Linear image sensor

A linear image sensor including a plurality of photoelectric converting device lines, each of which has a plurality of photoelectric converting devices provided linearly on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

• a first electric charge transfer section for transferring an electric charge from the photoelectric converting device in such a direction as to cross a vertical direction of the photoelectric converting device;
• a second electric charge transfer section for transferring an electric charge from the first electric charge transfer section in the vertical direction of the photoelectric converting device;
• and
• an output section for outputting a signal corresponding to an electric charge transferred by the second electric charge transfer section,
• wherein the photoelectric converting devices included in the adjacent photoelectric converting device lines are provided with a shift of an approximately ½ pitch between the photoelectric converting devices in the photoelectric converting device line in the vertical direction of the photoelectric converting device from each other,
• the first electric charge transfer section includes a first electric charge transfer channel formed on the semiconductor substrate corresponding to the photoelectric converting devices included in at least one photoelectric converting device line and a plurality of first electric charge transfer electrodes formed to cross each of the electric charge transfer channels as seen on a plane, and
• the first electric charge transfer channel is formed close to the photoelectric converting device to take a winding shape extended in such a direction as to cross the vertical direction of the photoelectric converting device as a whole.