Imaging apparatus including unit pixel, counter electrode, photoelectric conversion layer, and voltage supply circuit

• US 10,368,027 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Machida, Shinichi, Tokuhara, Takeyoshi, Nakata, Manabu, Shishido, Sanshiro, Yanagida, Masaaki, Izuchi, Masumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Hung H
• Application Number:
  US16/241,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20190141273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 204 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/131 including elements passing infrared wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/532 by controlling global shutters in CMOS SSIS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/211 comprising multiple junctions, e.g. double heterojunctions
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/32 Organic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/211 Fullerenes, e.g. C60
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a unit pixel including a pixel electrode, a charge accumulation region electrically connected to the pixel electrode, and a signal detection circuit electrically connected to the charge accumulation region; a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the electrodes; and a voltage supply circuit configured to selectively apply any one of first, second, and third voltages between the electrodes. The photoelectric conversion layer exhibits first and second wavelength sensitivity characteristics in a wavelength range when the voltage supply circuit applies the first and second voltages between the electrodes, respectively, and becomes insensitive to light in the wavelength range when the voltage supply circuit applies the third voltage between the electrodes.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a pixel electrode;

a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode; and

a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer converting light incident on the photoelectric conversion layer into charge carriers;

wherein;

the photoelectric conversion layer exhibits a first wavelength sensitivity characteristic in a wavelength range when a first voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode,

the photoelectric conversion layer exhibits a second wavelength sensitivity characteristic in the wavelength range when a second voltage which is different from the first voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the second wavelength sensitivity characteristic being different from the first wavelength sensitivity characteristic, and

a third voltage that is different from each of the first voltage and the second voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode during at least a part of a period in which a voltage applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode is changed from the first voltage to the second voltage or from the second voltage to the first voltage.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the at least a part of the period is a readout period in which the charge carriers converted by the photoelectric conversion layer are read.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first wavelength sensitivity characteristic is a characteristic of having a first sensitivity in both of a first wavelength range and second wavelength range, and

the second wavelength sensitivity characteristic is a characteristic of having a second sensitivity which is lower than the first sensitivity in either the first wavelength range or the second wavelength range, or a characteristic of having no sensitivity in either the first wavelength range or the second wavelength range.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first voltage and the second voltage are applied, in an alternating manner, between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode is changed between the first voltage and the second voltage at intervals of frames.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode is changed between the first voltage and the second voltage at a certain frequency.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the photoelectric conversion layer includes stacked photoelectric conversion films.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein at least one of the stacked photoelectric conversion films includes an organic material.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the photoelectric conversion layer becomes insensitive to light having a wavelength in the wavelength range when the third voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode is held at the third voltage during the part of the period.

11. A system comprising:

an imaging apparatus including,

a pixel electrode,

a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode, and

a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and

a processor, wherein

the processor

reads out, from a first image of an object, a code which is formed on the object and is invisible to a human eye, the first image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, and

acquires visible information from a second image of the object, the second image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a second bias voltage which is different from the first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein

the object is a transported product,

the processor acquires identification information of the transported product from the code by reading out the code, and

the processor inspects an appearance of the transported product by acquiring the visible information.

13. A system comprising:

an imaging apparatus including,

a pixel electrode,

a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode, and

a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and

a processor, wherein

the processor

acquires a first biological information from a first image of a person, the first image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode,

acquires a second biological information which is different from the first biological information from a second image of the person, the second image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a second bias voltage which is different from the first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, and

performs an authentication of the person on the basis of the first biological information and the second biological information.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein

the first biological information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a pattern of the iris of the person and a pattern of the venous of the person, and

the second biological information includes a facial feature of the person.

15. A method comprising:

imaging an object by an imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus including,

a pixel electrode,

a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode, and

a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode;

reading out, from an first image of the object, a code which is formed on the object and is invisible to a human eye, the first image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and

acquiring visible information from a second image of the object, the second image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a second bias voltage which is different from the first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein

the object is a transported product,

the reading out the code includes acquiring identification information of the transported product from the code, and

the acquiring visible information includes inspecting an appearance of the transported product.

17. A method comprising:

imaging a parson by an imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus including,

a pixel electrode,

a counter electrode facing the pixel electrode, and

a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode;

acquiring a first biological information from a first image of the person, the first image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, and

acquiring a second biological information which is different from the first biological information from a second image of the person, the second image being acquired by the imaging apparatus while a second bias voltage which is different from the first bias voltage is applied between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode; and

performing an authentication of the person on the basis of the first biological information and the second biological information.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the first biological information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a pattern of the iris of the person and a pattern of the venous of the person, and

the second biological information includes a facial feature of the person.