Solid-state image pickup device having vertical overflow drain and resistive gate charge transfer device and method of controlling thereof

A method of controlling a solid state image pickup device including

• a plurality of photo-electric converting elements for producing charge packets from incident light,
• a plurality of resistive gate vertical charge transfer units having respective charge transfer channel regions and respective resistive gate electrodes capacitively coupled to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively,
• a plurality of first transfer gate elements having respective first channel regions connected between said plurality of photo-electric converting elements and said charge transfer channel regions and first transfer gate electrodes capacitively coupled to said first channel regions, respectively, for transferring certain charge packets from selected photo-electric converting elements to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively,
• a horizontal charge transfer unit electrically connectable to said charge transfer channel regions for transferring said charge packets to an output circuit, and
• a controlling means connected to first ends of said resistive gate electrodes and second ends of said resistive gate electrodes closer to said horizontal charge transfer unit than said first ends,
• said method comprising the steps of:
• a) making a potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends and said second ends to a first potential level and a second potential level, respectively, that are higher than a potential level in said first transfer gate channel regions in said on-state so as to transfer said certain charge packets through said first transfer gate channel regions to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively,
• b) changing said switching elements to said off-state, and
• c) supplying a pulse voltage to said first ends of said resistive gate electrodes so as to change said potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends to a certain level lower than said potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends in said step a) and a potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said second ends and higher than said potential level in said first transfer gate channel regions in said off-state so as to transfer said certain charge packets toward said plurality of charge accumulating potential wells.

A method of driving a solid state image pick-up device fabricated on a semiconductor device, the solid state image pickup device comprising:

• a plurality of photoelectric converting means for producing charge packets from an image carrying light;
• a plurality of resistive gate charge transfer units having respective charge transfer channel regions and respective resistive gate electrodes capacitively coupled to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively;
• a plurality of first transfer gate elements having respective first transfer gate channel regions connected between said plurality of photoelectric converting means and said charge transfer channel regions and selectively changed between on state and off state for transferring certain charge packets to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively;
• a plurality of charge accumulating potential wells connectable to said charge transfer channel regions for accumulating said charge packets;
• a horizontal charge transfer unit electrically connectable to said plurality of charge accumulating potential wells for transferring said charge packets to an output circuit;
• a potential gradient producing means connected to first ends of said resistive gate electrodes and. second ends of said resistive gate electrodes closer to said horizontal charge transfer unit than said first ends;
• and
• a vertical overflow drain formed under said plurality of photo-electric converting means for receiving excess charges from said plurality of photoelectric converting means,
• the method comprising:
• a) creating a potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends that is higher than a potential level in said first transfer gate channel regions in said on-state, so as to transfer said certain charge packets through said first transfer gate channel regions to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively,
• b) changing said first transfer gate elements to said off-state, and
• c) supplying a pulse voltage to said first ends of said resistive gate electrodes so as to change said potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends to a certain level that is lower than said potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends in said step a), and that is lower than a potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said second ends of said resistive gate electrodes, and that is higher than said potential level in said first transfer gate channel regions in said off-state, so as to transfer said certain charge packets toward said plurality of charge accumulating potential wells.

A method of driving a solid state image pick-up device fabricated on a semiconductor device, the solid state image pickup device comprising:

• a plurality of photoelectric converting means for producing charge packets from an image carrying light;
• a plurality of resistive gate charge transfer units having respective charge transfer channel regions and respective resistive gate electrodes capacitively coupled to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively;
• a plurality of first transfer gate elements having respective first transfer gate channel regions connected between said plurality of photoelectric converting means and said charge transfer channel regions and selectively changed between on state and off state for transferring certain charge packets to said charge transfer channel regions, respectively;
• a plurality of charge accumulating potential wells connectable to said charge transfer channel regions for accumulating said charge packets;
• a horizontal charge transfer unit electrically connectable to said plurality of charge accumulating potential wells for transferring said charge packets to an output circuit;
• a potential gradient producing means connected to first ends of said resistive gate electrodes and second ends of said resistive gate electrodes closer to said horizontal charge transfer unit than said first ends;
• and
• a vertical overflow drain formed under said plurality of photo-electric converting means for receiving excess charges from said plurality of photoelectric converting means,
• the method comprising:
• a) creating respective first and second potential levels in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends and said second ends, said first and second potential levels being higher than a potential level in said first transfer gate channel regions in said on-state, so as to transfer said certain charge packets through said first transfer gate channel regions to said charge transfer channel regions,
• b) changing said switching elements to said off-state, and
• c) supplying a pulse voltage to said first ends of said resistive gate electrodes so as to change said potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends to a certain level that is lower than said potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said first ends in said step a) and that is lower than a potential level in said charge transfer channel regions under said second ends, and that is higher than said potential level in said first transfer gate channel regions in said off-state, so as to transfer said certain charge packets toward said plurality of charge accumulating potential wells.