# US 2021/0243400 A1 · Photoelectric conversion device, photoelectric conversion system, and moving body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0243400 A1 - Document ID: US20210243400A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/158,986 - Filed: 2021-01-26 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Mahito Shinohara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243400A1 ## CPC - G01C 3/02: Details - H04N 25/63: applied to dark current - H04N 25/773: comprising photon counting circuits, e.g. single photon detection [SPD] or single photon avalanche diodes [SPAD] - H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes} - H10F 39/8033: {Photosensitive area} - H10F 39/80377: {characterised by the channel of the transistor, e.g. channel having a doping gradient} - G01C 3/08: Use of electric radiation detectors - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract Provided is a photoelectric conversion device including: at least one charge holding portion including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and configured to hold signal charges based on incident light; and an avalanche photodiode including a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, in which the signal charges are transferred from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region via a third semiconductor region of a second conductivity type that is different from the first conductivity type, a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a fifth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type in this order. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photoelectric conversion device comprising: at least one charge holding portion including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and configured to hold signal charges based on incident light; and an avalanche photodiode including a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, wherein the signal charges are transferred from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region via a third semiconductor region of a second conductivity type that is different from the first conductivity type, a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a fifth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type in this order. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein in a period in which the signal charges are generated by photoelectric conversion, the avalanche photodiode is in an inactive state where no avalanche multiplication occurs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the fourth semiconductor region generates the signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light entering the fourth semiconductor region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 3, wherein the signal charges generated in the fourth semiconductor region are transferred from the fourth semiconductor region to the first semiconductor region via the third semiconductor region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 further comprising a sixth semiconductor region configured to generate the signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 5 further comprising a transfer gate configured to transfer the signal charges generated in the sixth semiconductor region to the first semiconductor region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 further comprising a count unit configured to count the number of times of occurrence of avalanche current that occurs in the avalanche photodiode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 further comprising a first electrode configured to control a potential of the first semiconductor region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 8 further comprising an insulating layer arranged between the first semiconductor region and the first electrode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 8 further comprising a second electrode configured to control a potential of the third semiconductor region and the fifth semiconductor region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein transfer of the signal charges from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region occurs in response to a change in potentials of the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein in at least a part of a period in which the signal charges are transferred from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region of the avalanche photodiode, the avalanche photodiode is in an active state where avalanche multiplication occurs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein in at least a part of a period in which the signal charges are transferred from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region of the avalanche photodiode, the avalanche photodiode is in an inactive state where no avalanche multiplication occurs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 13 further comprising an analog-to-digital conversion unit configured to convert a voltage based on the signal charges transferred to the avalanche photodiode into a digital value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12, wherein the photoelectric conversion device is configured to output a first digital value based on the signal charges transferred when the avalanche photodiode is in an active state where avalanche multiplication occurs and a second digital value based on the signal charges transferred when the avalanche photodiode is in an inactive state where no avalanche multiplication occurs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of charge holding portions, wherein the signal charges held in each of the plurality of charge holding portions are transferred to the single avalanche photodiode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 16 further comprising an isolation region arranged between the plurality of charge holding portions. ### Claim 18 A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a charge holding portion including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and configured to hold signal charges based on incident light; and an avalanche photodiode including a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, wherein a plurality of potential barriers are arranged on a transfer path of the signal charges from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region, and wherein the signal charges are transferred from the first semiconductor region to the second semiconductor region in response to a change in levels of the plurality of potential barriers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A photoelectric conversion system comprising: the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A moving body comprising: the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1; a distance information acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information on a distance to an object, from a parallax image based on signals from the photoelectric conversion device; and a control unit configured to control the moving body based on the distance information.