Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Hirokazu Sekine

Nagataka Tanaka

Atsuko Kawasaki

Kenichiro Hagiwara

Shu Sasaki

Masanori Ashino

Certain embodiments provide a solid-state image pickup device including a first pixel, a second pixel, and an output circuit. The first pixel has a first photodiode and a first microlens that is formed above the first photodiode. The second pixel has a second photodiode and a second microlens which is formed above the second photodiode and is smaller than the first microlens. Further, the second pixel has a sensitivity of 1/n times of the first pixel and has a photoelectric conversion period of n times of the first pixel. The output circuit outputs a differential signal of a difference between a first detection signal based on a charge amount of the first signal charge and a second detection signal based on a charge amount of the second signal charge.

Solid-state image pickup device and system having photodiodes of varying sizes and sensitivities in each unity cell to detect movement of a subject

Certain embodiments provide a camera module including a lens holder that holds a lens, a transparent substrate disposed below the lens in the lens holder, a driving-device, a substrate including a sensor unit, a driver IC, a plurality of external electrodes electrically connected to the sensor unit and the driver IC, and a wiring for the driving-device. The driving-device is a device which moves the lens in the vertical direction and which is disposed above the transparent substrate in the lens holder. The substrate is disposed below the transparent substrate in the lens holder. The driver IC is an IC which drives the driving-device and which is disposed at a rear side of the substrate. The wiring for the driving-device electrically connects the driving-device with the driver IC.

Camera module and method for manufacturing camera module

According to one embodiment, a solid-state image sensing device includes a semiconductor substrate on which a plurality of pixels are arranged, a transparent substrate including a first through via provided in an opening formed in advance to extend through, an adhesive including a second through via connected to the first through via and configured to bond the semiconductor substrate and the transparent substrate while exposing the pixels, and an imaging lens unit arranged on the transparent substrate.

Image sensing device including through vias electrically connecting imaging lens unit to image sensors

Provided is a solid-state imaging device. Two unit cells are prepared each having three pixels and sharing an output circuit. One of the basic blocks is rotated by 180&#xb0; such that a reset drain is shared, resulting in a 6-pixel 1-cell, and the cells are disposed in a square lattice pattern or checkerboard pattern. Thus, element isolation regions between the pixels and the output circuit disposed adjacent thereto are minimized, and the number of wirings disposed around the pixels is reduced. As a result, a margin for white scratches and saturation charge amounts may be increased despite the miniaturization of cells.

Solid-state imaging device

Certain embodiments provide an imaging system including a light guiding member supported on a circuit substrate so as to be capable of lighting an object, an optical image-forming member and a solid-state imaging device. The optical image-forming member is arranged on the circuit substrate so as to have an optical axis thereof parallel to the circuit substrate, is arranged on the circuit substrate so as to be able to receive reflected light from the object, emits the reflected light in an oblique direction with respect to a surface of the circuit substrate, and forms an image at a predetermined distance position. The solid-state imaging device includes a light receiving surface that is oblique with respect to the circuit substrate surface, and is mounted on the surface of the circuit substrate so as to have the receiving surface positioned at a position where the image is formed.

Imaging system, solid-state imaging device for the imaging system, and method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device for the imaging system

A solid-state image pickup device includes a solid-state image sensor chip having a solid-state image sensor having a photosensitive element formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and chip electrodes led to the back surface of the semiconductor substrate, a passive chip bonded on the back surface of the solid-state image sensor chips having passive parts mounted in its thickness and electrically connected to the chip electrodes of the solid-state image sensors. The device further includes a lens holder fixed to enclose the photosensitive element of the solid-state image pickup sensor chip and a lens barrel to fit into the lens holders, wherein the passive chip is formed having a size equal to or smaller than a size of the solid-state image sensors.

Solid-state image pickup device and a camera module

The CMOS image sensor includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a matrix having a plurality of rows and columns. A plurality of floating junctions are provided, each of which is arranged between one of a plurality of pairs of the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in adjacent two rows and is connected to one of the pairs of the photoelectric conversion elements, so that output signals of the pair of the photoelectric conversion elements may be transferred. Output circuits are connected to a plurality of the floating junctions arranged in the column for reading in common the output signals of the photoelectric conversion elements transferred to these flowing junctions. Output signal lines are provided for each column so as to supply output signals of the output circuits. The output circuits are arranged between the pairs of photoelectric conversion elements adjacently arranged in the row. A CMOS image sensor has a plurality of pixels PD arranged two-dimensionally at predetermined pitches in the vertical direction and horizontal direction and a plurality of output circuits OUT for reading output signals from the pixels PD and the output circuits OUT are arranged between pairs of PD pixels arranged in the row (vertical) direction. The output circuits OUT read in common accumulated signals of pixels composed of the plurality of pixels PD and output them to signal output lines. By use of such a constitution, integration of the pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix in the horizontal direction can be improved.

CMOS image sensor

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes steps of forming an embedded channelin a semiconductor substrateforming a resist layer on the embedded channelthrough an oxide film, exposing the resist layer using a grating mask the light transmissivity of which varies toward transfer directions of electric charges, developing the exposed resist layer to form a resist mask having a gradient, forming a first impurity regionhaving a concentration gradient by injecting ions into the embedded channelthrough the resist mask, and arranging transfer electrodesat prescribed positions on the first impurity regionthrough the oxide filmafter removing the resist mask, wherein a potential profile becomes deeper toward the transfer directions of the electric charges.

Method for manufacturing a charge coupled device

In the pixel portions of the CMOS image sensor, a plurality of unit cells are arranged in the row and column directions at a predetermined pitch respectively in a two-dimensional plain forming a matrix. Each unit cell includes the first and second photodiodes PDa and PDb, the first and second transfer transistors Ta and Tb for transferring the stored charges of the photodiodes to their common floating junctions FJ, the reset transistors R for resetting the potential of the floating junctions FJ, the driver transistors D whose output potential is controlled by the potential of the floating junctions FJ, and the address transistors A for selectively driving the driver transistors D. With the arrangement of the elements and wires in the pixel portions, the integration can be increased and the resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions can be improved.

A CMOS image sensor is provided in which a first group of output circuits arranged in a two-dimensional matrix and a second group of output circuits arranged in a two-dimensional matrix are arranged in the checkered pattern. The second group of output circuits is dislocated from the first group of output circuits by about one-half pitch of the pitchs in the horizontal and vertical directions.

A solid-state image pickup device comprises pixels and output circuits. The pixels are arranged two-dimensionally with a vertical and a horizontal, with pixels vertically adjacent to each other forming a pair. The output circuits are provided so as to extend from the spacing part of a pair of pixels vertically adjacent to each other to the spacing part of a pair of pixels horizontally adjacent to the pair of pixels. The output circuits output information corresponding to the signal charge read from a selected one of the pair of pixels. A unit cell is composed of a pair of pixels vertically adjacent to each other and an output circuit corresponding to the pair of pixels. Such unit cells are arranged in a checkered pattern. One of the pair of pixels in a unit cell diagonally adjacent to the pair of pixels is arranged in the same horizontal line.

Pattern layout of CMOS image sensor

A CMOS image sensor is provided with a first pixel group and a second pixel group The first pixel group composed of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix at specified pitches PH and PV in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. The second pixel group composed of a plurality of pixels arranged similarly in a matrix shifted by about one-half of the pitches PH and PV in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively from the matrix of the first pixel group. Each of these pixels is composed of a combination of a photodiode PD, a reset transistor RS, a driver transistor D and an address transistor AD. The reset transistors RS belonging to the first and second pixel groups and arranged in a corresponding row of the matrix are connected to a common reset line RSL. Similarly, the address transistors AD belonging to the first and second pixel groups and arranged in a corresponding row of the matrix are connected to a common address line ADL. Further, drain electrodes of two reset transistors RS contained in adjacent four pixels and drain electrodes of two address transistors are connected to a common reset drain voltage line terminal RD.

A solid-state imaging device provided with color filter in which process margin with respect to color reproducibility at the time of production is increased. This solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate, light shielding films formed so as to define light opening portions by material of light shielding characteristic above the semiconductor substrate, and color filters formed, in a manner to correspond to the light opening portions, above the light shielding films so that respective end portions thereof are correspondingly positioned within the regions where the light shielding films are respectively formed. In addition, a method of manufacturing such a solid-state imaging device, has the steps of forming a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, allowing light shielding material to selectively remain within regions where light shielding films are to be respectively formed on the first insulating film to form the light shielding films, forming a second insulating film in this state, and selectively forming a color filter layer on the second insulating film so as to cover the opening portion surrounded by the light shielding films and to allow the respective end portions to be positioned on the regions where the light shielding films are respectively formed to repeat the above-mentioned process steps to produce solid-state imaging device provided with, e.g., color filters of three colors.

Solid-state imaging device and method of manufacturing the same

A solid-state imaging device used as a linear sensor of the TDI mode in which resolution is improved and moire phenomenon takes place to less degree. This solid-state imaging device comprises first pixel trains comprised of plural pixels, second pixel trains comprised of plural pixels disposed in the state respectively shifted by half pitches in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the first pixel trains, a charge storage section for storing signal charges transferred to a signal processing section, first shift electrodes disposed between respective corresponding pixels of the first and second pixel trains and adapted for sequentially transferring signal charges, and second shift electrodes for transferring signal charges of the pixels of the final transfer stage of the first and second pixel trains to the charge transfer section through a shift register and an output circuit. Preferably, the signal processing section includes an interpolating circuit for interpolating, on the basis of one of signal outputs from the first and second pixel trains, the other signal output.

Solid-State imaging device

An imaging system using an area sensor in which reading of very fine object such as a manuscript, etc. is permitted to be carried out. This imaging system includes an area sensor in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged so that a pixel pitch in an X direction is an integer multiple A of a pixel width and a pixel pitch in a Y direction is an integer multiple B of a pixel length; object driving means for moving an object by the pixel width/length so that in a condition where one of the pixels corresponds to a part of an object, an image of a unit of 1/AB of the part of the object is formed on one of the pixels; and photoelectric conversion control means for allowing the area sensor to carry out photoelectric conversion in a manner synchronized with movement of the object. The system preferably further includes an optical system for carrying out enlargement or contraction adapted to form an image of the unit of 1/AB of the part of the object on the pixel and picture synthesizing means for AB numbered synthesizing image pick-up signals to obtain an image pick-up pattern of the entirety of the object.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa-ken, Japan

Hirokazu Sekine