Semiconductor device
AssigneeRenesas Electronics Corporation
InventorsShunsuke OKURA, Fukashi MORISHITA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention makes it possible to read a pixel signal at high speed. A pixel array includes a plurality of pixels that store an electrical charge. The amount of stored electrical charge is based on the amount of received light. A first pixel current source and a second pixel current source are coupled in parallel between a ground voltage and a pixel output node on a pixel signal read line. A switch is disposed in a wiring path that couples the pixel output node, the second pixel current source, and the ground voltage.
Claims10
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a pixel array having a plurality of pixels that store an electrical charge based on the amount of received light;
- a pixel signal read line that is coupled to the pixels;
- a first pixel current source and a second pixel current source that are coupled in parallel between a ground voltage and a pixel output node on the pixel signal read line;
- and
- a switch that is disposed in a wiring path that couples the pixel output node, the second pixel current source, and the ground voltage.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a pixel array having a plurality of pixels that store an electrical charge based on the amount of received light;
- a pixel signal read line that is coupled to the pixels;
- a pixel current source that is disposed between a ground voltage and a pixel output node on the pixel signal read line;
- and
- a switch that is coupled to a control electrode of the pixel current source;
- wherein the switch applies either a first bias voltage or a second bias voltage to the control electrode, the second bias voltage being higher than the first bias voltage.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a pixel array having a plurality of pixels that store an electrical charge based on the amount of received light;
- a pixel signal read line that is coupled to the pixels;
- a pixel current source that is disposed between a ground voltage and a pixel output node on the pixel signal read line;
- and
- a switch that is disposed between the pixel output node and a precharge voltage.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a pixel array having a plurality of pixels that store an electrical charge based on the amount of received light, the pixels each including:
- a photoelectric conversion element that stores the electrical charge based on the amount of received light;
- a diffusion section that generates a voltage corresponding to the electrical charge stored in the photoelectric conversion element;
- a transfer transistor that transfers the electrical charge stored in the photoelectric conversion element to the diffusion section;
- and an amplifying transistor that has a gate coupled to the diffusion section, a drain coupled to a power supply voltage line, and a source;
- a pixel signal read line that is coupled to the pixels;
- a pixel current source that is disposed between a ground voltage and a pixel output node on the pixel signal read line;
- a diode element that is disposed between a power supply voltage and a detection node coupled to the drain of the amplifying transistor through the power supply voltage line;
- and
- an amplifier that amplifies the difference between a reference voltage and the voltage of the detection node;
- wherein an output from the amplifier is input to a control electrode of the pixel current source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.