Solid-state imaging device and imaging method

An imaging method that uses a solid-state imaging device including an imaging element array that includes M (M≥2) imaging elements arranged in a first direction and N (N≥2) imaging elements arranged in a second direction different from the first direction, that is, M×N imaging elements in total, each of the imaging elements including a photoelectric conversion unit that includes:

• a photoelectric conversion layer,
• an insulation layer in contact with a first surface of the photoelectric conversion layer,
• a charge discharge electrode in contact with the first surface of the photoelectric conversion layer,
• an upper electrode in contact with a second surface of the photoelectric conversion layer on a side opposite to the first surface and receiving incident light, and
• a charge accumulation electrode facing the first surface of the photoelectric conversion layer via the insulation layer, wherein
• the charge accumulation electrode is away from the charge discharge electrode,
• the photoelectric conversion layer is a common layer for at least one of the N imaging elements in the second direction and constituting the imaging element array,
• the photoelectric conversion unit of each of the imaging elements further including:
• a first charge transfer control electrode and a second charge transfer control electrode face the first surface of the photoelectric conversion layer via the insulation layer, wherein each of the first charge transfer control electrode and the second charge transfer control electrode is away from the charge discharge electrode and the charge accumulation electrode, and
• a light shielding layer, wherein
• the photoelectric conversion layer includes:
• a photoelectric conversion layer-first region that faces the charge accumulation electrode,
• a photoelectric conversion layer-second region that faces the first charge transfer control electrode, and
• a photoelectric conversion layer-third region that faces the second charge transfer control electrode, and
• the light shielding layer covers at least one of the photoelectric conversion layer-second region or the photoelectric conversion layer-third region,
• the imaging method, comprising:
• after each of the imaging elements discharges charges remaining in the photoelectric conversion layer-first region by an operation of the charge discharge electrode,
• applying light to the photoelectric conversion layer of each of the imaging elements with a voltage kept being applied to the upper electrode and the charge accumulation electrode to accumulate charges in the photoelectric conversion layer-first region of each of the imaging elements;
• transferring the charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion layer-first region in each of the imaging elements to the photoelectric conversion layer-second region;
• accumulating the transferred charges in addition to charges already accumulated in the photoelectric conversion layer-second region;
• and
• transferring the charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion layer-second region of an nth (n:
• any positive integer ranging from 1 to (N−1)) imaging element included in the N imaging elements arranged in the second direction to the photoelectric conversion layer-second region of an (n+1)th imaging element based on an operation of the second charge transfer control electrode.