Solid-state imaging device and electronic camera

• US 9,385,148 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Murata, Hironobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morehead, III, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/736,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20130182173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14605 Structural or functional details relating to the position of the pixel elements, e.g. smaller pixel elements in the center of the imager compared to pixel elements at the periphery
• 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 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14636 Interconnect structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1464 Back illuminated imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/236 using varifocal lenses or mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 using complementary colours
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/702 SSIS architectures characterised by non-identical, non-equidistant or non-planar pixel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 19/20 comprising components having an active region that includes an inorganic semiconductor
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/32 Organic image sensors

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device includes a second image sensor having an organic photoelectric conversion film transmitting a specific light, and a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which receives the specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, in which a pixel for focus detection is provided in the second image sensor or the first image sensor. Therefore, an AF method can be realized independently of a pixel for imaging.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a second image sensor is formed of an organic photoelectric conversion film, in which the second image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion part transmitting a first specific light and photoelectrically converting a non-transmitted light that is complementary to the first specific light, a second photoelectric conversion part transmitting a second specific light and photoelectrically converting a non-transmitted light that is complementary to the second specific light, and a third photoelectric conversion part transmitting a third specific light and photoelectrically converting a non-transmitted light that is complementary to the third specific light; and

a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which has a fourth photoelectric conversion part photoelectrically converting the first specific light that transmitted the second image sensor, a fifth photoelectric conversion part photoelectrically converting the second specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, and a sixth photoelectric conversion part photoelectrically converting the third specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, wherein

a pixel for focus detection is provided in one of the second image sensor and the first image sensor.

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

the second image sensor is arranged in a specific color array as a color filter of the first image sensor.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2, wherein

a color component of an image signal photoelectrically converted by the second image sensor and a color component of an image signal photoelectrically converted by the first image sensor are in a complementary color relationship.

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

a light-receiving surface of the second image sensor and a light-receiving surface of the first image sensor are arranged on a same optical path.

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

the pixel for focus detection is uniformly arranged at all pixels of one of the second image sensor and the first image sensor.

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

the pixel for focus detection includes a photoelectric conversion part which receives at least one of light beams being obtained by dividing incoming light on each pixel by a pupil-division.

7. An electronic camera mounting the solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein there are provided:

an optical system which projects incoming light from an object on the second image sensor and the first image sensor being arranged on a same optical path;

an imaging part which performs focus control of the optical system by using a focus detection signal output from the second image sensor and which captures an object image by using an image signal output from the first image sensor; and

a recording part which records the object image onto a storage medium.

8. The electronic camera according to claim 7, wherein

performing error correction of a focus detection signal output from a pixel of a different color component of the second image sensor.

9. The electronic camera according to claim 7, wherein

the imaging part performs focus detection by using a phase difference detection method after inputting a focus detection signal from the pixel for focus detection, the focus detection signal corresponds to an image being obtained by dividing incoming light on the pixel for focus detection by a pupil-division.

10. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric converters generating a first image signal by photoelectrically converting a first color component, a second color component, and a third color component of incoming light; and

a plurality of second photoelectric converters generating a second image signal by photoelectrically converting a fourth color component, a fifth color component, and a sixth color component of light that transmitted the first photoelectric converters, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth color components being complementary colors of the first, the second, and the third color components, respectively.

11. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 10, wherein

the first photoelectric converters each includes an organic photoelectric conversion film converting light into an electric signal.

12. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 10, wherein

the first photoelectric converter is stacked in layers on the second photoelectric converter;

and

a light-receiving surface of the first photoelectric converters and a light-receiving surface of the second photoelectric converters are arranged on a same optical path.

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

a first image sensor having a plurality of pixels which include the plurality of the first photoelectric converters;

and

a second image sensor having a plurality of pixels which include the plurality of the second photoelectric converters.

14. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 13, wherein

a pixel for focus detection is provided in one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor.

15. An electronic camera mounting the solid-state imaging device according to claim 13, wherein there are provided:

an optical system which projects incoming light from an object on the first image sensor and the second image sensor being arranged on a same optical path;

an imaging part which performs focus control of the optical system by using a focus detection signal output from one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor which captures an object image by using an image signal output from one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor; and

a recording part which records the object image onto a storage medium.

16. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric converters each transmitting a first incoming light, a second incoming light, and a third incoming light and photoelectrically converting non-transmitted a fourth incoming light, a fifth incoming light, and a sixth incoming light that are (i) the respective complementary colors of the first, the second, and the third incoming lights and are (ii) different from the transmitted first, the second, and the third incoming light; and

a plurality of second photoelectric converters each photoelectrically converting the first, the second, and the third incoming lights having transmitted the respective first photoelectric converters.

17. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 16, wherein

the first photoelectric converters each includes an organic photoelectric conversion film converting light into an electric signal.

18. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 16, wherein

the first photoelectric converter is stacked in layers on the second photoelectric converter;

and

a light-receiving surface of the first photoelectric converters and a light-receiving surface of the second photoelectric converters are arranged on a same optical path.

19. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 16, further comprising

a first image sensor having a plurality of pixels which include the plurality of the first photoelectric converters;

and

a second image sensor having a plurality of pixels which include the plurality of the second photoelectric converters.

20. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 19, wherein

a pixel for focus detection is provided in one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor.

21. An electronic camera mounting the solid-state imaging device according to claim 19, wherein there are provided:

an optical system which projects incoming light from an object on the first image sensor and the second image sensor being arranged on a same optical path;

an imaging part which performs focus control of the optical system by using a focus detection signal output from one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor which captures an object image by using an image signal output from one of the first image sensor and the second image sensor; and

a recording part which records the object image onto a storage medium.

22. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a first image sensor including a fourth photoelectric conversion part, a fifth photoelectric conversion part, and a sixth photoelectric conversion part; and

a second image sensor which is stacked in layers on the first image sensor and including a first photoelectric conversion part, a second photoelectric conversion part, and a third photoelectric conversion part each being an organic photoelectric conversion part, wherein

the first photoelectric conversion part transmits a first specific light and photoelectrically converts a non-transmitted light that is complementary to the first specific light,

the second photoelectric conversion part transmits a second specific light and photoelectrically converts a non-transmitted light that is complementary to the second specific light,

the third photoelectric conversion part transmits a third specific light and photoelectrically converts a non-transmitted light that is complementary to the third specific light,

the fourth photoelectric conversion part photoelectrically converts the first specific light having transmitted the second image sensor,

the fifth photoelectric conversion part photoelectrically converts the second specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, and

the sixth photoelectric conversion part photoelectrically converts the third specific light having transmitted the second image sensor.