Solid-state imaging device and line sensor

A solid-state imaging device comprising:

• a pixel portion generating electrical charges according to an amount of received incident light;
• a charge detecting portion to which the electrical charges generated in the pixel portion are transferred and which causes a voltage drop corresponding to the amount of the transferred electrical charges to occur;
• a transfer gate portion reading the electrical charges stored in the pixel portion and transferring the electrical charges to the charge detecting portion;
• and
• an offset gate portion provided between the transfer gate portion and the charge detecting portion and applied with a predetermined constant voltage,
• wherein the offset gate portion includes an offset gate layer that is provided on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and has a plurality of projections at positions adjacent to the transfer gate portion and an offset gate electrode that is formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, including the offset gate layer.

A line sensor comprising:

• a circuit board;
• a plurality of solid-state imaging devices disposed in a straight line form on a surface of the circuit board;
• a light guiding member disposed above the surface of the circuit board so as to emit light to a subject;
• and
• a lens array disposed above the surface of the circuit board so as to focus the light reflected from the subject on the plurality of solid-state imaging devices,
• wherein each of the plurality of solid-state imaging devices includes:
• a pixel portion generating electrical charges according to an amount of received incident light;
• a charge storage portion storing the electrical charges generated in the pixel portion;
• a first transfer gate portion reading the electrical charges from the pixel portion and transferring the electrical charges to the charge storage portion;
• a charge detecting portion to which the electrical charges stored in the charge storage portion are transferred and which causes a voltage drop corresponding to the amount of the transferred electrical charges to occur;
• a second transfer gate portion reading the electrical charges stored in the charge storage portion and transferring the electrical charges to the charge detecting portion;
• and
• an offset gate portion provided between the second transfer gate portion and the charge detecting portion and applied with a predetermined constant voltage, and
• wherein the offset gate portion includes an offset gate layer that is provided on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and has a plurality of projections at positions adjacent to the second transfer gate portion and an offset gate electrode that is formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, including the offset gate layer.