Image pickup apparatus having a charge storage section and charge sweeping section
First Claim
1. An image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device,the image pickup device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
a photoelectric conversion element stacked above the semiconductor substrate; and
a charge storage section in the semiconductor substrate, the charge storage section storing a charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, to outputs a signal responsive to the charge stored in the charge storage section to an outside of the image pickup device,wherein the photoelectric conversion element comprises;
a lower electrode above the semiconductor substrate;
a photoelectric conversion layer on the lower electrode; and
an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion layer,wherein the charge storage section is electrically connected to the lower electrode or the upper electrode,wherein the image pickup apparatus further comprises;
a charge sweeping away section that sweeps away the charge stored in the charge storage section; and
an electrode potential fixing section that keeps a potential of the lower electrode or the upper electrode constant at least for a continuous given time period in a time period from end of an exposure time period of the image pickup device to start of a subsequent exposure time period,wherein the given time period is a time longer than a minimum necessary time for the charge sweeping away section to sweep away a maximum amount of the charge in a state in which the maximum amount of the charge that can be stored in the charge storage section is stored in the charge storage section.
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Abstract
A lower electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an upper electrode are stacked in order above a semiconductor substrate, and a charge storage section that stores charge generated in the photoelectric conversion layer is connected to the lower electrode. The charge stored in the charge storage section is swept away by a charge sweeping away section for a given time from the endpoint of exposure. The given time is a time taken until the residual image charge existing in the photoelectric conversion layer at the exposure end point time is sufficiently discharged to the outside of the photoelectric conversion layer in a state in which the same bias as that at the exposure start time point is applied to the photoelectric conversion layer.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. An image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device,
the image pickup device comprising: - a semiconductor substrate;
a photoelectric conversion element stacked above the semiconductor substrate; and
a charge storage section in the semiconductor substrate, the charge storage section storing a charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, to outputs a signal responsive to the charge stored in the charge storage section to an outside of the image pickup device,wherein the photoelectric conversion element comprises;
a lower electrode above the semiconductor substrate;
a photoelectric conversion layer on the lower electrode; and
an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion layer,wherein the charge storage section is electrically connected to the lower electrode or the upper electrode, wherein the image pickup apparatus further comprises; a charge sweeping away section that sweeps away the charge stored in the charge storage section; and an electrode potential fixing section that keeps a potential of the lower electrode or the upper electrode constant at least for a continuous given time period in a time period from end of an exposure time period of the image pickup device to start of a subsequent exposure time period, wherein the given time period is a time longer than a minimum necessary time for the charge sweeping away section to sweep away a maximum amount of the charge in a state in which the maximum amount of the charge that can be stored in the charge storage section is stored in the charge storage section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- a semiconductor substrate;
Specification