Solid state imaging apparatus, method for driving the same and camera using the same

• US 8,106,431 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Mitsuyoshi, Yamaguchi, Takumi, Murata, Takahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Fahmy, Wael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ingham, John C
• Application Number:
  US12/178,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 257291-293, 257443-445, 257/223, 257/E27.132, 257/E27.139
• US Class Current: 257/292
• 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 27/14641 Electronic components shared by two or more pixel-elements, e.g. one amplifier shared by two pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/766 comprising control or output lines used for a plurality of functions, e.g. for pixel output, driving, reset or power
• 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 solid state imaging apparatus includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells each including a plurality of photoelectric sections arranged in an array of at least two rows and two columns; a plurality of floating diffusion sections each being connected to each of ones of the photoelectric sections which are included in the same row of each said photoelectric conversion cell via each of a plurality of transfer transistors, and being shared by said ones of the photoelectric sections; a plurality of read-out lines each being selectively connected to at least two of the transfer transistors; and a plurality of pixel amplifier transistors each detecting and outputting the potential of each said the floating diffusion section. Charges of the photoelectric conversion sections each being connected to one of the read-out lines and being read out by the transfer transistors are read out by different floating diffusion sections.

Claims

1. A solid state imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array;

a plurality of floating diffusion sections each being connected to ones of the photodiodes via each of a plurality of transfer transistors;

a plurality of read-out lines each being selectively connected to at least two of the transfer transistors;

a plurality of reset transistors each being connected to one of the plurality of floating diffusion sections;

a plurality of reset pulse lines each being connected to at least one of the plurality of reset transistors; and

a plurality of pixel amplifier transistors each detecting and outputting the potential of each said floating diffusion section,

wherein the plurality of photodiodes includes a first photodiode, a second photodiode and a third photodiode,

the first photodiode is in row n, where n is a positive integer,

the second photodiode is in row n+1,

the third photodiode is in row n+2,

the plurality of read-out lines includes a first read-out line and a second read-out line,

the first read-out line and the second read-out line are disposed between the row n and the row n+1,

one of the plurality of reset pulse lines is disposed between the row n+1 and the row n+2,

one of the plurality of pixel amplifier transistors is disposed between the row n+1 and the row n+2.

2. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of read-out lines is connected to two of the plurality of transfer transistors which are included in the same column.

3. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of read-out lines is connected to two of the plurality of transfer transistors which are not included in the same column.

4. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of floating diffusion sections is shared by said ones of the plurality of photodiodes which are adjacent to each other in the column direction.

5. A solid state imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array;

a plurality of floating diffusion sections each being connected to ones of the photodiodes via each of a plurality of transfer transistors;

a plurality of read-out lines each being selectively connected to at least two of the transfer transistors;

a plurality of reset transistors each being connected to one of the plurality of floating diffusion sections;

a plurality of reset pulse lines each being connected to at least one of the plurality of reset transistors; and

a plurality of pixel amplifier transistors each detecting and outputting the potential of each said floating diffusion section,

wherein the plurality of photodiodes includes a first photodiode, a second photodiode and a third photodiode,

the first photodiode is in row n, where n is a positive integer,

the second photodiode is in row n+1,

the third photodiode is in row n+2,

the plurality of read-out lines includes a first read-out line and a second read-out line,

the first read-out line and the second read-out line are disposed between the row n and the row n+1,

one of the plurality of reset pulse lines is disposed between the row n+1 and the row n+2, and

the first and second photodiodes do not share each said floating diffusion section.

6. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of read-out lines is connected to two of the plurality of transfer transistors which are included in the same column.

7. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of read-out lines is connected to two of the plurality of transfer transistors which are not included in the same column.

8. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of floating diffusion sections is shared by said ones of the plurality of photodiodes which are adjacent to each other in the column direction.

9. A solid state imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array;

a plurality of floating diffusion sections each being connected to ones of the photodiodes via each of a plurality of transfer transistors;

a plurality of read-out lines each being selectively connected to at least two of the transfer transistors;

a plurality of reset transistors each being connected to one of the plurality of floating diffusion sections;

a plurality of reset pulse lines each being connected to at least one of the plurality of reset transistors; and

a plurality of pixel amplifier transistors each detecting and outputting the potential of each said floating diffusion section,

wherein the plurality of photodiodes includes a first photodiode, a second photodiode and a third photodiode,

the first photodiode is in row n, where n is a positive integer,

the second photodiode is in row n+1,

the third photodiode is in row n+2,

the plurality of read-out lines includes a first read-out line and a second read-out line,

the first read-out line and the second read-out line are disposed between the row n and the row n+1,

one of the plurality of reset pulse lines is disposed between the row n+1 and the row n+2, and

each said pixel amplifier transistor is disposed between adjacent rows.

10. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of read-out lines is connected to two of the plurality of transfer transistors which are included in the same column.

11. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of read-out lines is connected to two of the plurality of transfer transistors which are not included in the same column.

12. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of floating diffusion sections is shared by said ones of the plurality of photodiodes which are adjacent to each other in the column direction.