode
Caused Photon-Electron electrons amount is directly proportional to the incident quantity of illumination in 201, and this Photon-Electron electrons amount is controlled at the source and drain SD of transistor 203
Potential.
The key for implementing the present embodiment is FD total capacitances CFDIn t3Moment can follow the number of the incident quantity of illumination and automatic
Its capacitance is adjusted, as shown in Figure 4.If the quantity of illumination is less than E1, caused electronics is few in photodiode 201, and auxiliary capacitor is brilliant
The source and drain end potential of body pipe 203 is high, and this transistor is operated in cut-off region, and electric capacity CA only has CVComponent, then Cmin=CF+CV;If light
It is more than E according to amount2, caused electronics is more in photodiode 201, reduces the source and drain end potential of auxiliary capacitor transistor 203, brilliant
Body pipe 203 is operated in strong inversion area, and electric capacity CA includes CVAnd CXTwo parts, then Cmax=CF+CV+CX;As the quantity of illumination is in E1With E2
Between, then transistor 203 is operated in weak inversion regime, as the increase electric capacity CA of the incident quantity of illumination is gradually by CVIncrease to CV+CX。
FD capacitances increase, and under fixed voltage swing, electronics saturated capacity can also increase same multiple, it is assumed herein that photoelectricity two
Electron amount caused by pole pipe 101 is more than FD electronics saturated capacitys, then the dynamic range of pixel can increase to original times
Number (M) can be expressed as:
M=Cmax/Cmin
=(CF+CV+CX)/(CF+CV)
=1+CX/(CF+CV)
It is well known that when MOS transistor is operated in strong inversion area, CXMuch larger than CVIf CFThat also designs is reasonable, it will be assumed that
CXFor 1.2fF, CFFor 1fF, CVFor 0.2fF, then the dynamic range of pixel can increase to original 2 times.Pixel dynamic range
Increase, pixel has collected the detailed information under more high lighting environments, thus improves the quality of sensor output image.
Above-mentioned active pixel can be used for the sensor array 403 of cmos image sensor, as shown in Figure 5.Fig. 5 is particularly shown
A kind of cmos image sensor formed according to the present invention, including pel array control circuit 401, picture element matrix array 403,
Process circuit, memory cell and imput output circuit 404, and logical AND gate circuit 402.Each element is formed at individually
Silicon substrate on, and be integrated in using the CMOS manufacturing process of standard on an independent chip.
The foregoing is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but protection scope of the present invention be not limited thereto,
Any one skilled in the art is in the technical scope of present disclosure, the change or replacement that can readily occur in,
It should all be included within the scope of the present invention.Therefore, protection scope of the present invention should be with the protection model of claims
Enclose and be defined.
Claims (3)
1. a kind of active pixel, including be placed in semiconductor substrate the first photo-sensitive cell, positioned at first photo-sensitive cell with
Transmission transistor, the first reset transistor of connection floating node between floating node, include the source of connection floating node
Follow transistor, row selecting transistor and row bit line, it is characterised in that the active pixel also includes the second photo-sensitive cell, institute
State the second photo-sensitive cell to be connected with the floating node by auxiliary capacitor, second photo-sensitive cell is also associated with the second reset
Transistor;
Second photo-sensitive cell is used to test the incident quantity of illumination;
The electric charge that second reset transistor is used in the second photo-sensitive cell potential well is removed before exposure starts;
The auxiliary capacitor is used for the quantity of illumination according to received by second photo-sensitive cell and adjust automatically its size;
First photo-sensitive cell and the second photo-sensitive cell include following any one or more elements:Photodiode, PIN-type light
Electric diode, part PIN-type photodiode or polysilicon grid-type photodiode;
The auxiliary capacitor is that can be used for the transistor capacitance as MOS transistor work;
The source and drain end of the auxiliary capacitor is connected with second photo-sensitive cell, grid is connected with the floating node.
2. a kind of imaging sensor, arrange some active pixels in a matrix fashion in the vertical and horizontal direction, it is characterised in that
The active pixel is the active pixel described in claim 1.
3. the control sequential method of the active pixel described in a kind of claim 1, it is characterised in that including step:
First, while the transmission transistor, the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor are opened, removes first sense
Electric charge in optical element and the second photo-sensitive cell potential well;
Then, close the transmission transistor, the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor, first photo-sensitive cell and
Second photo-sensitive cell starts to expose;
During end exposure, after the electric charge for removing the floating node, the photo-electric charge in first photo-sensitive cell is transferred to
The floating node;
The incident quantity of illumination that the capacitance of the floating node is received by second photo-sensitive cell controls the auxiliary electricity
The source and drain potential of appearance just automatically adjusts.
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US9838628B2 (en) * | 2016-03-16 | 2017-12-05 | Sony Corporation | Detecting quantities beyond sensor saturation |
CN114567740A (en) * | 2017-04-05 | 2022-05-31 | 株式会社尼康 | Image pickup element and image pickup apparatus |
CN111866414B (en) * | 2020-07-15 | 2021-08-20 | 大连理工大学 | High-dynamic image sensor pixel structure and time sequence control method |
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