IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20120318959A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Tetsuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,872,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14632 Wafer-level processed structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14636 Interconnect structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14665 Imagers using a photoconductor layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a plurality of pixels disposed to form a matrix having pixel rows, the pixels including a pixel electrode formed on a silicon substrate for one of the pixels by being separated away from another pixel electrodes formed for one of the other pixels, a photoelectric conversion film formed on the pixel electrode, and an opposite electrode formed on the photoelectric conversion film; and a driving section configured to apply an electric potential to the photoelectric conversion film on each of the pixel rows at least having read timings different from each other with a predetermined timing outside an exposure period of the pixels in a direction opposite to that of an electric potential applied to the photoelectric conversion film during the exposure period of the pixels.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels disposed to form a matrix having pixel rows, the pixels including

a pixel electrode formed on a silicon substrate for one of said pixels by being separated away from another pixel electrodes formed for one of the other pixels,

a photoelectric conversion film formed on said pixel electrode, and

an opposite electrode formed on said photoelectric conversion film; and

a driving section configured to apply an electric potential to said photoelectric conversion film on each of said pixel rows at least having read timings different from each other with a predetermined timing outside an exposure period of said pixels in a direction opposite to that of an electric potential applied to said photoelectric conversion film during said exposure period of said pixels.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 wherein, for each of said pixel rows at least having read timings different from each other, said opposite electrode is formed to be separated away from the other opposite electrodes each adjacent to said opposite electrode.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 wherein, with a predetermined timing outside said exposure period of said pixels, said driving section sets an electric potential applied to said opposite electrode at a level higher than the electric potential of a reset level of said pixel electrode.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3 wherein said pixels further comprise:

an electric-charge accumulation area for accumulating electric charge obtained from said photoelectric conversion film;

a contact area connected to said pixel electrode; and

an electric-potential barrier section provided between said electric-charge accumulation area and said contact area to form an electric-potential barrier having a predetermined electric potential.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4 wherein, at least in a period between the start of said exposure period of said pixel and the end of said predetermined timing, said driving section applies a voltage to said opposite electrode, the voltage having an electric potential approximately equal to an electric potential at said pixel electrode.

6. The imaging device according claim 1 wherein said pixels share a plurality of said photoelectric conversion films in the direction of said pixel rows.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1 wherein, through a power-supply line provided for each of said pixel rows each including said pixels having the same read timing, said driving section sets a power-supply voltage supplied to each of said pixels at an electric potential lower than an electric potential at said opposite electrode with a predetermined timing outside said exposure period of said pixels.

8. A driving method for driving an imaging device including a plurality of pixels disposed to form a matrix having pixel rows, the pixels including

a pixel electrode formed on a silicon substrate for one of said pixels by being separated away from another pixel electrodes formed for one of the other pixels;

a photoelectric conversion film formed on said pixel electrode; and

an opposite electrode formed on said photoelectric conversion film,

said driving method comprising applying an electric potential to said photoelectric conversion film on each of said pixel rows at least having read timings different from each other with a predetermined timing outside an exposure period of said pixels in a direction opposite to that of an electric potential applied to said photoelectric conversion film during said exposure period of said pixels.

9. An electronic apparatus employing an imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels disposed to form a matrix having pixel rows, the pixels including

a pixel electrode formed on a silicon substrate for one of said pixels by being separated away from another pixel electrodes formed for one of the other pixels,

a photoelectric conversion film formed on said pixel electrode, and

an opposite electrode formed on said photoelectric conversion film; and

a driving section configured to apply an electric potential to said photoelectric conversion film on each of said pixel rows at least having read timings different from each other with a predetermined timing outside an exposure period of said pixels in a direction opposite to that of an electric potential applied to said photoelectric conversion film during said exposure period of said pixels.