Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Hideki Mutoh

Tetsuo Toma

Hiroshi Tanigawa

Kazuhiro Kawashiri

Kazuhiro Kawajiri

Kazuya Oda

Takashi Miida

Makoto Shizukuishi

Ryuji Kondo

Yoshimitsu Kudoh

Hiroshi Iwabuchi

A solid-state image pickup device of the charge-coupled type is improved in that the width W1 (as viewed in the charge transfer direction) of each of the transfer gate electrodes for generating transfer elements in the field shift mode, the width W2 (as viewed in the charge transfer direction) of each of the transfer gate electrode for generating potential barriers also in the field shift mode are selected so as to satisfy the following formula, and a buried channel junction depth X.sub.JBC of each of the vertical charge transfer paths are selected so as to satisfy W1&gt;W2 and/or W2&gt;2.multidot.X.sub.JBC. In the inventive image pickup device, the charge quantity transferred is increased without impairing the vertical resolution of the device.

Solid-state image pickup device

A solid-state CCD image pick-up device includes optoelectric transducing elements corresponding to pixels vertically and horizontally arrayed in a matrix forming column linear arrays defining a column direction and at least one vertical charge transfer path associated with a corresponding adjacent column linear array. Pixel signals are vertically transferred from the column linear arrays to the vertical charge transfer paths such that gate signals occurring at predetermined times are applied to gate electrodes of the vertical charge transfer paths to permit the pixel signals to be scan read by a horizontal charge transfer path. Switching elements are provided for transfer gate electrodes and a drive circuit sequentially generates drive signals for groups of gate electrodes during periods in which the switching elements are rendered conductive to allow a full frame scan read to be performed by supplying a predetermined number of timing signals to the gate electrodes. The pick-up device can be fabricated with high density integration and high pixel density and can be provided with an improved vertical overflow drain structure. The image pick-up device also provides an electronic shutter function having improved vertical resolution. A shift register for producing improved vertical resolution is also disclosed.

Solid-state image pick-up device for the charge-coupled device type

Solid-state image pick-up device of the charge-coupled device type

A phase difference detection unit for an automatic focusing system of a camera or the like. The phase difference detecting unit includes a pair of linear image pickup devices which receive a pair of optical images of an object formed by the lens in the automatic focusing system of a camera or the like. The detecting unit also has a correlation operating circuit which determines whether or not the lens of the focusing system is in a proper focus condition. The proper focus condition is determined by a minimum correlation value output by the correlation operating circuit, the value being indicative of the correlation between a pair of phase shifted analog electrical signals representative of the optical images received by the pickup devices. The correlation operating circuit is capable of operation at high speed with improved accuracy by maintaining the capacitive loads of the input terminals of the correlation operating circuit.

Automatic focusing system with phase difference detecting unit employing

A solid image pickup device driving method is provided in which a charge storage type solid image pickup device of a frame transfer interline system is used to detect still picture signals. Either the odd-numbered or even-numbered field elements are transferred to charge transfer paths in a light receiving section and next transferred to a storage section. The remaining field elements are then transferred to charge transfer paths in the light receiving section. The field elemeents residing in the storage section are then transferred to a horizontal CCD for output. Finally, the remaining field elements, having been stored in the charge transfer paths in the light receiving section, are transferred to the storage section, and then transferred to the horizontal CCD for output. The driving method provides for increased vertical resolution and facilitates miniaturization of the device. In addition, the shutter periods and/or the signal amplification factors of the odd-numbered and even-numbered fields are adjusted so that, with respect to the picture elements of the odd-numbered and even-numbered fields, with light applied under the same conditions, the output signals of the odd-numbered and even-numbered fields obtained through scanning are equal to each other. Therefore, the odd-numbered field scanning operation and the even-numbered field scanning operation each possess an equal ratio of the video signal to smear, and field flickering is therefore suppressed.

Solid state image pickup device driving method utilizing an electronic

A solid state image pickup device is provided in which a photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light to a voltage. Next a transistor performs voltage-to-current conversion, and a capacitor stores the charge. Current is stored in the capacitor without requiring the application of a reverse bias voltage to the photodiode. The voltage generated across the photodiode is logarithmically related to the quantity of incident light, and the dynamic range of the input signal to be reproduced is increased. As a result, dark current is minimized and dark current noise is reduced.

Solid state image pickup apparatus with charge storage device

In a complementary insulated-gate field effect transistor including insulated-gate field effect transistors of p-channel and n-channel types, a portion of the insulating material layer to be used to form the n-channel transistor is formed to be thicker than a portion thereof to be used to form the p-channel transistor, and a portion of the electrode material layer to be used to constitute the p-channel transistor is formed to be longer along the channel than a portion thereof to be used to constitute the n-channel transistor. This prevents the threshold voltage in the n-channel and p-channel transistors from scattering widely. Alternatively, the ion peak concentration of the ions implanted in the semiconductor substrate and the insulating material layer is located in the proximity of the boundary between the insulating material layer and the semiconductor substrate in the portion to be used to constitute the n-channel transistor, and is located in the semiconductor substrate apart from the insulating material layer in the portion to be used to constitute the p-channel transistor. This also enables the threshold voltage in the n-channel and p-channel transistors to be precisely controlled in the manufacturing processes.

Complementary insulated-gate field effect transistor integrated circuit

A solid-state image pickup device equipped with a high-speed electronic shutter function is comprised of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in matrix form, vertical transfer routes, a horizontal transfer route, and a vertical control circuit. The vertical control circuit simultaneously shifts signal charges from the photoelectric transducer elements to the vertical transfer routes, shifts a horizontal one-row portion of the signal charges in the vertical transfer routes to the horizontal transfer route, and also alternatively selects and vertically transfers a next one-row portion of the signal charges to the horizontal transfer route. Further, the image pickup device features an exhaust drain. A vertical charge-coupled device forms the vertical transfer routes; similarly, a horizontal charge-coupled device forms the horizontal transfer route.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Hideki Mutoh