Hamamatsu-photonics K.k.

Kentaro Maeta

Masaharu Muramatsu

Hisanori Suzuki

Yasuhito Yoneta

Shin-ichiro Takagi

Yasuhito Miyazaki

Motohiro Suyama

Fumio Iwase

Akiomi Ujima

Tatsuki Kasuya

Takeshi Kawahara

Hiroya Kobayashi

Kenichi Sugimoto

A semiconductor photodetector includes a semiconductor substrate including a silicon substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a second main surface as a light incident surface and a first main surface opposing the second main surface. In the semiconductor substrate, carriers are generated in response to incident light. A plurality of protrusions is formed on the second main surface. The protrusion includes a slope inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate. At the protrusion, a (111) surface of the semiconductor substrate is exposed as the slope. The height of the protrusion is equal to or more than 200 nm.

Semiconductor light detection element

A back-illuminated solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate, a shift register, and a light-shielding film. The semiconductor substrate includes a light incident surface on the back side and a light receiving portion generating a charge in accordance with light incidence. The shift register is disposed on the side of a light-detective surface opposite to the light incident surface of the semiconductor substrate. The light-shielding film is disposed on the side of the light-detective surface of the semiconductor substrate. The light-shielding film includes an uneven surface opposing the light-detective surface.

Backside incidence type solid-state image pickup device

A back-illuminated energy ray detecting elementincludes a semiconductor substrate and a protective film. The semiconductor substrate has a first principal surface as an energy ray incident surface and a second principal surface opposite to the first principal surface, and a charge generating region configured to generate an electric charge according to incidence of an energy ray is disposed on the second principal surface side. The protective film is disposed on the second principal surface side of the semiconductor substrate to cover at least the charge generating region, and includes silicon nitride or silicon nitride oxide. The protective film has a stress alleviating section configured to alleviate stress generated in the protective film.

Backside-illuminated energy ray detection element

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric converting units and a plurality of charge-accumulating units each accumulating a charge generated in the corresponding photoelectric converting unit. The photoelectric converting unit includes a photosensitive region that generates the charge in accordance with light incidence, and an electric potential gradient forming unit that accelerates migration of charge in a second direction in the photosensitive region. The charge-accumulating unit includes: a plurality of regions (semiconductor layers) having an impurity concentration gradually changed in one way in the second direction, and electrodes adapted to apply electric fields to the plurality of regions. Each of the electrodes is disposed over the plurality of regions having the impurity concentration gradually varied.

Solid-state imaging device

A plurality of semiconductor photodetecting elements have a planar shape having a pair of first sides opposed to each other in a first direction and a pair of second sides being shorter than the pair of first sides and opposed to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and are disposed on a base so as to be adjacent to each other in juxtaposition. A plurality of bump electrodes each are disposed on sides where the pair of first sides lie in each semiconductor photodetecting element, to electrically and mechanically connect the base to each semiconductor photodetecting element. A plurality of dummy bumps are disposed so that at least one dummy bump is disposed on each of sides where the pair of second sides lie in each semiconductor photodetecting element, to mechanically connect the base to each semiconductor photodetecting element.

Semiconductor photodetection device

A solid-state imaging deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention is a charge multiplying solid-state imaging device, and includes an imaging areathat generates a charge according to the amount of incident light, an output register unitthat receives the charge from the imaging area, and a multiplication register unitthat multiplies the charge from the output register, and performs feed-forward control of the multiplication factor of the multiplication register unitaccording to the charge amount from the imaging area

Solid-state imaging device performing feed-forward control of multiplication factor of multiplication register to match dynamic range of the device with the intensity distribution of incident light

In a solid-state imaging device, an overflow gate (OFG)has a predetermined electric resistance value, while voltage application unitstoare electrically connected to the OFGat connecting partsto. Therefore, when voltage values Vto Vapplied to the connecting partstoby the voltage application unitstoare adjusted, the OFGcan yield higher and lower voltage values in its earlier and later stage parts, respectively. As a result, the barrier level (potential) becomes lower and higher in the earlier and later stage parts, so that all the electric charges generated in an earlier stage side region of photoelectric conversion unitscan be caused to flow out to an overflow drain (OFD), whereby only the electric charges generated in a later stage side region of the photoelectric conversion unitscan be TDI-transferred.

Solid imaging device including photoelectric conversion unit and TDI transfer unit

A solid-state imaging deviceA includes a CCD-type solid-state imaging elementhaving an imaging planeformed of M&#xd7;N pixels that are two-dimensionally arrayed in M rows and N columns, N signal readout circuitsarranged on one end side in the column direction for each of the columns with respect to the imaging plane, and N signal readout circuitsarranged on the other end side in the column direction for each of the columns with respect to the imaging plane, a semiconductor elementfor digital-converting and then sequentially outputting as serial signals electrical signals output from the signal readout circuitsfor each of the columns, and a semiconductor elementfor digital-converting and then sequentially outputting as serial signals electrical signals output from the signal readout circuitsfor each of the columns.

Solid-state imaging device operable with two readout modes in two different directions coincident with a moving speed and a moving direction of a moving subject

A solid-state imaging deviceA includes a CCD-type solid-state imaging elementhaving an imaging planeformed of M&#xd7;N pixels that are two-dimensionally arrayed in M rows and N columns and N signal readout circuitsarranged on one end side in the column direction for each of the columns with respect to the planeand for outputting electrical signals according to the magnitudes of charges taken out of the respective columns, respectively, a C-MOS-type semiconductor elementfor digital-converting and sequentially outputting as serial signals electrical signals output from the circuitsfor each of the columns, a heat transfer memberhaving a main surfaceand a back surface, and a cooling blockprovided on the surface, and the semiconductor elementand the surfaceof the heat transfer memberare bonded to each other.

A solid state imaging device includes a P-type semiconductor substrateA, a P-type epitaxial layerB grown on the semiconductor substrateA, an imaging region VR grown within the epitaxial layerB, and an N-type semiconductor regionC grown within the epitaxial layerB. The solid state imaging device further includes a horizontal shift register HR that transmits a signal from the imaging region VR, and a P-type well regionD formed within the epitaxial layerB. The N-type semiconductor regionC extends in the well regionD. A P-type impurity concentration in the well regionD is higher than a P-type impurity concentration in the epitaxial layerB. A multiplication register EM that multiplies electrons from the horizontal shift register HR is formed in the well regionD.

Solid-state image sensing device containing electron multiplication function having N-type floating diffusion (FD) region formed within a P-type well region

A solid-state imaging deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention is a charge multiplying solid-state imaging device, and includes an imaging areathat generates a charge according to the amount of incident light, a plurality of output register unitstothat receive the charge from the imaging area, and a plurality of multiplication register unitstothat multiply charges from the output registersto, respectively, and the multiplication register unitstoare different in the number of multiplication stages from each other.

Charge multiplying solid state imaging device having multiplication register units with different number of multiplication stages

A solid-state imaging deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention is a charge multiplying solid-state imaging device, and includes an imaging areathat generates a charge according to the amount of incident light, an output register unitthat receives the charge from the imaging area, a multiplication register unitthat multiplies the charge from the output register, and at least one charge dispersion meansthat disperses the charge input to the multiplication register unitin a width direction perpendicular to a transfer direction.

Charge multiplying solid-state imaging device

A solid-state imaging device of an embodiment includes an imaging region, an output register, a corner register, a multiplication register, a first amplifier, a second amplifier, and a valve gate electrode. The output register is a transfer register that receives a charge transferred from the imaging region to transfer the charge. The output register is capable of selectively transferring a charge in one direction and in the other direction opposite to the one direction. The corner register transfers a charge transferred in one direction from the output register. The multiplication register receives a charge from the corner register and generates and transfers a multiplied charge. The first amplifier generates a signal based on a multiplied charge from the multiplication register. The second amplifier generates a signal based on a charge transferred in the other direction by the output register. The valve gate electrode is an electrode for preventing a transfer of a charge between the output register and the corner register.

Solid-state imaging device including corner register

A solid-state imaging device according to one embodiment is a multi-port solid-state imaging device, and includes an imaging region and a plurality of units. The imaging region includes a plurality of pixel columns. The units generate signals based on charges from the imaging region. Each of the units has an output register, a plurality of multiplication registers, and an amplifier. The output register transfers a charge from one or more corresponding pixel columns out of the plurality of pixel columns. The multiplication registers are provided in parallel, and receive the charge from the output register to generate multiplied charges individually. The amplifier generates a signal based on the multiplied charges from the multiplication registers.

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Hamamatsu, Japan

Kentaro Maeta