Solid-state image sensing device and its driving method

A driving method adopted in a solid-state image sensing device comprising:

• a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;
• a first read gate adjacent to said photoelectric conversion elements;
• a second read gate adjacent to said first read gate;
• an electric-charge transferring unit adjacent to said second read gate;
• an electric-charge exhausting gate adjacent to said first read gate;
• and
• an electric-charge exhaust drain adjacent to said electric-charge exhausting gate, with said driving method, said first read gate is turned off while said electric-charge exhausting gate is turned on during an electric-charge storing period.

A driving method adopted in a solid-state image sensing device comprising:

• a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;
• a transfer register for transferring electric charge generating in said photoelectric conversion elements;
• a read gate provided between said photoelectric conversion element and said transfer register;
• an electric-charge exhausting drain provided between said photoelectric conversion element and said transfer register;
• and
• an exhaust gate provided between said read gate and said electric-charge exhausting drain,
• wherein said electric-charge exhausting drain is provided for each pair of said photoelectric conversion elements adjacent to each other and, with said driving method, said first read gate is turned off while said electric-charge exhausting gate is turned on during an electric-charge storing period.

A driving method adopted in the solid-state image sensing device having:

• a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements generating electric charges;
• an electric-charge transferring unit for transferring said electric charges having a transfer gate electrode receiving a transfer gate pulse;
• a plurality of read gates provided between said photoelectric conversion elements and said electric-charge transferring unit;
• each of said read gates comprising a read gate electrode arranged adjacent to said photoelectric conversion elements and an extending portion extending from said transfer gate electrode arranged adjacent to said electric-charge transferring unit, wherein said electric charges can be transferred from said photoelectric conversion elements to said electric-charge transferring unit under effect of only two gate pulses such as a read gate pulse applied to said read gate electrode and said transfer gate pulse applied to said transfer gate electrode;
• and
• an electric-charge exhausting unit arranged adjacent to said read gate electrode wherein said electric-charge exhausting unit receives a shutter gate pulse,
• wherein said electric-charge exhausting unit comprises a shutter gate electrode provided adjacent to said read gate electrode and an exhaust drain provided adjacent to said read gate electrode;
• comprising the steps of:
• putting said read gate pulse and said shutter gate pulse at an ON level and putting said transfer gate pulse at an OFF level before an electric-charge storing period;
• putting said read gate pulse at the OFF level and putting said shutter gate pulse at the ON level during said electric-charge storing period;
• and
• putting said read gate pulse and said transfer gate pulse at the ON level and putting said shutter gate pulse at the OFF level during an electric-charge reading period following said electric-charge storing period.