Signal processing device, including charge injection circuit, and photodetection device

• US 8,803,064 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Original Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Inventors: Mizuno, Seiichiro, Yamamoto, Hiroo, Kobayashi, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Legasse, Jr., Francis M
• Application Number:
  US13/147,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20120018621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.2, 250/214.A, 250/214.1, 250/214.R, 250/214.DC, 348/294, 348/300, 348/301, 348/302, 348/306, 348/311, 348/313, 348/E3.03, 257/431
• US Class Current: 250/214.A
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0225 Charge injection in static induction transistor logic structures [SITL]
• 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: H04N 25/57 Control of the dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

In a signal processing device of an embodiment, an integration circuit accumulates a charge from a photodiode in an integrating capacitor element, and outputs a voltage value according to the amount of charge. A comparator circuit, when the voltage value from the integration circuit has reached a reference value, outputs a saturation signal. A charge injection circuit, in response to the saturation signal, injects an opposite polarity of charge into the integrating capacitor element. A counter circuit performs counting based on the saturation signal. A holding circuit holds the voltage value from the integration circuit. An amplifier circuit outputs a voltage value that is K times (where K>1) larger than the voltage value held by the holding circuit. An A/D converter circuit sets a voltage value that is K times larger than the reference value as the maximum input voltage value, that is, a full-scale value, and outputs a digital value corresponding to the voltage value from the amplifier circuit.

Claims

1. A signal processing device that outputs an electrical signal having a value according to an amount of charge generated in a photodiode according to an amount of incident light onto the photodiode, comprising:

an integration circuit including an integration capacitor element that accumulates a charge output from the photodiode, for outputting a voltage value according to an amount of the charge accumulated in the integrating capacitor element;

a comparator circuit for comparing the voltage value output from the integration circuit and input thereto with a predetermined reference value, and when the voltage value has reached the reference value, outputting a saturation signal indicating that fact;

a charge injection circuit for, based on the saturation signal output from the comparator circuit, injecting a constant amount of charge having a polarity opposite to that of the charge accumulated in the integrating capacitor element of the integration circuit into the integrating capacitor element;

a counter circuit for, based on the saturation signal output from the comparator circuit, counting a number of times that the voltage value output from the integration circuit has reached the reference value;

a holding circuit for holding and outputting the voltage value output from the integration circuit;

an amplifier circuit for outputting a voltage value that is K times as large as the voltage value held and output by the holding circuit and input thereto (where K>

1);

an A/D converter circuit in which a voltage value that is K times as large as the reference value is set as a maximum input voltage value, for outputting a digital value corresponding to the voltage value output from the amplifier circuit and input thereto; and

further comprising a reference value generating circuit for being input with a reference value to set the maximum input voltage value in the A/D converter circuit, and supplying a voltage value one K-th as large as this reference value to the comparator circuit as the reference value.

2. The signal processing device according to claim 1, comprising a first holding circuit and a second holding circuit as the holding circuit, wherein

the amplifier circuit outputs a voltage value that is K times as large as a difference between voltage values input from the first holding circuit and the second holding circuit and input thereto.

3. The signal processing device according to claim 1, comprising a first holding circuit and a second holding circuit as the holding circuit, wherein

a voltage value output from the integration circuit is held by the first holding circuit and the second holding circuit alternately, and a process by the integration circuit, the comparator circuit, the charge injection circuit, and the counter circuit and a process by the amplifier circuit and the A/D converter circuit are performed in parallel.

4. The signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein one set of the amplifier circuit and the A/D converter circuit is provided for plural sets each having the integration circuits, the comparator circuits, the charge injection circuits, the counter circuits, and the holding circuits, and

voltage values output from the holding circuits of the respective sets are sequentially input to the amplifier circuit.

5. A photodetection device comprising:

a photodiode for generating a charge according to an amount of incident light; and

the signal processing device according to claim 1 for outputting an electrical signal having a value according to an amount of the charge generated in the photodiode.