# US 2010/0165167 A1 · Solid-state imaging apparatus, driving method of the same and imaging system

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- Number: US 2010/0165167 A1
- Document ID: US20100165167A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/637,816
- Filed: 2009-12-15
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-26
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Shuichiro Sugiyama; Yuichiro Yamashita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165167A1

## CPC

- H04N 25/00: Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
- H04N 25/626: Reduction of noise due to residual charges remaining after image readout, e.g. to remove ghost images or afterimages
- H04N 25/63: applied to dark current
- H04N 25/766: comprising control or output lines used for a plurality of functions, e.g. for pixel output, driving, reset or power
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A solid-state imaging apparatus has a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element for converting incident light to an electric charge; an accumulating element accumulating the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element; a first transfer element for transferring the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element; a second transfer element for transferring the electric charge accumulated in the accumulating element to a floating diffusion region; and an amplifying element for amplifying the electric charge in the floating diffusion region, wherein the first transfer element transfers the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element a plurality of times and causes the accumulating element to cumulatively accumulate the electric charge transferred the plurality of times.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solid-state imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the pixels comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element for converting an incident light into an electric charge;
an accumulating element for accumulating the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element;
a first transfer element for transferring the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element;
a second transfer element for transferring the electric charge accumulated in the accumulating element to a floating diffusion region; and
an amplifying element for amplifying the electric charge in the floating diffusion region, wherein
the first transfer element transfers, at a plurality of times, the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element, and the accumulating element accumulates cumulatively the electric charge transferred at the plurality of times.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the pixel has a potential profile such that, during a period between the plural times of transferring by the first transfer element, a potential barrier between the first transfer element and photoelectric conversion element is lower than all of potential barriers between the other elements and photoelectric conversion element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a period T of single time of transferring by the first transfer element is 100 μsec or shorter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a period T of single time of transferring by the first transfer element is 10 μsec or shorter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a period T of single time of transferring by the first transfer element is in a range: 1 μsec<T<1 μsec.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a maximum quantity of the electric charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element is smaller than a maximum quantity of the electric charge accumulated in the accumulating element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An imaging system comprising:
the solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1;
an optical unit for focusing an optical image onto the imaging apparatus; and
a signal processing unit for processing a signal outputted from the optical unit.

### Claim 8

A solid-state imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the pixels comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element for converting an incident light into an electric charge;
a first transfer element for transferring at a plurality of times the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element an accumulating element for accumulating cumulatively the electric charge transferred at the plurality of times by the first transfer element;
a second transfer element for transferring the electric charge accumulating cumulatively in the accumulating element;
a floating diffusion region accumulating the electric charge transferred at the second transfer element; and
an amplifying element for amplifying the electric charge in the floating diffusion region.

### Claim 9

A driving method of a solid-state imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the pixels comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element for converting an incident light into an electric charge;
an accumulating element for accumulating the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element;
a first transfer element for transferring the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element;
a second transfer element for transferring the electric charge accumulated in the accumulating element to a floating diffusion region; and
an amplifying element for amplifying the electric charge in the floating diffusion region, wherein the method comprising steps of:
transferring by the first transfer element, at a plurality of times, the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element; and
accumulating by the accumulating element cumulatively the electric charge transferred at the plurality of times.