Solid state imaging device

• US 8,174,088 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Komai, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Allan R
• Application Number:
  US12/708,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 257/448, 257/532, 257/773, 257/774, 257/E31.111, 257/E31.112, 348/231.99, 348/231.3, 438/957
• US Class Current: 257/448
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14603 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address-lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/67 applied to fixed-pattern noise, e.g. non-uniformity of response
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array

Abstract

Storage capacitors Ctd and Cts are provided alternately side by side sequentially in a row direction. Each of the storage capacitors Ctd and Cts has an electrode layer 21 constituting a signal electrode and an upper side electrode layer 23 and a lower side electrode layer 28 constituting a fixed potential electrode. The signal electrodes of the respective storage capacitors Ctd and Cts are electrically independent of each other. The fixed potential electrodes of the respective storage capacitors Ctd and Cts are electrically connected to each other and connected to the ground etc. Contact holes 26a and 26b that connect the electrode layers 23 and 28 are provided between the electrode layers 21 of the neighboring storage capacitors Ctd and Cts so as to occupy 52% or more of the opposed area of the second electrode sections of two neighboring storage capacitors.

Claims

1. A solid state imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally and photoelectrically converting an incident light;

vertical signal lines provided to correspond to each column of the plurality of pixels and to which output signals of the pixels of the column corresponding thereto are supplied; and

a plurality of storage capacitors provided in a predetermined number to correspond to each of the vertical signal lines, in which a signal corresponding to a signal of the vertical signal line corresponding thereto is stored and at the same time, the signal being stored is supplied to a predetermined horizontal signal line, wherein;

the plurality of storage capacitors are provided sequentially side by side in a predetermined direction;

each of the storage capacitors has a first electrode section and a second electrode section that form a capacitance in between;

the first electrode sections of the plurality of storage capacitors are electrically connected with one another;

the second electrode sections of the plurality of storage capacitors are electrically independent of one another; and

one or more electric conductors electrically connected to the first electrode section are provided between the second electrode sections of two neighboring storage capacitors of the plurality of storage capacitors so as to occupy 52% or more of an opposed area of the second electrode sections of two neighboring storage capacitors.

2. The solid state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

the one or more electric conductors include electric conductors in a plurality of groups;

the electric conductors in the plurality of groups are disposed in a column sequentially at intervals in a direction that intersects the predetermined direction for each group;

the columns including the electric conductors of each of the groups sequentially neighbor one another in the predetermined direction; and

the position in the intersecting direction of each electric conductor of at least one group of electric conductors among the plurality of groups is shifted with respect to the position in the intersecting direction of each electric conductor of at least another group of electric conductors among the plurality of groups.

3. The solid state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the one or more electric conductors include an electric conductor that continuously extends in a direction that intersects the predetermined direction.

4. The solid state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

the one or more electric conductors include a group of electric conductors disposed in a column sequentially at intervals in a direction that intersects the predetermined direction and an electric conductor that continuously extends in the intersecting direction; and

the column of the one group of electric conductors and the electric conductor that continuously extends neighbor each other in the predetermined direction.

7. The solid state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of storage capacitors includes a photo signal storage capacitor that stores a photo signal including photo information photoelectrically converted in the pixel and a differential signal storage capacitor that includes a noise component to be subtracted from the photo signal.

10. The solid state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first electrode section has an electrode layer;

the second electrode section has an upper side electrode layer and a lower side electrode layer disposed in a hierarchy on the upper side and the lower side with respect to the electrode layer of the first electrode section; and

the one or more electric conductors are formed in a contact hole to connect the upper side electrode layer and the lower side electrode layer.

5. A solid state imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally and photoelectrically converting an incident light;

vertical signal lines provided to correspond to each column of the plurality of pixels and to which output signals of the pixels of the column corresponding thereto are supplied; and

a plurality of storage capacitors provided in a predetermined number to correspond to each of the vertical signal lines, in which a signal corresponding to a signal of the vertical signal line corresponding thereto is stored and at the same time, the signal being stored is supplied to a predetermined horizontal signal line, wherein;

the plurality of storage capacitors are provided sequentially side by side in a predetermined direction;

each of the storage capacitors has a first electrode section and a second electrode section that form a capacitance in between;

the first electrode sections of the plurality of storage capacitors are electrically connected with one another;

the second electrode sections of the plurality of storage capacitors are electrically independent of one another;

one or more electric conductors electrically connected to the first electrode section are provided between the second electrode sections of two neighboring storage capacitors of the plurality of storage capacitors;

the one or more electric conductors include electric conductors in a plurality of groups;

the electric conductors in the plurality of groups are disposed in a column sequentially at intervals in a direction that intersects the predetermined direction for each group;

the columns including the electric conductors of each of the groups sequentially neighbor one other in the predetermined direction; and

the position in the intersecting direction of each electric conductor of at least one group of electric conductors among the plurality of groups is shifted with respect to the position in the intersecting direction of each electric conductor of at least another group of electric conductors among the plurality of groups.

8. The solid state imaging device according to claim 5, wherein

the plurality of storage capacitors includes a photo signal storage capacitor that stores a photo signal including photo information photoelectrically converted in the pixel and a differential signal storage capacitor that includes a noise component to be subtracted from the photo signal.

11. The solid state imaging device according to claim 5, wherein:

the first electrode section has an electrode layer;

the second electrode section has an upper side electrode layer and a lower side electrode layer disposed in a hierarchy on the upper side and the lower side with respect to the electrode layer of the first electrode section; and

the one or more electric conductors are formed in a contact hole to connect the upper side electrode layer and the lower side electrode layer.

6. A solid state imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally and photoelectrically converting an incident light;

vertical signal lines provided to correspond to each column of the plurality of pixels and to which output signals of the pixels of the column corresponding thereto are supplied; and

a plurality of storage capacitors provided in a predetermined number to correspond to each of the vertical signal lines, in which a signal corresponding to a signal of the vertical signal line corresponding thereto is stored and at the same time, the signal being stored is supplied to a predetermined horizontal signal line, wherein;

the plurality of storage capacitors are provided sequentially side by side in a predetermined direction;

each of the storage capacitors has a first electrode section and a second electrode section that form a capacitance in between;

the first electrode sections of the plurality of storage capacitors are electrically connected with one another;

the second electrode sections of the plurality of storage capacitors are electrically independent of one another;

one or more electric conductors electrically connected to the first electrode section are provided between the second electrode sections of two neighboring storage capacitors of the plurality of storage capacitors;

the one or more electric conductors include a group of electric conductors disposed in a column sequentially at intervals in a direction that intersects the predetermined direction and an electric conductor that continuously extends in the intersecting direction; and

the column of the one group of electric conductors and the electric conductor that continuously extends neighbor each other in the predetermined direction.

9. The solid state imaging device according to claim 6, wherein

the plurality of storage capacitors includes a photo signal storage capacitor that stores a photo signal including photo information photoelectrically converted in the pixel and a differential signal storage capacitor that includes a noise component to be subtracted from the photo signal.

12. The solid state imaging device according to claim 6, wherein:

the first electrode section has an electrode layer;

the second electrode section has an upper side electrode layer and a lower side electrode layer disposed in a hierarchy on the upper side and the lower side with respect to the electrode layer of the first electrode section; and

the one or more electric conductors are formed in a contact hole to connect the upper side electrode layer and the lower side electrode layer.