US Patent 7534982 Reduced imager crosstalk and pixel noise using extended buried contacts

Methods and structures to reduce the occurrence of crosstalk and pixel noise in solid state imager arrays. In an exemplary embodiment, a section of a layer patterned to form polysilicon buried-contacts in the pixel structure is also patterned to be disposed over the active, photosensor portion of the pixel. The section of the buried-contact layer covering the photosensor portion of the pixel serves to filter the light striking the buried-contact layer before the light strikes the photosensor. The polysilicon light filter reduces the amount of stray light entering from the adjacent pixels without adding significant processing complexity.