Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080210947 | Solid-state imaging device - A solid-state imaging device having an arrangement in which well contact is achieved for each pixel is provided. In the solid-state imaging device, a well contact part is formed in an activation region of a photoelectric conversion portion. The well contact part fixes a well in which the photoelectric conversion portion and transistors of the pixel are provided at a predetermined potential. | 09-04-2008 |
20080266442 | Imaging apparatus and arranging method for the same - An optical system for a CMOS sensor includes an aspherical lens with which an exit pupil distance appears short in a central region of an imaging plane and long in a peripheral region of the imaging plane. The aspherical lens functions such that the exit pupil distance monotonously increases from a central region of the imaging plane toward a peripheral region of the imaging plane. In addition, pupil correction is performed in accordance with an exit pupil distance d which satisfies (d | 10-30-2008 |
20080272415 | Solid-state imaging device - A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion section which is provided for each pixel and which converts light incident on a first surface of a substrate into signal charges, a circuit region which reads signal charges accumulated by the photoelectric conversion section, a multilayer film including an insulating film and a wiring film, the multilayer film being disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and a transmission-preventing film disposed at least between the wiring film in the multilayer film and the substrate. | 11-06-2008 |
20080272419 | Solid-state imaging device - A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion section which is provided for each pixel and which converts light incident on a first surface of a substrate into signal charges, a circuit region which reads signal charges accumulated by the photoelectric conversion section, a multilayer film including an insulating film and a wiring film, the multilayer film being disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and a transmission-preventing film disposed at least between the wiring film in the multilayer film and the substrate. | 11-06-2008 |
20080296629 | Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus - A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region on an upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a second conductive region below the first conductive region on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device further includes a photoelectric conversion region including the first conductive region located on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate and the second conductive region and a transfer transistor transferring charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion region to a readout region; and a pixel including the photoelectric conversion region and the transfer transistor. The first conductive region, which is included in the photoelectric conversion region, extends to the lower side of a sidewall of a gate electrode of the transfer transistor. | 12-04-2008 |
20090046187 | Solid-state imaging device - A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array area having pixels including photoelectric transducers arranged as an array; signal lines wired for every pixel column in the pixel array area; and a plurality of noise reducers provided for the corresponding signal lines. Each of the noise reducers includes a first capacitor, one end of which is connected to the signal line; a first switch element, an input port of which is connected to the other end of the first capacitor; a second capacitor connected between an output port of the first switch element and a reference voltage; and a clamping element for clamping the voltage of a connecting node between the output port of the first switch element and the second capacitor to a predetermined voltage. The first capacitor is shared among the plurality of noise reducers. | 02-19-2009 |
20090068787 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A method for manufacturing a solid state image pickup device in which a semiconductor substrate includes a pixel region where a plurality of pixels are arranged, each pixel including a signal charge accumulating portion and a transistor, and a pixel well of a first conductive type shared by the respective pixels, the method comprising: (a) a first step of forming a first impurity doped region by ion-implanting an impurity of the first conductive type to a surface of the semiconductor substrate together with the pixel well at a surface density of 1×10 | 03-12-2009 |
20090072123 | Solid-state imaging device and drive control method for the same - A CMOS sensor has unit pixels each structured by a light receiving element and three transistors, to prevent against the phenomenon of saturation shading and the reduction of dynamic range. The transition time (fall time), in switching off the voltage on a drain line shared in all pixels, is given longer than the transition time in turning of any of the reset line and the transfer line. For this reason, the transistor constituting a DRN drive buffer is made proper in its W/L ratio. Meanwhile, a control resistance or current source is inserted on a line to the GND, to make proper the operation current during driving. This reduces saturation shading amount. By making a reset transistor in a depression type, the leak current to a floating diffusion is suppressed to broaden the dynamic range. | 03-19-2009 |
20090109311 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, DRIVE METHOD THEREOF AND CAMERA SYSTEM - A solid state image pickup device which includes a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix shape and having a mechanism for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal and outputting the resultant signal, a column processing circuit for performing column processing of the signal from the pixel unit, a calculating circuit for calculating a processing result of the column processing circuit, a frame memory unit, an internal interface for connecting the calculating circuit and the frame memory unit, an external interface for connecting an external and the frame memory unit, and a connection switching circuit for switching a connection of the frame memory unit relative to the internal interface and the external interface. | 04-30-2009 |
20090141154 | SOLID-STATE PICKUP APPARATUS, ITS DRIVING METHOD AND CAMERA SYSTEM - There is used an XY address type solid-state image pickup element (for example, a MOS type image sensor) in which two rows and two columns are made a unit, and color filters having a color coding of repetition of the unit (repetition of two verticals (two horizontals) are arranged, and when a thinning-out read mode is specified, a clock frequency of a system is changed to 1/9, and on the basis of the changed clock frequency, a pixel is selected every three pixels in both a row direction and a column direction to successively read out a pixel signal. | 06-04-2009 |
20090189234 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - In a solid-state imaging device, the pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions. The second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is made the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions formed in the second surface side part of the semiconductor substrate are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions formed in the first surface side part of the semiconductor substrate are arranged at uneven intervals, respectively, and the second surface side regions and the first surface side regions are joined respectively in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. | 07-30-2009 |
20090190012 | Solid-state imager device, drive method of solid-state imager device and camera apparatus - In a case when a structure of forming a p+ layer on a substrate rear surface side is employed in order to prevent dark current generation from the silicon boundary surface, various problems occur. According to this invention, an insulation film | 07-30-2009 |
20090243022 | METHOD OF FORMING MASK FOR LITHOGRAPHY, METHOD OF FORMING MASK DATA FOR LITHOGRAPHY, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BACK-ILLUMINATED SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, BACK-ILLUMINATED SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method of forming a mask for lithography includes the step of forming the mask by using reverse data in which positions of at least part of output terminals are reversed, when forming the mask for lithography used for manufacturing a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device which takes incident light from the side of a surface opposite to the side of a surface on which wiring of a device region in which photoelectric conversion elements are formed is formed. | 10-01-2009 |
20090251556 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array section and a signal processing section. The pixel array section is configured to include a plurality of arranged unit pixels, each of which is a rectangular pixel having different sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a plurality of adjacent ones of which are combined to form a square pixel having the same size in the vertical and horizontal directions. The signal processing section is configured to process a plurality of signals read out from the combined plurality of unit pixels and to output the processed signals as a single signal. | 10-08-2009 |
20090273695 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, DRIVE METHOD FOR THE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - In a solid-state image pickup apparatus having a pixel array unit composed by two-dimensionally arranging pixels for detecting a physical quantity in a row-column manner, pixel signals of a plurality of systems having different sensitivities are read from the pixel array unit in an analog manner, the pixel signals of the plurality of systems are amplified at respective basis amplification rates when a gain setting of the analog pixel signals is lower than a predetermined gain, and a pixel signal of at least one system having a high sensitivity among the plurality of systems is amplified at a plurality of amplification rates including an amplification rate higher than a basis amplification rate of the system having the high sensitivity when the gain setting is equal to or higher than the predetermined gain. | 11-05-2009 |
20090303371 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVE METHOD THEREOF AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes: plural photodiodes formed in different depths in a unit pixel area of a substrate; and plural vertical transistors formed in the depth direction from one face side of the substrate so that gate portions for reading signal charges obtained by photoelectric conversion in the plural photodiodes are formed in depths corresponding to the respective photodiodes. | 12-10-2009 |
20100002108 | Solid state imaging device, method for producing the same, and electronic apparatus - A solid state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion portion in which the shape of potential is provided such that charge is mainly accumulated in a vertical direction. | 01-07-2010 |
20100065938 | ION IMPLANTATION METHOD, METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - An ion implantation method includes performing ion implantation a plurality of times using a plurality of ion implantation masks each including main mask portions, bridge portions connecting between the main mask portions, and openings corresponding to parts of annular regions where ions are to be implanted, whereby a plurality of annular ion-implanted regions are formed by combining the plurality of ion implantation masks. | 03-18-2010 |
20100066878 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME, AND IMAGING DEVICE - In a CMOS image sensor ( | 03-18-2010 |
20100073536 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA SYSTEM - A solid state imaging device able to make noise from a nonselected row small, able to suppress occurrence of vertical stripes in a bright scene, not requiring charging including a floating node capacity via a reset transistor, able to prevent an increase of a driver size of a drain line, and able to secure high speed operation and a camera system using this as the imaging device are provided. | 03-25-2010 |
20100091159 | PHYSICAL QUANTITY DETECTING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A physical quality detecting device includes: a detecting unit that detects a physical quantity supplied from the outside with photo-converting pixels which are two-dimensionally arranged, each of which has a selecting transistor for outputting a signal from the detecting unit to a signal line. In the physical quality detecting device, the selecting transistor is a depletion-type transistor. The signal line is selectively coupled to a reference voltage. | 04-15-2010 |
20100097508 | SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR, METHOD FOR DRIVING A SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid state image sensor includes a pixel array, as well as charge-to-voltage converters, reset gates, and amplifiers each shared by a plurality of pixels in the array. The voltage level of the reset gate power supply is set higher than the voltage level of the amplifier power supply. Additionally, charge overflowing from photodetectors in the pixels may be discarded into the charge-to-voltage converters. The image sensor may also include a row scanner configured such that, while scanning a row in the pixel array to read out signals therefrom, the row scanner resets the charge in the photodetectors of the pixels sharing a charge-to-voltage converter with pixels on the readout row. The charge reset is conducted simultaneously with or prior to reading out the signals from the pixels on the readout row. | 04-22-2010 |
20100110243 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is capable of simplifying the pixel structure to reduce the pixel size and capable of suppressing the variation in the characteristics between the pixels when a plurality of output systems is provided. A unit cell ( | 05-06-2010 |
20100110244 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is capable of simplifying the pixel structure to reduce the pixel size and capable of suppressing the variation in the characteristics between the pixels when a plurality of output systems is provided. A unit cell ( | 05-06-2010 |
20100110253 | PHYSICAL QUANTITY DETECTING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING THE PHYSICAL QUANTITY DETECTING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A physical quantity detecting device includes: a pixel array that has pixels two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix, each converting a physical quantity supplied from the outside into an electric signal; a driving circuit that scans, as read rows, N rows of pixels (N is an integer equal to or larger than 3) in the pixel array at the same time and reads out signals corresponding to the pixels in the read rows; and M signal processing circuit groups (105-06-2010 | |
20100110271 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes an effective pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are arrayed; and a nonconductive interpixel light-shielding film that is placed in the effective pixel portion and that shields areas between the pixels. | 05-06-2010 |
20100127342 | BACK-ILLUMINATED TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A back-illuminated type solid-state imaging device is provided in which an electric field to collect a signal charge (an electron, a hole and the like, for example) is reliably generated to reduce a crosstalk. | 05-27-2010 |
20100128153 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREFOR - A solid-state imaging device in which the potential of a signal line, which is obtained before a pixel has an operating period, is fixed to an intermediate potential between a first power-supply potential and a second power-supply potential. | 05-27-2010 |
20100151613 | Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus - A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region on an upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a second conductive region below the first conductive region on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device further includes a photoelectric conversion region including the first conductive region located on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate and the second conductive region and a transfer transistor transferring charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion region to a readout region; and a pixel including the photoelectric conversion region and the transfer transistor. The first conductive region, which is included in the photoelectric conversion region, extends to the lower side of a sidewall of a gate electrode of the transfer transistor. | 06-17-2010 |
20100188541 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - A solid-state image capturing device includes: a pixel array unit including plural pixels each converting light selectively incident through a mechanical shutter into charges to be stored in a storage portion and having an overflow path through which charges exceeding a saturation charge amount are discharged; and a driving unit starting an exposure by simultaneously resetting all pixels of the pixel array unit, maintaining the overflow path in an opened state during the exposure period, and closing the overflow path during a period while signals are read from the pixels after ending the exposure by closing the mechanical shutter. | 07-29-2010 |
20100194943 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - In a rear surface incidence type CMOS image sensor having a wiring layer | 08-05-2010 |
20100194950 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - In a rear surface incidence type CMOS image sensor having a wiring layer | 08-05-2010 |
20100253799 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array section and a signal processing section. The pixel array section is configured to include a plurality of arranged rectangular pixels, each of which has different sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a plurality of adjacent ones of which are combined to form a square pixel having the same size in the vertical and horizontal directions. The signal processing section is configured to perform a process of outputting, as a single signal, a plurality of signals read out from the combined plurality of rectangular pixels. | 10-07-2010 |
20100297805 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - In a solid-state imaging device, the pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions. The second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is made the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions formed in the second surface side part of the semiconductor substrate are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions formed in the first surface side part of the semiconductor substrate are arranged at uneven intervals, respectively, and the second surface side regions and the first surface side regions are joined respectively in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. | 11-25-2010 |
20100308386 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed. | 12-09-2010 |
20110032403 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state image pickup device includes a plurality of pixels and a scanning unit. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element and a charge accumulation region. The scanning unit is configured to read a first signal from a charge accumulation region. The scanning unit is configured to read a second signal from the charge accumulation region. The first signal corresponds to an accumulation of signal charges during a first period, while the second signal corresponds to another accumulation of signal charges during a second period. | 02-10-2011 |
20110042723 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR MAKING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit that includes a first region of a first conductivity type and a second region of a second conductivity type between which a pn junction is formed, the first region and the second region being formed in a signal-readout surface of a semiconductor substrate, the second region being located at a position deeper than the first region; and a transfer transistor configured to transfer signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit to a readout drain through a channel region that lies under a surface of the first region and horizontally adjacent to the photoelectric conversion unit, the transfer transistor being formed in the signal-readout surface. The transfer transistor includes a transfer gate electrode that extends from above the channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween to above the first region so as to extend across a step. | 02-24-2011 |
20110058075 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes: photoelectric conversion units provided on an imaging face of a semiconductor substrate; a color filter provided on the imaging face; and a light shielding portion provided on the imaging face; wherein photoelectric conversion units are arrayed on the imaging face in a first direction a second direction; and wherein the color filter includes a first filter layer having high light transmissivity regarding a first wavelength band, and a second filter layer having high light transmissivity regarding a second wavelength band, with the first and second filter layers arrayed above the photoelectric conversion units arrayed in the first direction so as to extend in the first direction and be arrayed adjacently in the second direction; and wherein the light shielding portion extends in the first direction between the photoelectric conversion units arrayed in the second direction, between the first filter layer and the second filter layer. | 03-10-2011 |
20110084317 | BACK-ILLUMINATED TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A back-illuminated type solid-state imaging device including (a) a semiconductor layer on a front surface side of a semiconductor substrate with an insulation film between them; (b) a photoelectric conversion element that constitutes a pixel in the semiconductor substrate; (c) at least part of transistors that constitute the pixel in the semiconductor film; and (d) a rear surface electrode to which a voltage is applied on the rear surface side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein, (1) a semiconductor layer of an opposite conduction type to a charge accumulation portion of the photoelectric conversion element is formed in the semiconductor substrate under the insulation film, and (2) the same voltage as the voltage applied to the rear surface electrode is applied to the semiconductor layer. | 04-14-2011 |
20110084351 | BACK-ILLUMINATED TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A back-illuminated type solid-state imaging device including (a) a semiconductor layer on a front surface side of a semiconductor substrate with an insulation film between them; (b) a photoelectric conversion element that constitutes a pixel in the semiconductor substrate; (c) at least part of transistors that constitute the pixel in the semiconductor film; and (d) a rear surface electrode to which a voltage is applied on the rear surface side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein, (1) a semiconductor layer of an opposite conduction type to a charge accumulation portion of the photoelectric conversion element is formed in the semiconductor substrate under the insulation film, and (2) the same voltage as the voltage applied to the rear surface electrode is applied to the semiconductor layer. | 04-14-2011 |
20110084352 | BACK-ILLUMINATED TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A back-illuminated type solid-state imaging device is provided in which an electric field to collect a signal charge (an electron, a hole and the like, for example) is reliably generated to reduce a crosstalk. | 04-14-2011 |
20110086463 | BACK-ILLUMINATED TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A method for manufacturing a back-illuminated type solid-state imaging device by (a) providing a substrate having, on a front surface side thereof, a semiconductor film on a semiconductor substrate with an insulation film therebetween; (b) forming in the semiconductor substrate a charge accumulation portion of a photoelectric conversion element that constitutes a pixel; (c) forming in the semiconductor film at least some transistors that constitute the pixel; and (d) forming on a rear surface side of the semiconductor substrate a rear surface electrode to which a voltage can be applied. | 04-14-2011 |
20110102620 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, CAMERA, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is provided, which includes a photodiode having a first conductivity type semiconductor area that is dividedly formed for each pixel; a first conductivity type transfer gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating layer in an area neighboring the photodiode, and transmitting signal charges generated and accumulated in the photodiode; a signal reading unit reading a voltage which corresponds to the signal charge or the signal charge; and an inversion layer induction electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via the gate insulating layer in an area covering a portion or the whole of the photodiode, and composed of a conductor or a semiconductor having a work function. An inversion layer is induced, which is formed by accumulating a second conductivity type carrier on a surface of the inversion layer induction electrode side of the semiconductor area through the inversion layer induction electrode. | 05-05-2011 |
20110121371 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units configured to receive light and generate signal charge, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units being provided in such a manner as to correspond to a plurality of pixels in a pixel area of a semiconductor substrate; and pixel transistors configured to output the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units as electrical signals. Each of the pixel transistors includes at least a transfer transistor that transfers the signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit to a floating diffusion corresponding to a drain. A gate electrode of the transfer transistor is formed in such a manner as to extend with a gate insulating film in between from a channel formed area to a portion where the photoelectric conversion unit has been formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. | 05-26-2011 |
20110149104 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS, DRIVING METHOD, AND CAMERA - An imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a contact region, and an accumulation region. The contact region is configured to receive a charge from the photoelectric conversion unit. The accumulation region is configured to store the charge from the contact region. The imaging device is configured to selectively inject a charge into the contact region. | 06-23-2011 |
20110180690 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion section which is provided for each pixel and which converts light incident on a first surface of a substrate into signal charges, a circuit region which reads signal charges accumulated by the photoelectric conversion section, a multilayer film including an insulating film and a wiring film, the multilayer film being disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and a transmission-preventing film disposed at least between the wiring film in the multilayer film and the substrate. | 07-28-2011 |
20110211103 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, DRIVING METHOD FOR SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device with a photodiode, a first charge accumulation region electronically connected to the photodiode, a second charge accumulation region electronically connected to the photodiode, where a charge generated in the photodiode is distributed into the first charge accumulation region and the second charge accumulation region based on an amount of charge. | 09-01-2011 |
20110216212 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF FABRICATING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, a photoelectric conversion element provided on the light incidence side of the substrate and including a photoelectric conversion film sandwiched between a first electrode provided separately for each of pixels, and a second electrode provided opposite the first electrode, the photoelectric conversion film being made of an organic material or an inorganic material and generating a signal charge according to the quantity of incident light, an amplifier transistor having an amplifier gate electrode connected to the first electrode, and a voltage control circuit that is connected to the second electrode, and supplies a desired voltage to the second electrode. | 09-08-2011 |
20110221021 | Solid state image pickup device and method of producing solid state image pickup device - Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed. | 09-15-2011 |
20110234830 | Solid-state image pickup device, method of manufacturing thereof, and electronic apparatus - Provided is a solid-state image pickup device including: a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion portion and a pixel transistor formed in a front surface side of a substrate, wherein a rear surface side of the substrate is set as a light receiving plane of the photoelectric conversion portion; and an element, which becomes a passive element or an active element, which is disposed in the front surface side of the substrate so as to be superimposed on the photoelectric conversion portion. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242378 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device with unit pixels which have a photoelectric conversion element, an electric charge transferring/accumulating unit with multiple levels able to transfer electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element and accumulate the electric charge, and an electric charge detection unit that holds the electric charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion element, where, after resetting the photoelectric conversion element, all unit pixels simultaneously transfer signal electric charges, which are generated in the photoelectric conversion element during continuous exposure times of which each has a different duration, to the electric charge transferring/accumulating units and accumulate the signal electric charges in the different respective electric charge transferring/accumulating units, and in units of one or more pixels, the signal electric charges is transferred to the electric charge detecting unit and a plurality of signals which respectively corresponds to the plurality of signal electric charges is read out. | 10-06-2011 |
20110248148 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREFOR - A solid-state imaging device in which the potential of a signal line, which is obtained before a pixel has an operating period, is fixed to an intermediate potential between a first power-supply potential and a second power-supply potential. | 10-13-2011 |
20110248373 | METHOD OF FORMING MASK FOR LITHOGRAPHY, METHOD OF FORMING MASK DATA FOR LITHOGRAPHY, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BACK-ILLUMINATED SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, BACK-ILLUMINATED SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method of forming a mask for lithography includes the step of forming the mask by using reverse data in which positions of at least part of output terminals are reversed, when forming the mask for lithography used for manufacturing a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device which takes incident light from the side of a surface opposite to the side of a surface on which wiring of a device region in which photoelectric conversion elements are formed is formed. | 10-13-2011 |
20110266598 | Solid-state image pickup device - In a rear surface incidence type CMOS image sensor having a wiring layer | 11-03-2011 |
20110279719 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SAME, AND CAMERA APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device of a three-transistor pixel configuration having no selection transistor has a problem of a non-selection hot carrier white point, which is specific to this apparatus. A bias current during a non-reading period of pixels is made to flow to a pixel associated with an immediately previous selection pixel, for example, the immediately previous selection pixel itself. As a result, dark current only for one line occurs in each pixel, and the dark current for one line itself can be reduced markedly. Consequently, defective pixels due to non-selection hot carrier white points can be virtually eliminated. | 11-17-2011 |
20110291161 | PHYSICAL QUANTITY DETECTING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A physical quality detecting device including: a detecting unit that detects a physical quantity supplied from the outside with photo-converting pixels which are two-dimensionally arranged, each of which has a selecting transistor for outputting a signal from the detecting unit to a signal line. In the physical quality detecting device, the selecting transistor is a depletion-type transistor. The signal line is selectively coupled to a reference voltage. | 12-01-2011 |
20120057042 | Solid-state image pickup device and signal processing method therefor - Solid-state image pickup device and processing method, with A/D conversion on pixel signals read from a pixel array part that effectively achieves reductions in power consumption, size and price while retaining a high-quality image output. The device includes a pixel array part, a CDS (correlated double sampling) circuit, and an A/D converter. A pixel signal read via a signal line is subjected to noise elimination processing in the CDS circuit, and is then inputted into the A/D converter. The A/D converter includes a ΔΣ modulator and a digital filter to perform highly accurate A/D conversion. The A/D converter can also be provided at the front stage of the CDS circuit. | 03-08-2012 |
20120105698 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA SYSTEM - A MOS type solid state imaging device having unit pixels, each having a photodiode a transfer transistor for transferring the signal of the photodiode to a floating node, an amplifier transistor for outputting the signal of the floating node to a vertical signal line, and a reset transistor for resetting the floating node. A gate voltage of the reset transistor is controlled by three values of a power source potential (for example 3V), a ground potential (0V), and a negative power source potential (for example −1V). | 05-03-2012 |
20120120293 | Solid-state imaging device and electronic equipment - A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels converting physical quantities into electric signals are arranged in a two-dimensional shape, a vertical signal line for reading signals from the pixels, and column circuits arranged corresponding to columns of the pixel unit and collecting the signals from the vertical signal line at the inside of the pixel unit. | 05-17-2012 |
20120132787 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged. The pixels each includes a photoelectric conversion section, a transfer transistor, a plurality of floating diffusion sections receiving a charge from the photoelectric conversion section through the transfer transistor, a reset transistor resetting the floating diffusion sections, a separating transistor performing on-off control of a connection between the plurality of floating diffusion sections, and an amplifying transistor outputting a signal corresponding to a potential of the floating diffusion sections. | 05-31-2012 |
20120153125 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT - A CMOS image sensor has an image array as a matrix of unit pixels each including at least a photodiode, a memory for holding a charge stored in the photodiode, a floating diffusion region for converting the charge in the memory into a voltage, a first transfer gate for transferring the charge from the photodiode to the memory, a second transfer gate for transferring the charge from the memory to the floating diffusion region, and a resetting transistor for resetting the charge in the floating diffusion region. The unit pixels are driven to set the potential of a potential barrier at a boundary between the memory and the floating diffusion region to a potential such that a charge overflowing the memory is transferred to the floating diffusion region, when the first transfer gate is turned on. The CMOS image sensor operates in a global shutter mode for capturing moving images. | 06-21-2012 |
20120175719 | X-Y ADDRESS TYPE SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein, and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. Wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced. | 07-12-2012 |
20120187518 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device in which a pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of a semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions and second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions e are arranged at uneven intervals. Respective second surface side regions and first surface side regions are joined in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. | 07-26-2012 |
20120200750 | SOLID-STATE PICKUP APPARATUS, ITS DRIVING METHOD AND CAMERA SYSTEM - There is used an XY address type solid-state image pickup element (for example, a MOS type image sensor) in which two rows and two columns are made a unit, and color filters having a color coding of repetition of the unit (repetition of two verticals (two horizontals) are arranged, and when a thinning-out read mode is specified, a clock frequency of a system is changed to 1/9, and on the basis of the changed clock frequency, a pixel is selected every three pixels in both a row direction and a column direction to successively read out a pixel signal. | 08-09-2012 |
20120236188 | PHYSICAL QUANTITY DETECTING DEVICE, SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A physical quantity detecting device includes a pixel array and a vertical driving circuit. In the pixel array, pixels each for converting a physical quantity supplied from the outside into an electric signal and storing the electric signal are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix. The vertical driving circuit scans a plurality of sets of read rows so that a storage time for each of the electric signals differs from one another and performs a shutter operation on a shutter row in synchronization with a readout operation performed on the corresponding set of read rows out of the plurality of sets of read rows during 1H period that is a unit of time of scanning. | 09-20-2012 |
20120256078 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME - Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: a pixel array section that pixels which detect a physical quantities are arranged in two dimensions of matrix; an AD converting section that performs AD (Analog-Digital) conversion for a plurality of channels of analog pixel signals which are read-out from the pixel array section; and a control section that sets quantized units AD-converted by the AD conversion section according to a gain setting of the unit pixel signal, wherein the control section determines the grayscale number of digital outputs AD-converted for at least one channel of the unit pixel signals according to the gain setting of the pixel signal. | 10-11-2012 |
20120267691 | X-Y ADDRESS TYPE SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein. and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced. | 10-25-2012 |
20120267692 | X-Y ADDRESS TYPE SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein. and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced. | 10-25-2012 |
20120268636 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS - In a solid-state image sensing apparatus of an addressing method, a clock-conversion part generates a high-speed clock signal having a frequency two times or more the frequency of a low-speed clock signal. A signal processing part receives 10-bit pixel data through a horizontal signal line, performs predetermined signal processing, and passes parallel-format data to a switching part. The switching part selects each one bit of the parallel-format 10-bit data in a predetermined sequence to output from an output terminal using the high-speed clock signal from the clock-conversion part as a switching command, thus converts the parallel-format data into serial-format data, and passes it to an output buffer. The output buffer externally outputs differential output of normal video data and inverted video data individually from output terminals. Accordingly, the problems in power consumption, noises, and unnecessary radiation are solved, and higher-speed output is achieved. | 10-25-2012 |
20120273912 | X-Y ADDRESS TYPE SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME - In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein. and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced. | 11-01-2012 |
20120286388 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed. | 11-15-2012 |
20120307118 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME, AND IMAGING DEVICE - a CMOS image sensor including a pixel array unit having pixels arranged in even-numbered pixel rows and odd-numbered pixel rows. A reading operation performed such that a first signal of a first pixel group is read in a first accumulation time, and a second signal of a second pixel group is read in a second accumulation time shorter than said first accumulation time. | 12-06-2012 |
20120326010 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME, AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array section including an array of pixels in a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels including a photoelectric conversion section configured to generate signal charges in accordance with an amount of light, a discharge section configured to receive an overflow of signal charges exceeding a saturation amount of charges during an exposure period, at least a first charge accumulation section configured to receive the signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion section after the exposure period, and a second charge accumulation section configured to receive the signal charges exceeding the saturation amount of charges, and a plurality of pixel transistors reading the signal charges; and a scanning section configured to scan the pixels so that accumulation periods for all the pixels are simultaneous in an accumulation period of the signal charges, and to selectively scan the pixels in sequence. | 12-27-2012 |
20120327281 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND DRIVING METHOD THEREFOR - An electronic apparatus includes: a pixel array section in which pixels including photoelectric conversion sections that generate signal charges corresponding to amounts of light, charge accumulation sections that receive the signal charges from the corresponding photoelectric conversion sections and that are shared thereby, and pixel transistors that read out the signal charges generated by the corresponding photoelectric conversion sections and that are shared thereby are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix; a solid-state image capture device including a scanner that can drive the pixels so that exposure periods of all of the pixels are simultaneously started, that can drive the pixels so that the exposure periods of all of the pixels are simultaneously ended, and that sequentially selects and scans the pixels in readout periods; and a mechanical shutter that determines an end of the exposure periods for still-image shooting. | 12-27-2012 |
20130033631 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING DEVICE - There is provided a solid-state imaging device including pixels configured to convert an electromagnetic wave into charge and output a signal corresponding a charge amount; and a pixel unit in which the pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, and a configuration of a part for converting the electromagnetic wave into the charge is the same in adjacent pixels, but a relation between the charge amount and a signal amount is allowed to differ between the adjacent pixels. | 02-07-2013 |
20130044245 | SOLID-STATE IMAGER DEVICE, DRIVE METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGER DEVICE AND CAMERA APPARATUS - In a case when a structure of forming a p+ layer on a substrate rear surface side is employed in order to prevent dark current generation from the silicon boundary surface, various problems occur. According to this invention, an insulation film | 02-21-2013 |
20130050554 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING METHOD, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a pixel unit including a pixel disposed in a plane and a driving unit. The pixel includes an accumulating section configured to detect a physical quantity, and accumulate a charge corresponding to the physical quantity, a transfer section configured to transfer the charge from the accumulating section, a converting section configured to convert the charge into a voltage, an output section configured to output a signal of the voltage converted by the converting section, a reset section configured to reset the potential of the converting section, and a connecting section connected to the converting section. The driving unit is configured to transfer a signal for giving an instruction to transfer the charge, and a connecting signal for controlling connection and non-connection. The driving unit makes the charge transferred in a state of the converting sections being connected to each other. | 02-28-2013 |
20130140442 | AMPLIFYING CIRCUIT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD, SOLID-STATE IMAGING ELEMENT, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging element including: a photoelectric conversion section configured to generate a charge according to received light; and a plurality of active elements configured to perform predetermined operation on the charge generated in the photoelectric conversion section, wherein a part of a gate electrode possessed by one of the active elements has a projection part buried in a substrate in which the photoelectric conversion section is formed. Thus, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of noise, and provide excellent image quality with a smaller area. | 06-06-2013 |
20130171760 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back-side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back-side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed. | 07-04-2013 |
20130264619 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region on an upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a second conductive region below the first conductive region on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device further includes a photoelectric conversion region including the first conductive region located on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate and the second conductive region and a transfer transistor transferring charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion region to a readout region; and a pixel including the photoelectric conversion region and the transfer transistor. The first conductive region, which is included in the photoelectric conversion region, extends to the lower side of a sidewall of a gate electrode of the transfer transistor. | 10-10-2013 |
20130265471 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is capable of simplifying the pixel structure to reduce the pixel size and capable of suppressing the variation in the characteristics between the pixels when a plurality of output systems is provided. A unit cell ( | 10-10-2013 |
20130300905 | SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE, MOS TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, CAMERA AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF CAMERA - A back-illuminated type MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) solid-state image pickup device in which micro pads are formed on the wiring layer side and a signal processing chip having micro pads formed on the wiring layer at the positions corresponding to the micro pads of the MOS solid-state image pickup device are connected by micro bumps. In a semiconductor module including the MOS type solid-state image pickup device, at the same time an image processing speed can be increased, simultaneity within the picture can be realized and image quality can be improved, a manufacturing process can be facilitated, and a yield can be improved. Also, it becomes possible to decrease a power consumption required when all pixels or a large number of pixels is driven at the same time. | 11-14-2013 |
20130320473 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device in which a pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of a semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions and second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions e are arranged at uneven intervals. Respective second surface side regions and first surface side regions are joined in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. | 12-05-2013 |
20130342728 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - A solid-state image capturing device includes: a pixel array unit including plural pixels each converting light selectively incident through a mechanical shutter into charges to be stored in a storage portion and having an overflow path through which charges exceeding a saturation charge amount are discharged; and a driving unit starting an exposure by simultaneously resetting all pixels of the pixel array unit, maintaining the overflow path in an opened state during the exposure period, and closing the overflow path during a period while signals are read from the pixels after ending the exposure by closing the mechanical shutter. | 12-26-2013 |
20140001338 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVE CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME | 01-02-2014 |
20140008703 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND CAMERA WITH ALTERNATELY ARRANGED PIXEL COMBINATIONS - A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region on an upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a second conductive region below the first conductive region on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device further includes a photoelectric conversion region including the first conductive region located on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate and the second conductive region and a transfer transistor transferring charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion region to a readout region; and a pixel including the photoelectric conversion region and the transfer transistor. The first conductive region, which is included in the photoelectric conversion region, extends to the lower side of a sidewall of a gate electrode of the transfer transistor. | 01-09-2014 |
20140014822 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state image pickup device including a plurality of pixels and a scanning unit. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element and a charge accumulation region. The scanning unit is configured to read a first signal from a charge accumulation region. The scanning unit is configured to read a second signal from the charge accumulation region. The first signal corresponds to an accumulation of signal charges during a first period, while the second signal corresponds to another accumulation of signal charges during a second period. | 01-16-2014 |
20140022428 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA SYSTEM - An MOS type solid state imaging device in which unit pixels | 01-23-2014 |
20140036115 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array section and a signal processing section. The pixel array section is configured to include a plurality of arranged rectangular pixels, each of which has different sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a plurality of adjacent ones of which are combined to form a square pixel having the same size in the vertical and horizontal directions. The signal processing section is configured to perform a process of outputting, as a single signal, a plurality of signals read out from the combined plurality of rectangular pixels. | 02-06-2014 |
20140038342 | BACK-ILLUMINATED TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A method for manufacturing a back-illuminated type solid-state imaging device by (a) providing a substrate having, on a front surface side thereof, a semiconductor film on a semiconductor substrate with an insulation film therebetween; (b) forming in the semiconductor substrate a charge accumulation portion of a photoelectric conversion element that constitutes a pixel; (c) forming in the semiconductor film at least some transistors that constitute the pixel; and (d) forming on a rear surface side of the semiconductor substrate a rear surface electrode to which a voltage can be applied. | 02-06-2014 |
20140042302 | SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR, METHOD FOR DRIVING A SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid state image sensor includes a pixel array, as well as charge-to-voltage converters, reset gates, and amplifiers each shared by a plurality of pixels in the array. The voltage level of the reset gate power supply is set higher than the voltage level of the amplifier power supply. Additionally, charge overflowing from photodetectors in the pixels may be discarded into the charge-to-voltage converters. The image sensor may also include a row scanner configured such that, while scanning a row in the pixel array to read out signals therefrom, the row scanner resets the charge in the photodetectors of the pixels sharing a charge-to-voltage converter with pixels on the readout row. The charge reset is conducted simultaneously with or prior to reading out the signals from the pixels on the readout row. | 02-13-2014 |
20140043514 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOR - The device includes an pixel array part having a plurality of unit pixels, a CDS (correlated double sampling) circuit, and an A/D converter. A pixel signal read from a pixel array part via a signal line is subjected to CDS processing (noise elimination processing) in the CDS circuit, and then this pixel signal is inputted into the A/D converter which performs A/D conversion on the pixel signal. The A/D converter includes a ΔΣ modulator and a digital filter to perform highly accurate A/D conversion. The invention can also be applied to a construction in which an A/D converter is provided at the front stage of the CDS circuit. | 02-13-2014 |
20140077068 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A solid-state imaging device in which the potential of a signal line, which is obtained before a pixel has an operating period, is fixed to an intermediate potential between a first power-supply potential and a second power-supply potential. | 03-20-2014 |
20140084143 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion section configured to generate photocharges and a transfer gate that transfers the photocharges to a semiconductor region. A method for driving a unit pixel includes a step of accumulating photocharges in a photoelectric conversion section and a step of accumulating the photocharges in a semiconductor region. A method of forming a solid-state imaging device includes implanting ions into a well layer through an opening in a mask, implanting additional ions into the well layer through an opening in another mask, and implanting other ions into the well layer through an opening in yet another mask. An electronic device includes the solid-state imaging device. | 03-27-2014 |
20140104471 | SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE, MOS TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, CAMERA AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF CAMERA - A back-illuminated type MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) solid-state image pickup device | 04-17-2014 |
20140151533 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVE METHOD THEREOF AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes: plural photodiodes formed in different depths in a unit pixel area of a substrate; and plural vertical transistors formed in the depth direction from one face side of the substrate so that gate portions for reading signal charges obtained by photoelectric conversion in the plural photodiodes are formed in depths corresponding to the respective photodiodes. | 06-05-2014 |
20140183604 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged. The pixels each includes a photoelectric conversion section, a transfer transistor, a plurality of floating diffusion sections receiving a charge from the photoelectric conversion section through the transfer transistor, a reset transistor resetting the floating diffusion sections, a separating transistor performing on-off control of a connection between the plurality of floating diffusion sections, and an amplifying transistor outputting a signal corresponding to a potential of the floating diffusion sections. | 07-03-2014 |
20140242745 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units configured to receive light and generate signal charge, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units being provided in such a manner as to correspond to a plurality of pixels in a pixel area of a semiconductor substrate; and pixel transistors configured to output the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units as electrical signals. Each of the pixel transistors includes at least a transfer transistor that transfers the signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit to a floating diffusion corresponding to a drain. A gate electrode of the transfer transistor is formed in such a manner as to extend with a gate insulating film in between from a channel formed area to a portion where the photoelectric conversion unit has been formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. | 08-28-2014 |
20140312444 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device in which a pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of a semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions and second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions e are arranged at uneven intervals. Respective second surface side regions and first surface side regions are joined in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. | 10-23-2014 |
20140327802 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING ELEMENT, DRIVING METHOD OF THE SAME, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME - A pixel includes detection portions which detect transferred charges, a reset portion which resets the plurality of detection portions, a connection/separation control portion which controls connection and separation of the detection portions, and an output portion which outputs a signal corresponding to the potential of a detection portion. In a state where the connection/separation control portion connects the detection portions, the output portion outputs a connection-state reset level signal and a connection-state output signal and, in a state where the connection/separation control portion separates the detection portions, the output portion outputs a separation-state reset level signal and a separation-state output signal. A first pixel signal is generated by a difference between the connection-state reset level signal and the connection-state output signal, and a second pixel signal is generated by a difference between the separation-state reset level signal and the separation-state output signal. | 11-06-2014 |
20140347539 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device in which a pixel circuit formed on the first surface side of a semiconductor substrate is shared by a plurality of light reception regions and second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is the light incident side of the light reception regions. The second surface side regions of the light reception regions are arranged at approximately even intervals and the first surface side regions of the light reception regions e are arranged at uneven intervals. Respective second surface side regions and first surface side regions are joined in the semiconductor substrate so that the light reception regions extend from the second surface side to the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. | 11-27-2014 |
20150041871 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, CAMERA, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is provided, which includes a photodiode having a first conductivity type semiconductor area that is dividedly formed for each pixel; a first conductivity type transfer gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating layer in an area neighboring the photodiode, and transmitting signal charges generated and accumulated in the photodiode; a signal reading unit reading a voltage which corresponds to the signal charge or the signal charge; and an inversion layer induction electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via the gate insulating layer in an area covering a portion or the whole of the photodiode, and composed of a conductor or a semiconductor having a work function. An inversion layer is induced, which is formed by accumulating a second conductivity type carrier on a surface of the inversion layer induction electrode side of the semiconductor area through the inversion layer induction electrode. | 02-12-2015 |
20150076323 | SOLID STATE IMAGING ELEMENT, DRIVING METHOD OF SOLID STATE IMAGING ELEMENT, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid state imaging element including a drive circuit and a pixel unit with pixels arranged in a matrix form. The pixels include a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert light incident thereupon into a charge and to accumulate the charge, a charge holding unit connected to the photoelectric conversion element, and a floating diffusion region. The drive circuit transfers a first portion of the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to the charge holding unit and concurrently transfers a second portion of the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to the floating diffusion region. Electronic global shutter is realized by transferring charge from the photoelectric conversion elements of each of the pixels at substantially the same time. | 03-19-2015 |