Image sensor and digital camera

A color solid-state image pickup device including a plurality of photoelectric conversion areas provided in an array pattern on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, wherein

• an inside of each of said photoelectric conversion areas is two-dimensionally partitioned into a plurality of segments which store signal electric charges of different spectral sensitivities,
• a light-shielding film wherein an aperture in said light-shielding film corresponds to at least two of said segments in one of said photoelectric conversion areas, wherein said different spectral sensitivities include red, green and blue of primary colors, and the diameter or the diagonal dimension of said aperture satisfies the formula λ≦t≦2λ wherein t represents the diameter or the diagonal dimension of said aperture and λ represents the wavelength 0.650 82 m of a red color, and
• transfer channels, for transferring said signal electric charges read from a plurality of said segments, are formed beside said photoelectric conversion areas, said transfer channels extending along perimeters of said photoelectric conversion areas that are partitioned into said plurality of segments which store said signal electric charges of different spectral sensitivities, said transfer channels extending substantially parallel to said perimeters,
• the image pickup device further comprising an element isolation zone arranged between the segments in one photoelectric conversion area, wherein the transfer channels are formed so as to avoid said element isolation zone and to exist between said photoelectric conversion areas.

A MOS image sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion areas provided in an array pattern on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, wherein

• an inside of each of said photoelectric conversion areas is two-dimensionally partitioned into a plurality of segments which output photoelectric conversion signals having a plurality of different spectral sensitivities,
• a light-shielding film wherein an aperture in said light-shielding film corresponds to at least two of said segments in one of said photoelectric conversion areas, wherein said plurality of different spectral sensitivities include red, green and blue of primary colors, and the diameter or the diagonal dimension of each said aperture satisfies the formula λ≦t≦2λ wherein t represents the diameter or the diagonal dimension of said aperture and λ represents the wavelength 0.650 μm of a red color,
• peripheral circuits connected to said segments are arranged around said photoelectric conversion areas, along perimeters of said photoelectric conversion areas, and
• transfer channels, for transferring signal electric charges read from a plurality of said segments, are formed beside said photoelectric conversion areas, said transfer channels extending along perimeters of said photoelectric conversion areas and substantially parallel to said perimeters,
• the image sensor further comprising an element isolation zone arranged between the segments in one photoelectric conversion area, wherein the transfer channels are formed so as to avoid said element isolation zone and to exist between said photoelectric conversion areas.

An image pickup device including image capturing means for outputting a plurality of photoelectric conversion signals of different spectral sensitivities using transfer electrodes, wherein said image capturing means includes

• a plurality of photoelectric conversion areas provided in an array pattern on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, an inside of each of said photoelectric conversion areas being two-dimensionally partitioned into a plurality of segments which output a plurality of photoelectric conversion signals of different spectral sensitivities, and
• light-shielding means, wherein an aperture in said light-shielding means corresponds to at least two of said segments in one of said photoelectric conversion areas, and the diameter or diagonal dimension of said aperture is smaller than the diameter or diagonal dimension of said one photoelectric conversion area, and is larger than a dimension of at least one segment, and
• wherein said plurality of different spectral sensitivities include red, green and blue of primary colors, and the diameter or the diagonal dimension of each said aperture satisfies the formula λ≦t≦2λ wherein t represents the diameter or the diagonal dimension of said aperture and λ represents the wavelength 0.650 μm of a red color, and
• wherein a distance between two of said transfer electrodes is smaller than a distance across segments adjacent to said two transfer electrodes,
• the image pickup device further comprising an element isolation zone arranged between the segments in one photoelectric conversion area, wherein the transfer electrodes are formed so as to avoid said element isolation zone and to exist between said photoelectric conversion areas.

An image pickup device for outputting a plurality of photoelectric conversion signals of different spectral sensitivities comprising:

• signal storing means for storing electric charges of different spectral sensitivities in a plurality of segments which are partitioned by dividing an inside of a plurality of photoelectric conversion areas being formed in an array pattern on a surface of a semiconductor substrate,
• a light-shielding film wherein an aperture in said light-shielding film corresponds to at least two of said segments in one of said photoelectric conversion areas, wherein said different spectral sensitivities include red, green and blue of primary colors, and the diameter or the diagonal dimension of each said aperture satisfies the formula λ≦t≦2λ wherein t represents the diameter or the diagonal dimension of said aperture and λ represents the wavelength 0.650 μm of a red color, and
• signal transfer means for transferring said electric charges read from a plurality of said segments through channels being formed beside said photoelectric conversion areas, said channels extending along perimeters of said photoelectric conversion areas and substantially parallel to said perimeters,
• the image pickup device further comprising an element isolation zone arranged between the segments in one photoelectric conversion area, wherein the channels are formed so as to avoid said element isolation zone and to exist between said photoelectric conversion areas.