Ricoh Company, Ltd.

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Katsuhiko Aisu

Kazuhiro Yoneda

Takaaki Negoro

Hirofumi Watanabe

Katsuyuki Sakurano

Yasukazu Nakatani

Yoshinori Ueda

Yasushi Nagamune

Toshitaka Ota

Yutaka Hayashi

Junichi Ikeda

Takeshi Nagahisa

Hirobumi Watanabe

A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion unit which includes a phototransistor having a collector region, an emitter region, and a base region to generate an output current according to an intensity of incident light to the phototransistor, and a base potential setting unit which is configured to set up a base potential of the phototransistor so that the output current from the photoelectric conversion unit is equal to a predetermined current value.

Photoelectric conversion device and image generation device

A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel cell including a phototransistor, a reference cell including a reference transistor having a temperature characteristic identical to that of the phototransistor and having a fixed electrical state, an analog-to-digital converter that converts an analog output of the pixel cell into a digital output, a correction amount computation unit that computes a correction amount for the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter based on an output of the reference cell and a reference value, and a correction unit that corrects the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter based on the correction amount.

Photoelectric conversion device, image generation device, and method of correcting output of photoelectric conversion device

A semiconductor device for converting incident light into an electric current includes a semiconductor substrate; an electrode embedded in the semiconductor substrate; an insulation film contacting the electrode in the semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type and a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, formed sequentially in a depth direction from a side of a front face of the semiconductor substrate; and a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type contacting the insulation film and the second semiconductor region. An impurity concentration of the fourth semiconductor region is greater than an impurity concentration of the second semiconductor region.

Semiconductor device, manufacturing method thereof and imaging apparatus

An imaging device having phototransistors in photodetectors of pixels is disclosed. The imaging device includes an implanted electrode configured to separate the pixels, a first emitter disposed at a position adjacent to the implanted electrode, and a second emitter disposed such that a distance from the implanted electrode to the second emitter is longer than a distance from the implanted electrode to the first emitter.

Imaging device, control method of imaging device, and pixel structure

An imaging device includes at least one pixel having a phototransistor which converts light energy into signal charge and varies an amplification factor relative to the intensity of the received light energy, wherein the signal charge of the phototransistor is read out while receiving the light energy with the phototransistor for each pixel.

Imaging device including a phototransistor, method of driving the imaging device, and camera including the imaging device

An imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion element which photoelectrically converts incident light and generates a charge, accumulates and amplifies the charge, and outputs a photocurrent, wherein a level of an output signal when a charge which is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element is outputted over a saturated amount of accumulable charge includes a level of an output signal of a charge of a photocurrent of DC component which is generated in the photoelectric conversion element and outputted during a readout time when the charge which is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element is outputted.

Imaging device and electronic device

A sense circuit includes a differential amplifier circuit including an inverting input section, a non-inverting input section and an output section, an electrical capacitor connected between the inverting input section and the output section, and a field effect transistor including a source, a drain, and a gate. One of the source and the drain is connected to the inverting input section, and the other of the source and the drain is connected to the output section. A reference potential is supplied to the non-inverting input section, and an output section of a photoelectric conversion cell having an added switching function is connected to the inverting input section.

Sense circuit and method of operation thereof and photoelectric conversion array connected to inverting input of sense circuit

A solid-state image sensing device is provided including a first semi-conducting layer of first conductivity, a second semi-conducting layer of first conductivity disposed on the first semi-conducting layer, a semiconductor region of second conductivity different from the first conductivity disposed in the second semi-conducting layer, a deep trench configured to isolate a plurality of neighboring pixels from each other, and an electrode implanted into the deep trench, where the semiconductor region of second conductivity, the second semi-conducting layer, and the first semi-conducting layer are disposed in that order from a proximal side to a distal side, the second semi-conducting layer is split by the deep trench into sections that correspond to the pixels, an impurity concentration of first conductivity of the first semi-conducting layer is higher than an impurity concentration of first conductivity of the second semi-conducting layer, and the deep trench contacts the first semi-conducting layer.

Solid-state image sensing device with electrode implanted into deep trench

A photoelectric conversion device includes a first output line, a second output line; and a photoelectric conversion cell. The photoelectric conversion cell further includes, a photoelectric conversion element configured to generate an output current corresponding to an intensity of incident light, a first switch element configured to transmit the first output current to the first output line according to a first control signal, and a second switch element configured to transmit the second output current to second output line according to a second control signal. As a result, the photoelectric conversion device can be provided to generate rapidly the image data with wide dynamic range without the need for complex control outside of the photoelectric conversion device.

Photoelectric conversion device having two switch elements

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device are disclosed. The method includes forming a trench, in a vertical direction of a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of photoelectric converting elements arranged on the semiconductor device, at positions between the photoelectric converting elements that are next to each other, forming a first conductive-material layer in and above the trench by implanting a first conductive material into the trench after an oxide film is formed on an inner wall of the trench, forming a first conductor by removing the first conductive-material layer excluding a first conductive portion of the first conductive-material layer implanted into the trench, and forming an upper gate electrode above the first conductor, the upper gate electrode configured to be conductive with the first conductor. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an image sensor, a trench, a first conductor, and an upper gate electrode.

Image sensor having a plurality of phototransistors separated by trench-gate structures and method of manufacturing the same

Provided is a method of varying the gain of an amplifying photoelectric conversion device and a variable gain photoelectric conversion device which are capable of achieving both signal processing under low illuminance and high-current processing under high light intensity, and thereby capable of securing a wide dynamic range. An amplifying photoelectric conversion part includes a photoelectric conversion element and amplification transistors forming a Darlington circuit. The sources and the drains of field-effect transistors are connected to the bases and the emitters of the amplification transistors, respectively. The gates of the field-effect transistors each function as a gain control part.

Method of varying gain of amplifying photoelectric conversion device and variable gain photoelectric conversion device

An infrared sensor device includes a plurality of infrared sensors that is provided in a plurality of divided areas in which an infrared-receiving area is radially divided in one plane; a detector that detects presence or absence of movement of an object in the infrared-receiving area for each of the divided areas based on an output of the infrared sensor; and a determiner that determines whether the object is in a detection area in a predetermined distance range from the infrared sensor, based on an arrangement pattern of the divided areas in which the movement of the object is detected, in an alignment of the divided areas in the infrared-receiving areas.

Infrared sensor device

A low-pass filter that filters an input signal input to a filter input terminal to output a filtered output signal to a filter output terminal includes a capacitor, a first field-effect transistor, a first resistor, and a first current source. The capacitor is connected between the filter output terminal and ground. The first field-effect transistor has a gate terminal, a first conduction terminal connected to the filter input terminal, and a second conduction terminal connected to the filter output terminal. The first resistor is connected between the gate and first conduction terminals of the first transistor. The first current source is connected to the first resistor to supply a first current to the first resistor. The first resistor generates a first voltage thereacross based on the supplied first current for electrically biasing the gate terminal of the first transistor.

Low-pass filter, constant voltage circuit, and semiconductor integrated circuit including same

A differential amplifier circuit includes a differential input stage comprising first and second transistors whose sources are connected with each other, a constant current source connected between the sources of the first and second transistors and a ground, a current mirror circuit comprising third and fourth transistors whose sources are connected with a power supply source, a fifth transistor of a same conductive type as that of the first transistor, connected at a drain to a drain of the third transistor, connected at a source to a drain of the first transistor and connected at a gate to a reference voltage source; and a sixth transistor of a same conductive type as that of the second transistor, connected at a drain to a drain of the fourth transistor, connected at a source to a drain of the second transistor, and connected at a gate to the reference voltage source.

Differential amplifier circuit, operational amplifier including difference amplifier circuit, and voltage regulator circuit

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a capacitor element which defines a prescribed decay time constant with one or more resistors, an MOS transistor connected to the capacitor element via its gate, and a constant current generating element which generates a constant current. The capacitor element is charged with the constant current so as to create a linearly changing voltage. The linearly changing voltage is applied to the gate so that the MOS transistor can accordingly output a smoothly changing current.

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Hyogo, Japan

Katsuhiko Aisu