Method of reading out an image sensor with transfer gate boost

摘要

An image sensor includes photosensitive regions, transfer transistors, and one or more shared charge-to-voltage mechanism. A method for reading out the image sensor includes enabling a first transfer transistor to transfer photo-generated charge from a first photosensitive region to a shared charge-to-voltage mechanism. The method also includes no more than partially enabling a second transfer transistor to partially turn on the second transfer transistor to increase a capacitance of the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism while the photo-generated charge is transferred from the first photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism.

主权项

1. A method for reading out an image sensor having a first photosensitive region, a second photosensitive region, a shared charge-to-voltage mechanism, a first transfer transistor disposed to selectively couple the first photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism, and a second transfer transistor disposed to selectively coupled the second photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism, the method comprising:
enabling the first transfer transistor to transfer photo-generated charge from the first photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism; and no more than partially enabling the second transfer transistor to partially turn on the second transfer transistor to increase a capacitance of the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism while the photo-generated charge is transferred from the first photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism.