# US 10,770,491 B2 · Imaging device including photoelectric converter and capacitor with a capacitor and a switching element connected in series between a first electrode of a photoelectric converter and a voltage source or a ground

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- Number: US 10,770,491 B2
- Document ID: US10770491B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/401,974
- Filed: 2019-05-02
- Published: 2019-08-22
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-26
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masashi Murakami; Kazuko Nishimura; Yutaka Abe; Yoshiyuki Matsunaga; Yoshihiro Sato; Junji Hirase
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770491B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements}
- H04N 25/65: applied to reset noise, e.g. KTC noise related to CMOS structures by techniques other than CDS
- H10F 39/026: {Wafer-level processing}
- H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors
- H10F 39/191: {Photoconductor image sensors}
- H10K 39/32: Organic image sensors
- H10F 39/811: {Interconnections}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES

## Abstract

An imaging device includes a photoelectric converter that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first transistor that has a gate connected to the first electrode, and a first capacitor and a switching element that are connected, in series, between the first electrode and either a voltage source or a ground.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An imaging device comprising:
a photoelectric converter that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a first transistor that has a gate connected to the first electrode; and
a first capacitor and a switching element that are connected, in series, between the first electrode and either a voltage source or a ground.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a first conversion gain in a first mode in which the switching element is in OFF-state is greater than a second conversion gain in a second mode in which the switching element is in ON-state.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a first S/N ratio in a first mode in which the switching element is in OFF-state is greater than a second S/N ratio in a second mode in which the switching element is in ON-state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a first sensitivity in a first mode in which the switching element is in OFF-state is greater than a second sensitivity in a second mode in which the switching element is in ON-state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit that causes the switching element to be switched between ON-state and OFF-state.

### Claim 6

An imaging device comprising:
a photoelectric converter that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a charge storage unit for storing signal charges generated by the photoelectric converter;
a first transistor for resetting a potential of the charge storage unit; and
a first capacitor and a switching element that are connected, in series, between the charge storage unit and either a voltage source or a ground.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The imaging device according to claim 6, further comprising a second transistor that has a gate connected to the charge storage unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein a first conversion gain in a first mode in which the switching element is in OFF-state is greater than a second conversion gain in a second mode in which the switching element is in ON-state.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein a first S/N ratio in a first mode in which the switching element is in OFF-state is greater than a second S/N ratio in a second mode in which the switching element is in ON-state.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein a first sensitivity in a first mode in which the switching element is in OFF-state is greater than a second sensitivity in a second mode in which the switching element is in ON-state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The imaging device according to claim 6, further comprising a control circuit that causes the switching element to be switched between ON-state and OFF-state.