Solid-state imaging device, method for driving solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus

A method for driving a solid-state imaging device having

• a pixel part in which pixels for performing photoelectric conversion are arranged, and
• a reading circuit which reads out pixel signals from the pixels in the pixel part, wherein
• each pixel includes
• a photoelectric conversion circuit which accumulates a charge generated by photoelectric conversion in an integration period,
• a transfer circuit capable of transferring the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion circuit in a transfer period after the integration period,
• an output node formed by a floating diffusion to which the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion circuit is transferred through the transfer circuit,
• an output buffer part which converts the charge at the output node to a voltage signal corresponding to a quantity of the charge and outputs the converted voltage signal,
• a comparator which performs comparison processing for comparing the voltage signal of the output buffer part and a reference voltage and outputting a digitized comparison result signal, and
• a memory part for storing data corresponding to the comparison result signal of the comparator,
• the method for driving a solid-state imaging device comprising
• when reading out the pixel signals of the pixels, in the comparator, under the control of the reading circuit, performing
• a first comparison processing for outputting a digitized first comparison result signal with respect to the voltage signal corresponding to an overflow charge overflowing from the photoelectric conversion circuit to the output node in the integration period, and
• a second comparison processing for outputting a digitized second comparison result signal with respect to the voltage signal corresponding to the accumulated charge of the photoelectric conversion circuit transferred to the output node in the transfer period after the integration period and,
• in the first comparison processing, starting an analog-to-digital (AD) conversion processing for comparing the voltage signal of the output buffer part and the reference voltage and outputting the digitized comparison result signal, with a delay from a starting time of the first comparison processing.

An electronic apparatus, comprising

• a solid-state imaging device, and
• a lens for forming a subject image in the solid-state imaging device, wherein
• the solid-state imaging device has
• a pixel part in which pixels for performing photoelectric conversion are arranged and
• a reading circuit which reads out pixel signals from the pixels in the pixel part,
• each pixel includes
• a photoelectric conversion circuit which accumulates a charge generated by photoelectric conversion in an integration period,
• a transfer circuit capable of transferring the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion circuit in a transfer period after the integration period,
• an output node formed by a floating diffusion to which the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion circuit is transferred through the transfer circuit,
• an output buffer part which converts the charge at the output node to a voltage signal corresponding to a quantity of the charge and outputs the converted voltage signal,
• a comparator which performs comparison processing comparing the voltage signal of the output buffer part and a reference voltage and outputting a digitized comparison result signal, and
• a memory part for storing data corresponding to the comparison result signal of the comparator, and
• the comparator, under the control of the reading circuit, performs
• a first comparison processing for outputting a digitized first comparison result signal with respect to the voltage signal corresponding to an overflow charge overflowing from the photoelectric conversion circuit to the output node in the integration period, and
• a second comparison processing for outputting a digitized second comparison result signal with respect to the voltage signal corresponding to the accumulated charge of the photoelectric conversion circuit transferred to the output node in the transfer period after the integration period, and
• in the first comparison processing, starts an analog-to-digital (AD) conversion processing for comparing the voltage signal of the output buffer part and the reference voltage and outputting the digitized comparison result signal, with a delay from a starting time of the first comparison processing.