Image sensor and sensor unit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image sensor comprising:
- a charge storage portion for storing and transferring signal charges;
a first electrode for forming an electric field storing the signal charges in said charge storage portion;
a charge increasing portion for increasing the signal charges stored in said charge storage portion; and
a second electrode for forming another electric field increasing the signal charges in said charge increasing portion, whereinthe quantity of the signal charges storable in said charge storage portion has at least either of a structure that the plane area of said first electrode is larger than at least the plane area of said second electrode or a structure that the dielectric constant of a gate insulating film between said first electrode and said charge storage portion is at least larger than the dielectric constant of said gate insulating film between said second electrode and said charge increasing portion so that the quantity of the signal charges storable in said charge storage portion is not less than the quantity of the signal charges storable in said charge increasing portion, and whereinthe signal charges are increased in said charge increasing portion due to impact ionization by the electric field formed from said second electrode.
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a charge storage portion for storing and transferring signal charges, a first electrode for forming an electric field storing the signal charges in the charge storage portion, a charge increasing portion for increasing the signal charges stored in the charge storage portion and a second electrode for forming another electric field increasing the signal charges in the charge increasing portion, wherein the quantity of the signal charges storable in the charge storage portion is not less than the quantity of the signal charges storable in the charge increasing portion.
49 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An image sensor comprising:
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a charge storage portion for storing and transferring signal charges; a first electrode for forming an electric field storing the signal charges in said charge storage portion; a charge increasing portion for increasing the signal charges stored in said charge storage portion; and a second electrode for forming another electric field increasing the signal charges in said charge increasing portion, wherein the quantity of the signal charges storable in said charge storage portion has at least either of a structure that the plane area of said first electrode is larger than at least the plane area of said second electrode or a structure that the dielectric constant of a gate insulating film between said first electrode and said charge storage portion is at least larger than the dielectric constant of said gate insulating film between said second electrode and said charge increasing portion so that the quantity of the signal charges storable in said charge storage portion is not less than the quantity of the signal charges storable in said charge increasing portion, and wherein the signal charges are increased in said charge increasing portion due to impact ionization by the electric field formed from said second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification