Solid-state imaging device and driving method thereof that prevents image quality defect caused by coupling occuring when signal charge is read out from photodiode

A driving method of an amplifying solid-state imaging device which includes:

• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge, and (ii) a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge;
• a signal line connected to the unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via the signal line;
• a transmission prevention transistor interposed between the unit cell and the accumulation element;
• and a control unit configured to control the transmission prevention transistor, the method comprising:
• controlling, by the control unit, the transmission prevention transistor to be switched off during an entire period substantially corresponding to a period from a start of to an end of the signal charge readout performed by the readout transistor.

A driving method of an amplifying solid-state imaging device which includes:

• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge and a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and (ii) outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge;
• a signal line connected to the unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via the signal line;
• a constant-voltage source connected to the signal line between the unit cell and the accumulation element;
• a transmission prevention transistor interposed between the constant voltage source and the signal line;
• and a control unit configured to control the transmission prevention transistor, the method comprising:
• controlling the transmission prevention transistor to be switched off by the control unit during an entire period substantially corresponding to a period from a start of to an end of the signal charge readout.

A camera, comprising:

• a solid-state imaging device, including:
• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge, and a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and (ii) outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge;
• a signal line connected to said unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via said signal line;
• and
• a transmission prevention unit configured to substantially prevent transmission of the amplifier signal from said unit cell to said accumulation element during an entire period from a start of to an end of the signal charge readout performed by the readout transistor;
• a signal processing unit;
• and
• a driving circuit,
• wherein said signal processing unit is configured to drive said solid-state imaging device through the driving circuit, to load and process an output signal from said solid-state imaging device, and to externally output the processed signal.

An amplifying solid-state imaging device, comprising:

• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge, and a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and (ii) outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge;
• a signal line connected to said unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via said signal line before the readout transistor reads the signal charge from the photodiode;
• and
• a transmission prevention unit configured to substantially prevent transmission of the amplifier signal from said unit cell to said accumulation element when the signal charge readout from the photodiode, performed by the readout transistor, starts.

An amplifying solid-state imaging device, comprising:

• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge, and a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and (ii) outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge;
• a signal line connected to said unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via said signal line after the readout transistor reads the signal charge from the photodiode;
• and
• a transmission prevention unit configured to substantially prevent transmission of the amplifier signal from said unit cell to said accumulation element when the signal charge readout from the photodiode, performed by the readout transistor, ends.

A camera, comprising:

• a solid-state imaging device, including:
• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge, and a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and (ii) outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge,
• a signal line connected to said unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via said signal line before the readout transistor reads the signal charge from the photodiode;
• and
• a transmission prevention unit configured to substantially prevent transmission of the amplifier signal from said unit cell to said accumulation element when the signal charge readout, performed by the readout transistor, starts;
• a signal processing unit;
• and
• a driving circuit,
• wherein said signal processing unit is configured to drive said solid-state imaging device through the driving circuit, to load and process an output signal from said solid-state imaging device, and to externally output the processed signal.

A camera, comprising:

• a solid-state imaging device including
• a unit cell which (i) includes a photodiode which converts light to a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge, and a readout transistor which reads the signal charge from the photodiode, and (ii) outputs an amplifier signal corresponding to the signal charge,
• a signal line connected to said unit cell;
• an accumulation element which accumulates the amplifier signal transmitted via said signal line after the readout transistor reads the signal charge from the photodiode;
• and
• a transmission prevention unit configured to substantially prevent transmission of the amplifier signal from said unit cell to said accumulation element when the signal charge readout, performed by the readout transistor, ends;
• a signal processing unit;
• and
• a driving circuit,
• wherein said signal processing unit is configured to drive said solid-state imaging device through the driving circuit, to load and process an output signal from said solid-state imaging device, and to externally output the processed signal.