Solid-state imaging device having a voltage clipping circuit to prevent image defects and driving method thereof

The solid-state imaging device according to claim l,

• wherein each of said column amplifier circuits includes a switched capacitor amplifier having:
• an input capacitance, one terminal of which is connected to one of said vertical signal lines;
• a feedback capacitance arranged between another terminal of said input capacitance and the output terminal of said column amplifier circuit;
• and
• a first current source transistor whose drain is connected to the output terminal of said column amplifier circuit and whose source is connected to a constant potential.

A driving method for a solid-state imaging device comprising:

• outputting signals corresponding to intensity of incident light from pixels, selected among pixels arranged in a matrix, to vertical signal lines which are respectively provided to columns of the pixels, and each of which transmits the signals from said pixels in a column direction;
• amplifying the signals outputted to the vertical signal lines in column amplifier circuits which are respectively connected to the vertical signal lines, and outputting the amplified signals to a horizontal common signal line;
• wherein in said amplifying, the signals are outputted while limiting a maximum output voltage of each of said column amplifier circuits by a voltage clipping circuit provided in each of the column amplifier circuits,
• wherein each of said column amplifier circuits includes an amplifier transistor whose drain is connected to an output terminal of the column amplifier circuit and whose source is grounded, and the voltage clipping circuit of the respective column amplifier circuit includes a clipping transistor whose source is connected to the output terminal of the column amplifier circuit, whose drain is connected to a gate of the amplifier transistor, and whose gate is connected to a reference potential.