Solid-state imaging device

• US 7,485,903 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ryoji, Mabuchi, Keiji, Abe, Takashi, Ueno, Takahisa, Haruta, Tsutomu, Iizuka, Testuya
• Primary Examiner(s): PRENTY, MARK V
• Application Number:
  US10/979,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20050116251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 257/222, 257/223, 257/225, 257/229
• US Class Current: 257/222
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14603 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address-lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device having an arrangement in which well contact is achieved for each pixel is provided. In the solid-state imaging device, a well contact part is formed in an activation region of a photoelectric conversion portion. The well contact part fixes a well in which the photoelectric conversion portion and transistors of the pixel are provided at a predetermined potential.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a pixel array area including pixels arranged in well regions in a two-dimensional array fashion, each of the pixels including;

a photoelectric conversion portion;

a reading portion for reading a signal photo-electrically converted by the photoelectric conversion portion; and

an amplifying portion for amplifying the signal read by the reading portion; and

a plurality of well potential fixing parts, each being provided in correspondence with a plurality of pixels in the pixel array area, the well potential fixing carts extending to be immediately adjacent activation regions of its corresponding pixels and fixing the respective well regions at a predetermined potential, wherein each of the well potential fixing parts is provided in place of a pixel among the plurality of pixels.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a signal processing area for generating information on the pixel in which the corresponding well potential fixing part is provided in accordance with information on peripheral pixels peripheral to the pixel.

3. The solid-stale imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral pixels are pixels belonging to the same row as the pixel, pixels belonging to the same column as the pixel, or pixels belonging to the same row and the same column as the pixel.

4. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a pixel array area including pixels arranged in well regions in a two-dimensional array fashion, each of the pixels including;

a photoelectric conversion portion;

a reading portion for reading a signal photo-electrically converted by the photoelectric conversion portion; and

an amplifying portion for amplifying the signal read by the reading portion; and

a plurality of well potential fixing parts, each being provided in correspondence with a plurality of pixels in the pixel array area, the well potential fixing parts extending to be separated from adjacent activation regions of its corresponding pixels by device separation regions and fixing the respective well regions at a predetermined potential.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4, further comprising a signal processing area for performing correction of a pixel characteristic of a signal of a pixel in which the corresponding well potential fixing part is provided or a signal in a pixel column or a pixel row to which the pixel belongs.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4, wherein each of the well potential fixing parts is provided in place of a pixel among the plurality of pixels.

7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 6, further comprising a signal processing area for generating information on the pixel in which the corresponding well potential fixing part is provided in accordance with information on peripheral pixels peripheral to the pixel.

8. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral pixels are pixels belonging to the same row as the pixel, pixels belonging to the same column as the pixel, or pixels belonging to the same row and the same column as the pixel.

9. A module-type solid-state imaging device comprising:

a module having a pixel array area including pixels arranged in well regions in a two-dimensional array fashion, each of the pixels including;

a photoelectric conversion portion;

a reading portion for reading a signal photo-electrically converted by the photoelectric conversion portion; and

an amplifying portion for amplifying the signal read by the reading portion; and

a plurality of well potential fixing parts, each being provided in correspondence with a plurality of pixels in the pixel array area, the well potential fixing parts extending to be separated from adjacent activation regions of its corresponding pixels by device separation regions and fixing the respective well regions at a predetermined potential, and further wherein the module is set in a camera.

10. The module-type solid-state imaging device of claim 9, wherein the camera is a digital still camera.

11. The module-type solid-state imaging device of claim 9, wherein the camera is a video camera.

12. The module-type solid-state imaging device of claim 9, wherein the camera is a portable terminal.

13. The module-type solid-state imaging device of claim 9, wherein the camera is a digital still camera of a cellular telephone.

14. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a pixel array area including pixels arranged in well regions in a two dimensional array fashion, each of the pixels including;

a photoelectric conversion portion;

a reading portion for reading a signal photo-electrically converted by the photoelectric conversion portion; and

an amplifying portion for amplifying the signal read by the reading portion; and

a plurality of well potential fixing parts, each being provided in correspondence with a plurality of pixels in the pixel array area, the well potential fixing parts each extending to an activation region of the photoelectric conversion portion for a corresponding pixel and fixing the well region at a predetermined potential.

15. The solid-state imaging device of claim 14, wherein the activation region for the photoelectric conversion portion extends continuously from the photoelectric conversion portion to the well potential fixing part for a given pixel.

16. The solid-state imaging device of claim 14, wherein the activation region for the photoelectric conversion portion is located between the well potential fixing part for a given pixel and a gate electrode of the reading portion.