Solid-state image pickup device and method of driving the same
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorKazuyoshi Yamashita
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Imaging sensors, imaging apparatuses, and methods of driving an image sensor are provided. An image sensor can include a semiconductor substrate with a photoelectric conversion element and a charge-conversion element. The sensor can further include a capacitance switch. A charge accumulation element is located adjacent the photoelectric conversion element. At least a portion of the charge accumulation element overlaps a charge accumulation region of the photoelectric conversion element. The charge accumulation element is selectively connected to the charge-voltage conversion element by the capacitance switch.
Claims18
An image sensor, comprising:
- a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in a semiconductor substrate;
- a transfer transistor;
- a floating diffusion region configured to receive, through the transfer transistor, an electric charge from a photoelectric conversion element of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;
- and
- a capacitor that overlaps a region of the photoelectric conversion element, wherein
- the photoelectric conversion element is configured to receive light from a first surface of the semiconductor substrate,
- the capacitor is on a second surface of the semiconductor substrate, and
- the second surface is opposite to the first surface.
An image sensor, comprising:
- a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in a semiconductor substrate;
- a transfer transistor;
- a floating diffusion region configured to receive, through the transfer transistor, an electric charge from a photoelectric conversion element of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;
- and
- a wiring layer including a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein
- the first electrode faces the second electrode,
- the photoelectric conversion element is configured to receive light from a first surface of the semiconductor substrate,
- the first electrode is on a second surface of the semiconductor substrate,
- the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and
- the first electrode overlaps a region of the photoelectric conversion element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.