Solid-state imaging device, method of driving solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus

• US 8,222,709 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oike, Yusuke, Toda, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Im, Junghwa M
• Application Number:
  US11/551,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20070096238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 257/443, 257/426, 257/444, 257/432, 257/225, 257/E27.122, 348/E3.018, 348/E5.091
• US Class Current: 257/443
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/575 with a response composed of multiple slopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/583 with different integration times
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/589 with different integration times, e.g. short and long exposures

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array area in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form, a supply voltage control means for supplying plural first control voltages sequentially to a control electrode of the transfer gate, and a driving means for performing driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural first control voltages are sequentially applied twice and more.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:

a pixel array area in which unit pixels, each unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element for converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element to a floating diffusion region, are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix;

a supply voltage control section configured to supply plural first control voltages sequentially to each control electrode of each transfer gate to effect the transferring of signal charges; and

a driving section configured to perform driving of reading out signal charges transferred by each transfer gate when the plural first control voltages are sequentially applied twice and more,

wherein the device is configured such that reading out of signal charges is performed between plural first control voltages.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the plural first control voltages includes at least one voltage which is capable of, while holding a part of charges stored in the photoelectric conversion element, transferring the rest of stored charges by the transfer gate.

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

the unit pixel includes an amplification transistor to amplify and output signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion element by the transfer gate as a signal voltage, and

the driving section is configured to perform driving of reading out signal charges transferred to the amplification transistor by the transfer gate through the amplification transistor.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a charge transfer region into which signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion element by the transfer gate are transferred,

wherein the driving section is configured to perform driving of reading out signal charges transferred to the charge transfer region by the transfer gate through the charge transfer region.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the driving section is configured to perform driving of resetting signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural first control voltage are sequentially supplied.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the supply voltage control section is configured to supply the plural first control voltages at different intervals during exposure periods of the unit pixels.

7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel array area includes unit pixels not having color transmission filters, and which are more sensitive to light than unit pixels having color transmission filters.

8. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the high-sensitive pixels are arranged in units of rows;

and wherein the driving section is configured to perform driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural first control voltages are sequentially supplied to the high-sensitive pixels twice and more.

9. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the pixels including the color transmission filters include infrared light cut filters, and wherein the high-sensitive pixels receive optical signals including infrared light.

10. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control section configured to perform control of reading out signal charges obtained by transfers by the transfer gate when one of, or all plural second control voltages are applied, which are sequentially applied to the control electrode of the transfer gate, after filling the photoelectric element with electrons or holes.

11. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 10, wherein one of, or all the plural second control voltages are voltages which are capable of, while holding a part of charges stored in the photoelectric conversion element, transferring the rest of the stored charges by the transfer gate.

12. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 11, wherein,

when the plural first control voltages are sequentially applied in the order of high voltage, the plural second control voltages are sequentially applied in the order of low voltage.

13. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 10, wherein a potential of transfer capacity in which charges are transferred from the photoelectric conversion element through the transfer gate is allowed to be a potential in a saturated state of the photoelectric conversion element to make the transfer gate be on-state.

14. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a signal processing section configured to perform processing for eliminating fixed pattern noise of an image with respect to a signal based on signal charges obtained by the driving section by using a signal based on signal charges obtained by control by the control section.

15. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 14, wherein the signal processing section adds the signal based on signal charges obtained by control by the control section to the signal based on signal charges obtained by the driving section.

16. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the resetting of signal charges occurs between plural first control voltages.