IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20180324375A1
• Filed: 07/16/2018
• Published: 11/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• 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: MIYAKE, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 10,218,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14636 Interconnect structures
• 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: H10K 39/32 Organic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

An imaging device including a pixel which includes a photoelectric converter having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first photoelectric converter generating signal charge; a charge storage region coupled to the first electrode, the charge storage region accumulating the signal charge; and a transistor which outputs a signal according to the signal charge accumulated in the charge storage region. The imaging device further including first voltage supply circuitry for supplying a first voltage that is positive and a second voltage that is less than the first voltage, the first voltage supply circuitry supplies the first voltage to the second electrode in a first period when the charge storage region accumulates the signal charge, and the first voltage supply circuitry supplies the second voltage to the second electrode in a second period different from the first period.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a pixel including;

a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first photoelectric converter generating signal charge,

a charge storage region coupled to the first electrode, the charge storage region accumulating the signal charge, and

a transistor having a gate coupled to the charge storage region, the transistor outputting a signal according to an amount of the signal charge accumulated in the charge storage region; and

first voltage supply circuitry configured to supply a first voltage that is positive and a second voltage that is less than the first voltage, wherein

the first voltage supply circuitry supplies the first voltage to the second electrode in a first period when the charge storage region accumulates the signal charge, and

the first voltage supply circuitry supplies the second voltage to the second electrode in a second period different from the first period.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

second voltage supply circuitry configured to supply a third voltage for initializing the signal charge accumulated in the charge storage region, wherein

the third voltage is less than the first voltage, and

the third voltage is equal to or greater than the second voltage.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first controller that causes the first voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage and the second voltage.

4. The imaging device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first controller that causes the first voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage and the second voltage, and

a second controller that causes the second voltage supply circuitry to supply the third voltage.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer includes an organic semiconductor material.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the first period and the second period are included in a frame period, and

the second period divides the first period into two separate periods.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage is positive.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage is zero or negative.

9. An imaging device comprising:

a pixel including;

a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first photoelectric converter generating signal charge,

a charge storage region coupled to the first electrode, the charge storage region accumulating the signal charge, and

a transistor having a gate coupled to the charge storage region, the transistor outputting a signal according to an amount of the signal charge accumulated in the charge storage region; and

first voltage supply circuitry configured to supply a first voltage that is negative and a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage, wherein

the first voltage supply circuitry supplies the first voltage to the second electrode in a first period when the charge storage region accumulates the signal charge, and

the first voltage supply circuitry supplies the second voltage to the second electrode in a second period different from the first period.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9, further comprising:

second voltage supply circuitry configured to supply a third voltage for initializing the signal charge accumulated in the charge storage region, wherein

the third voltage is greater than the first voltage, and

the third voltage is equal to or less than the second voltage.

11. The imaging device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first controller that causes the first voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage and the second voltage.

12. The imaging device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first controller that causes the first voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage and the second voltage, and

a second controller that causes the second voltage supply circuitry to supply the third voltage.

13. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer includes an organic semiconductor material.

14. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein

the first period and the second period are included in a frame period, and

the second period divides the first period into two separate periods.

15. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the second voltage is negative.

16. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the second voltage is zero or positive.

17. An imaging device comprising:

a pixel including;

a first electrode,

a second electrode facing the first electrode,

a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer generating signal charge, and

a first signal detection circuit coupled to the first electrode, the first signal detection circuit detecting the signal charge; and

voltage supply circuitry, wherein

the voltage supply circuitry supplies a negative voltage to the second electrode in a first period when the pixel accumulates the signal charge, and

the voltage supply circuitry supplies a zero or positive voltage to the second electrode in a third period included in a second period other than the first period.

18. The imaging device according to claim 17, comprising a controller that causes the voltage supply circuitry to supply the first voltage and the second voltage.