Method for production of solid-state imaging elements, solid-state imaging element, and imaging apparatus

A solid-state imaging element having pixels, each including a sensor section that performs photoelectric conversion and a charge transfer section that transfers charges generated by said sensor section, said solid-state imaging element comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a transfer gate constituting said charge transfer section on the surface of said semiconductor substrate;
• a charge accumulating region of the first conduction type which constitutes said sensor section;
• a first impurity region of the second conduction type which is formed on the surface of said semiconductor substrate at said sensor section;
• a second impurity region of the second conduction type which has a lower impurity concentration than said first impurity region of the second conduction type, said second impurity region being formed on said charge accumulating region and under said first impurity region of the second conduction type and extending under said transfer gate;
• and
• an impurity region of the first conduction type which is formed by self-alignment with said second impurity region of the second conduction type.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light collecting section configured to collect incident light;
• a solid-state imaging element having pixels, each including a sensor section that performs photoelectric conversion and a charge transfer section that transfers charges generated by said sensor section, said solid-state imaging element including (a) a semiconductor substrate, (b) a transfer gate constituting said charge transfer section on the surface of said semiconductor substrate, (c) a charge accumulating region of the first conduction type which constitutes said sensor section, (d) a first impurity region of the second conduction type which is formed on the surface of said semiconductor substrate at said sensor section, (e) a second impurity region of the second conduction type which has a lower impurity concentration than said first impurity region of the second conduction type, said second impurity region being formed on said charge accumulating region and under said first impurity region of the second conduction type and extending under said transfer gate, and (f) an impurity region of the first conduction type which is formed by self-alignment with said second impurity region of the second conduction type;
• and
• a signal processing section configured to process signals resulting from photoelectric conversion by said solid-state imaging element.