# US 10,770,503 B2 · Solid-state imaging element and electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,503 B2 - Document ID: US10770503B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/086,670 - Filed: 2017-03-17 - Published: 2019-04-11 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Kyosuke Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770503B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H04N 1/0009: {Storage} - H04N 21/42692: {for reading from or writing on a volatile storage medium, e.g. Random Access Memory [RAM]} - H10F 39/192: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F 39/8033: {Photosensitive area} - H10F 39/80373: {characterised by the gate of the transistor} - H10F 39/812: {Arrangements for transferring the charges in the image sensor perpendicular to the imaging plane, e.g. buried regions used to transfer generated charges to circuitry under the photosensitive region} - H10F 39/813: {Electronic components shared by multiple pixels, e.g. one amplifier shared by two pixels} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An imaging device and an electronic apparatus including an imaging device are provided. The imaging device includes a substrate and a first pixel including a first region of a first photoelectric conversion element, a first region of a second photoelectric conversion element, wherein the first and second photoelectric conversion elements are formed in the substrate, and a first vertical transistor connected to the first region of the first photoelectric conversion element. A second pixel includes a second region of the first photoelectric conversion element, a second region of the second photoelectric conversion element, and a second vertical transistor connected to the second region of the first photoelectric conversion element. The imaging device also includes a first floating diffusion. The first floating diffusion stores charges from the first and second regions of the first photoelectric conversion element in the first and second pixels. The imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion film disposed above the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging device, comprising: a substrate; a first pixel, including: a first region of a first photoelectric conversion element, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is formed in the substrate; a first region of a second photoelectric conversion element, wherein the second photoelectric conversion element is formed in the substrate; and a first vertical transistor connected to the first region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a second pixel including: a second region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a second region of the second photoelectric conversion element; and a second vertical transistor connected to the second region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a first floating diffusion, wherein the first floating diffusion stores charges from the first and second regions of the first photoelectric conversion element in the first and second pixels; a photoelectric conversion film disposed below the substrate; and a first through electrode, wherein the first through electrode extends from a first side of the substrate to a second side of the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the first floating diffusion is between the first vertical transistor of the first pixel and the second vertical transistor of the second pixel in a cross-section view. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is disposed below the second photoelectric conversion element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising: a third pixel, including: a third region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a third region of the second photoelectric conversion element; and a third vertical transistor connected to the third portion of the first photoelectric conversion element; and a second floating diffusion, wherein the second floating diffusion stores charges from the second region of the second photoelectric conversion element of the second pixel and the third region of the second photoelectric conversion element of the third pixel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The imaging device of claim 4, wherein the third region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the third pixel is formed between a light incident surface of the substrate and the third vertical transistor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The imaging device of claim 4, further comprising: a fourth pixel, including: a fourth region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a fourth region of the second photoelectric conversion element; and a fourth vertical transistor connected to the fourth region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a fifth pixel, including: a fifth region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a fifth region of the second photoelectric conversion element; and a fifth vertical transistor connected to the fifth region of the first photoelectric conversion element, wherein the first floating diffusion is additionally shared by the fourth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the fourth pixel and the fifth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the fifth pixel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The imaging device of claim 6, wherein a portion of the third region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the third pixel is formed between a light incident surface of the substrate and the third vertical transistor of the third pixel, wherein a portion of the fourth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the fourth pixel is formed between the light incident surface of the substrate and the fourth vertical transistor of the fourth pixel, and wherein a portion of the fifth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the fifth pixel is formed between the light incident surface of the substrate and the fifth vertical transistor of the fifth pixel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The imaging device of claim 6, further comprising: a sixth pixel, including: a sixth region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a sixth region of the second photoelectric conversion element; and a sixth vertical transistor for the sixth region of the first photoelectric conversion element, wherein the second floating diffusion is additionally shared by the fifth region of the second photoelectric conversion element of the fifth pixel and the sixth region of the second photoelectric conversion element of the sixth pixel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging device of claim 8, wherein a portion of the third region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the third pixel is formed between a light incident surface of the substrate and the third vertical transistor of the third pixel, wherein a portion of the fourth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the fourth pixel is formed between the light incident surface of the substrate and the fourth vertical transistor of the fourth pixel, wherein a portion of the fifth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the fifth pixel is formed between the light incident surface of the substrate and the fifth vertical transistor of the fifth pixel, wherein a portion of the sixth region of the first photoelectric conversion element of the sixth pixel is formed between the light incident surface of the substrate and the sixth vertical of the sixth pixel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The imaging device of claim 8, wherein the first floating diffusion is in a region between the first, second, fourth, and fifth vertical transistors of the first, second, fourth, and fifth pixels in a plan view. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The imaging device of claim 10, wherein the second floating diffusion is in a region between the second, third, fifth, and sixth regions of the second photoelectric conversion elements of the second, third, fifth, and sixth pixels in the plan view. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The imaging device of claim 11, wherein the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion are disposed along a line that extends between the second pixel and the fifth pixel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The imaging device of claim 12, wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth pixels includes at least one vertical transistor for a corresponding connection to one of the regions of the second photoelectric conversion element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The imaging device of claim 13, wherein each vertical transistor is at least partially formed on a surface of the substrate that is opposite a light incident surface of the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The imaging device of claim 8, wherein the first floating diffusion is coupled to the second floating diffusion by a wiring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The imaging device of claim 15, wherein the wiring is disposed between the second pixel and the fifth pixel in a plan view. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The imaging device of claim 16, wherein the photoelectric conversion film is sensitive to a green component of incident light. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is between the photoelectric conversion film and the second photoelectric conversion element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the first through electrode is connected to a bottom electrode disposed on a side of the photoelectric conversion film. ### Claim 20 An electronic apparatus, comprising: an imaging device, including: a substrate; a first pixel, including: a first region of a first photoelectric conversion element, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is formed in the substrate; a first region of a second photoelectric conversion element, wherein the second photoelectric conversion element is formed in the substrate; and a first vertical transistor connected to the first region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a second pixel, including: a second region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a second region of the second photoelectric conversion element; and a second vertical transistor connected to the second region of the first photoelectric conversion element; a first floating diffusion, wherein the first floating diffusion stores charges from the first and second regions of the first photoelectric conversion element of the first and second pixels; a photoelectric conversion film disposed below the substrate; and a first through electrode, wherein the first through electrode extends from a first side of the substrate to a second side of the substrate; and a controller, wherein the controller controls operation of the imaging device.