Semiconductor device and driving method of semiconductor device or electronic device

• US 9,729,809 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kurokawa, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/790,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/02 Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves G01S17/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/894 3D imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a 2D array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4816 of receivers alone
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4863 Detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates
• 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 27/14614 having a special gate structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1464 Back illuminated imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14689 MOS based technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/46 by combining or binning pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself

Abstract

A driving method of a semiconductor device that takes three-dimensional images with short duration is provided. In a first step, a light source starts to emit light, and first potential corresponding to the total amount of light received by a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element is written to a first charge accumulation region. In a second step, the light source stops emitting light and second potential corresponding to the total amount of light received by the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element is written to a second charge accumulation region. In a third step, first data corresponding to the potential written to the first charge accumulation region is read. In a fourth step, second data corresponding to the potential written to the second charge accumulation region is read.

Claims

1. A driving method of a semiconductor device,

the semiconductor device comprising:

a first circuit comprising a first photoelectric conversion element, a first transistor, and a first charge accumulation region;

a second circuit comprising a second photoelectric conversion element, a second transistor, and a second charge accumulation region;

a third transistor; and

a light source,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first charge accumulation region,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second charge accumulation region,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element,

the driving method comprising a first step, a second step, a third step, and a fourth step,

wherein the light source starts to emit light in the first step,

wherein the first transistor and the third transistor are on in the first step,

wherein the second transistor is off in the first step,

wherein first potential corresponding to a total amount of light received by the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element is written to the first charge accumulation region in the first step,

wherein the light source stops emitting light in the second step,

wherein the first transistor is off in the second step,

wherein the second transistor and the third transistor are on in the second step,

wherein second potential corresponding to a total amount of light received by the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element is written to the second charge accumulation region in the second step,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are off in the third step,

wherein first data corresponding to the first potential written to the first charge accumulation region is read in the third step,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are off in the fourth step, and

wherein second data corresponding to the second potential written to the second charge accumulation region is read in the fourth step.

2. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor device is an imaging device,

wherein the imaging device images an object in the first step and the second step,

wherein the object is irradiated with light emitted from the light source in the first step, and

wherein a distance between the imaging device and the object is calculated based on the first data and the second data.

3. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including an oxide semiconductor.

4. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element each include a PIN junction.

5. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the first circuit includes a fourth transistor,

wherein the second circuit includes a fifth transistor,

wherein a gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the first charge accumulation region,

wherein a gate of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the second charge accumulation region,

wherein the one of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the one of the source and the drain of the third transistor, and

wherein the one of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor.

6. A driving method of an electronic device,

wherein the electronic device comprising:

a lens;

a display portion; and

a semiconductor device, and

wherein the semiconductor device is driven by the driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 1.

7. A driving method of a semiconductor device,

the semiconductor device comprising:

a first photoelectric conversion element;

a first transistor, wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first node;

a second photoelectric conversion element;

a second transistor, wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second node;

a third transistor, wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element; and

a light source,

wherein the driving method comprising;

performing a charge transfer between the first node and the first photoelectric conversion element through the first transistor and between the first node and the second photoelectric conversion element through the first transistor and the third transistor during a first period, wherein the light source starts to emit light at the beginning of the first period and stops emitting light at the end of the first period and the first transistor and the third transistor are on and the second transistor is off during the first period,

performing a charge transfer between the second node and the second photoelectric conversion element through the second transistor and between the second node and the first photoelectric conversion element through the second transistor and the third transistor during a second period subsequent to the first period, wherein the second transistor and the third transistor are on and the first transistor is off during the second period, and

calculating a distance between the semiconductor device and an object by potential of the first node and potential of the second node.

8. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the driving method comprises:

taking a two-dimensional image during a period, wherein the third transistor are off during the period.

9. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including an oxide semiconductor.

10. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the driving method comprises:

taking a two-dimensional image during a period with a global shutter system, wherein the third transistor are off during the period.

11. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the oxide semiconductor is an In—

Ga—

Zn oxide.

12. The driving method of the semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the driving method comprises:

taking a two-dimensional image during a period with a global shutter system, wherein the third transistor are off during the period.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first circuit comprising a first photoelectric conversion element, a first transistor, and a first charge accumulation region;

a second circuit comprising a second photoelectric conversion element, a second transistor, and a second charge accumulation region;

a third transistor; and

a light source,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first charge accumulation region,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second charge accumulation region,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including an oxide semiconductor.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the oxide semiconductor is an In—

Ga—

Zn oxide.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film having crystallinity, and

wherein carrier density of the non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film is lower than 1×

10¹⁷/cm³.

17. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first transistor;

a first photoelectric conversion element electrically connected to a first node through the first transistor;

a second transistor;

a second photoelectric conversion element electrically connected to a second node through the second transistor;

a third transistor, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element through the third transistor;

a light source; and

a housing provided with the first transistor, the first photoelectric conversion element, the second transistor, the second photoelectric conversion element, the third transistor, and the light source.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first node;

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second node; and

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including an oxide semiconductor.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the oxide semiconductor is an In—

Ga—

Zn oxide.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film having crystallinity, and

wherein carrier density of the non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film is lower than 1×

10¹⁷/cm³.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a fourth transistor, wherein a gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the first node.

28. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the light source is arranged so that light emitted from the light source and reflected by an object is incident on the first photoelectric conversion element.

22. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first transistor;

a first photoelectric conversion element electrically connected to a first node through the first transistor;

a second transistor;

a second photoelectric conversion element electrically connected to a second node through the second transistor; and

a third transistor, wherein the first photoelectric conversion element is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element through the third transistor,

wherein the semiconductor device is configured to calculate a distance between the semiconductor device and an object.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 22,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first node;

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second node; and

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first photoelectric conversion element and the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second photoelectric conversion element.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including an oxide semiconductor.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein the oxide semiconductor is an In—

Ga—

Zn oxide.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 22,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each include a channel formation region including a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film having crystallinity, and

wherein carrier density of the non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film is lower than 1×

10¹⁷/cm³.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, further comprising:

a fourth transistor, wherein a gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the first node.

30. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the light source is arranged so that light emitted from the light source and reflected by an object is incident on the first photoelectric conversion element.