Panasonic Corporation

Keijirou Itakura

Toshiya Fujii

Izumi Shimizu

Yoshiaki Kato

Kenichi Shimomura

Ryoichi Nagayoshi

Tsuyoshi Hasuka

Shinji Yamamoto

Masayuki Masuyama

Kazuyuki Inokuma

Kimiaki Toshikiyo

Akiyoshi Kohno

Kunihiro Imamura

A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of pixel cells; and column signal lines. Each of the pixel cells includes: a photoelectric conversion film, a pixel electrode, a transparent electrode, an amplifier transistor, a reset transistor, and an address transistor. The solid-state imaging device further includes: a lower-refractive-index transparent layer formed above the transparent electrode; and higher-refractive-index transparent parts embedded in the lower-refractive-index transparent layer and each having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the lower-refractive-index transparent layer. Each of the higher-refractive-index transparent parts separates light passing through the higher-refractive-index transparent part into zero-order diffracted light, first-order diffracted light, and negative-first-order diffracted light which exit the higher-refractive-index transparent part and travel toward the photoelectric conversion film.

Solid-state imaging device

A solid-state image sensing element () has a main face provided with an imaging region () in which unit pixels containing photoelectric conversion elements are formed in matrix. Peripheral circuit elements () are configured to control imaging operation of the solid-state image sensing element () or to perform signal processing of an image output of the solid-state image sensing element (). The imaging region () is covered with a transparent material (). The peripheral circuit elements () are mounted to a region of the main face of the solid-state image sensing element () except for the imaging region () such that main faces of the peripheral circuit elements (3, 4) face the main face of the solid-state image sensing element ().

Solid-state image sensing device having a reduced size and method for fabricating the same

A row scanner selects an arbitrary row in an pixel array unit. Per-column AD converters separately convert voltage signals respectively outputted from a column of a plurality of unit pixels in the selected arbitrary row into digital signals. A column scanner sequentially outputs the digital signals by a column-scanning operation thereof. An AD conversion result adjuster judges whether or not the digital signals reach a predetermined judgment value or the status equivalent to the digital signals reaching the predetermined judgment value is generated, and fixes the digital signals to digital pixel values set in accordance with the predetermined judgment value when a result of the judgment is positive.

Solid state imaging device having improved dynamic range

An imaging apparatus includes: a lens; a solid-state imaging device having, on its top surface, an imaging area in which pixels for converting incident light to a signal are arranged in rows and columns, a vertical scanning circuit located adjacent to the imaging area in a row direction, a peripheral circuit for processing the signal read from the imaging area, and a plurality of terminals; and a prism placed directly on the imaging area for leading the incident light to the imaging area. Light exposure is adjusted by varying brightness of light output from a processor according to a magnitude of the signal output from the solid-state imaging device.

Imaging apparatus

Solid state imaging device and method of driving the solid state imaging device

A drive unitsets a saturation amount in a read period in which charges generated in pixels are read to vertical CCDs to be lower in a combination mode than in an individual mode (see Vsub in count valuestoin FIG.). As a result, excess charges in the pixels are drained to an n-type substrate. The drive unitalso sets an accumulation period to be shorter in combination mode than in individual mode (see Vsub in each mode in FIG.).

Driving apparatus for driving an imaging device

A driving method is applied to a solid-state imaging apparatus having photoelectric conversion portions, transfer portion for reading out signal charges, and an excess charge draining portion for draining charges exceeding a saturation charge amount that is set by a reference voltage. One of driving modes is selected from a full pixel mode in which accumulated signal charges are detected individually for each pixel and a pixel mixing mode in which signal charges of a predetermined number of pixels are mixed to be detected. In the full pixel mode, the draining portion is supplied with the reference voltage having the same value during a charge accumulation period and a read transfer period for read transferring charges. In the pixel mixing mode, the draining portion is supplied with the reference voltage having a low level during the charge accumulation period and the reference voltage having a high level during the read transfer period. An appropriate driving for the pixel mixing mode can be performed by avoiding a limitation of a substrate voltage, without deteriorating the spectral characteristics, the sensitivity, nor the linearity.

Method for driving solid-state imaging apparatus and solid-state imaging apparatus

An image defect correction apparatus that processes luminance signals output from two-dimensionally arranged light-sensitive elements via a plurality of vertical charge coupled devices and a horizontal charge coupled device in a predetermined order, outputs image information, and includes: a recording unit that records therein an X address for identifying a correction-target vertical line of pixels corresponding to a vertical charge coupled device in which a point defect exists; a correction value calculating unit that calculates a correction value from values of (i) a luminance signal corresponding to at least one pixel at a predetermined position on the correction-target vertical line identified by the X address and (ii) a luminance signal corresponding to at least one pixel at a predetermined position on another vertical line; and a correcting unit that corrects values of luminance signals corresponding to the correction-target vertical line, based on the calculated correction value.

Image defect correction apparatus and method

A solid state imaging device of the present invention comprises a solid state imaging element which includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a matrix. In the solid state imaging device of the present invention, a pixel mixture unit area includes q pixels (q is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) in the first direction of the solid state imaging element and p pixels (p is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) in the second direction that crosses the first direction. The solid state imaging device includes: means for performing a first-field pixel addition process of adding together electric charges of a plurality of pixels included in the plurality of pixel mixture unit areas and a second-field pixel addition process of adding together the electric charges of the plurality of pixels included in the plurality of pixel mixture unit areas based on a combination of the pixel mixture unit areas which is different from that of the first-field pixel addition process; and means for alternately outputting signals of the electric charges obtained in the first-field pixel addition process and second-field pixel addition process as signals for interlaced scanning.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Keijirou Itakura