Solid-state image capturing apparatus, driving method thereof and electronic apparatus

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an optical lens;
• a solid-state image capturing apparatus;
• and
• a signal processing circuit that processes an output signal of the solid-state image capturing apparatus,
• wherein the solid-state image capturing apparatus includes:
• a plurality of light sensing units;
• a plurality of vertical transfer registers including a plurality of vertical transfer electrodes, which are formed by a single layer polysilicon film, formed via transfer channel regions and a gate insulating layer having a uniform thickness;
• a first channel stop region provided in parallel to the channel region of the vertical transfer register;
• and
• a second channel stop region that separates the light sensing units adjacent to each other in a vertical direction,
• wherein, among the vertical transfer electrodes, a vertical transfer electrode serving as a reading electrode is formed without overlapping the first channel stop region and the second channel stop region, and signal charges are read from the light sensing units to the vertical transfer registers when a local electric field of a silicon surface of an edge portion of the vertical transfer electrode serving as the reading electrode is equal to or less than 60 V/μm, the local electric field being induced by the thickness of the gate insulating layer and a reading voltage.

A solid-state image capturing apparatus wherein in a plan view of main elements in an image capturing region, the apparatus comprising:

• a column of vertical transfer electrodes between a first channel stop region and a column of photodiodes, a reading electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes being between an upper transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes and a lower transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes;
• and
• a second channel stop region between one of the photodiodes and another of the photodiodes, said reading electrode in the plan view overlapping neither said first channel stop region nor said second channel stop region,
• wherein said upper transfer electrode in the plan view overlaps said first channel stop region.

A solid-state image capturing apparatus wherein in a plan view of main elements in an image capturing region, the apparatus comprising:

• a column of vertical transfer electrodes between a first channel stop region and a column of photodiodes, a reading electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes being between an upper transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes and a lower transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes;
• and
• a second channel stop region between one of the photodiodes and another of the photodiodes, said reading electrode in the plan view overlapping neither said first channel stop region nor said second channel stop region,
• wherein said upper transfer electrode in the plan view overlaps said second channel stop region.

A solid-state image capturing apparatus wherein in a plan view of main elements in an image capturing region the apparatus comprising:

• a column of vertical transfer electrodes between a first channel stop region and a column of photodiodes, a reading electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes being between an upper transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes and a lower transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes;
• and
• a second channel stop region between one of the photodiodes and another of the photodiodes, said reading electrode in the plan view overlapping neither said first channel stop region nor said second channel stop region,
• wherein said column of the vertical transfer electrodes is above a transfer channel region, said transfer channel region being spaced from said first channel stop region by a gap.

A solid-state image capturing apparatus wherein in a plan view of main elements in an image capturing region, the apparatus comprising:

• a column of vertical transfer electrodes between a first channel stop region and a column photodiodes, a reading electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes being between an upper transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes and a lower transfer electrode of the vertical transfer electrodes;
• and
• a second channel stop region between one of the photodiodes and another of the photodiodes, said reading electrode in the plan view overlapping neither said first channel stop region nor said second channel stop region,
• wherein said column of the vertical transfer electrodes is above a transfer channel region,
• wherein a signal charge is transferrable from said one of the photodiodes to said transfer channel region when a local electric field of a silicon surface of an edge portion of the reading electrode is equal to or less than 60 V/μm.