US 12,407,957 B1
Multiple-substrate high conversion gain pixels
Jiaju Ma, Monrovia, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/510,547.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/476,935, filed on Dec. 22, 2022.
Int. Cl. H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/77 (2023.01) [H04N 25/78 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor, comprising:
a plurality of pixels; and
a plurality of substrates comprising a first substrate and one or more other substrates,
wherein at least some of the pixels each comprises:
at least one photodiode configured to accumulate charge when exposed to light;
a floating diffusion node; and
a pixel readout circuit comprising a plurality of transistors configured to transfer the charge out of the at least one photodiode of the pixel through the floating diffusion region to generate an analog signal at an output,
wherein the at least one photodiode, floating diffusion node, and pixel readout circuit are formed on or within the plurality of substrates, such that the first substrate comprises:
the at least one photodiode;
the floating diffusion node; and
a first subset of the transistors of the pixel readout circuit that is electrically connected with the floating diffusion node directly, and
the one or more other substrates comprise:
a second subset of the transistors of the pixel readout circuit that is electrically connected with the first subset of the transistors of the pixel readout circuit via one or more connections between the first substrate and the one or more other substrates.