SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20080258045A1
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oike, Yusuke, Toda, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/583 with different integration times
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device, includes: a pixel array area including an unit pixel having a photoelectric conversion element and a transfer gate; a first supply voltage control means for supplying a first control voltage to a control electrode of the transfer gate; a second supply voltage control means for sequentially supplying one or plural second control voltages having a voltage value different from the first control voltage to the control electrode; a third supply voltage control means for supplying a third control voltage having the same voltage value as the second control voltages once or plural times prior to one or plural supplies of the second control voltages; a first driving means for reading signal charges from the transfer gate when the first control voltage is supplied; and a second driving means for reading signal charges from the transfer gate once and more when the second control voltage is sequentially applied.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:

a pixel array area in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form;

a supply voltage control means for supplying plural first control voltages sequentially to a control electrode of the transfer gate; and

a driving means for performing driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural first control voltages are sequentially applied twice and more.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the plural first control voltages includes at least one voltage which is capable of, while holding a part of charges stored in the photoelectric conversion element, transferring the rest of stored charges by the transfer gate.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the supply voltage control means supplies the plural first control voltages at different intervals during exposure periods of the unit pixels.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the pixel array area includes pixels not having color transmission filters, and which are more sensitive than pixels having color transmission filters.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4,

wherein the pixels including the color transmission filters include infrared light cut filters, and

wherein the high-sensitive pixels receive optical signals including infrared light.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein, when the plural first control voltages are sequentially applied in the order of high voltage, the plural second control voltages are sequentially applied in the order of low voltage.

7. A method of driving a solid-state imaging device in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form, comprising the steps of:

supplying plural control voltages sequentially to a control electrode of the transfer gate; and

reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural control voltages are sequentially applied twice and more.

8. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a solid-state imaging device in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form; and

an optical system guiding light from a subject to an imaging surface of the solid-state imaging device,

wherein the solid-state imaging device includes;

a supply voltage control means for supplying plural control voltages sequentially to a control electrode of the transfer gate; and

a driving means for performing driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural control voltages are sequentially applied twice and more.

9. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:

a pixel array area in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form;

a first supply voltage control means for supplying a first control voltage to a control electrode of the transfer gate;

a second supply voltage control means for sequentially supplying one or plural second control voltages having a voltage value different from that of the first control voltage to the control electrode of the transfer gate;

a third supply voltage control means for supplying a third control voltage having the same voltage value as that of any one of or the plural second control voltages once or plural times prior to one supply of any one of the plural second control voltages or plural supplies of the plural second control voltages;

a first driving means for performing driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the first control voltage is supplied; and

a second driving means for performing driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate once and more when the second control voltage is sequentially applied.

10. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 9,

wherein the second control voltage is a voltage which is capable of, while holding a part of charges stored in the photoelectric conversion element, transferring stored charges exceeding the held amount by the transfer gate.

11. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 9,

wherein the second supply voltage control means supplies the second control voltage having a voltage value different in the plural supplies.

12. A method of driving a solid-state imaging device in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form, comprising the steps of:

supplying a first control voltage to the control electrode of the transfer gate and supplying the second control voltage having a voltage value different from that of the first control voltage once or plural times;

supplying a third control voltage having the same voltage value as that of any one of or the plural second control voltages once or plural times prior to one supply of any one of the plural second control voltages or plural supplies of the plural second control voltages;

reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the first control voltage is supplied; and

reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the second control voltage is sequentially applied once and more.