Panasonic Corporation

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Ryoichi Nagayoshi

Toshiya Fujii

Tsuyoshi Hasuka

Hiroshi Okamoto

Akiyoshi Kohno

Keijirou Itakura

Shinichi Tashiro

Izumi Shimizu

Shinji Yamamoto

Yoshiaki Kato

Kazuyuki Inokuma

Hiroshi Sakoh

Keijiro Itakura

Hirsoshi Sakoh

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

The present invention provides a solid-state image sensing device that can reduce at least the number of pixels arranged in the horizontal direction and can output high quality picture signals at high speed without generating moire or alias. The solid-state image sensing device includes vertical transfer partsin which signal charges read out from photoelectric conversion partsarranged bidimensionally are transferred in the vertical direction stage by stage, a horizontal transfer partin which signal charges received from the vertical transfer partsare transferred in the horizontal direction, and a control unit that controls transfer operations of the vertical transfer partsand horizontal transfer part, wherein vertical last stages of the vertical transfer partshave transfer electrodes formed to have identical configurations repeated every 2n+1 (n denotes an integer of 1 or higher) columns, and vertical last stages of columns other than one column among the 2n+1 columns or all vertical stages are provided with transfer electrodes that are independent of those of the other vertical last stages.

Solid-state image sensing device and camera using the same

The present invention provides a solid-state image sensor, a solid-state image sensing apparatus, and a camera realizing a high-speed operation, all operable to output signal charges so as to maintain the light sensitivity and generate high-quality video signals free from moir&#xe9; and aliased signals even if the number of pixels making up one frame of an image is reduced. The solid-state image sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectric converters, vertical transfer groups, and a horizontal transfer unit disposed at one side of the vertical transfer groups. Each vertical transfer group includes 2n+1 vertical transfer units, where n is an integer of 1 or more. Each vertical transfer unit includes a plurality of transfer electrodes arranged in columns and charge storage units receiving and storing charges from the photoelectric converters. In n out of the 2n+1 vertical transfer units, predetermined transfer electrodes disposed near the horizontal transfer unit are independent transfer electrodes.

Solid-state image sensor, solid-state image sensing apparatus, camera, and method for controlling a solid-state image sensor

In a manufacturing method of an image sensor, a lightproof film (an antireflective film for avoiding flares) is formed over a wiring area; a transparent film is formed over an imaging area using a material capable of patterning; a transparent film, for forming micro lenses on top, is formed on the transparent film, wherein a height of the top surfaces of the transparent film and the lightproof film are evenly formed.

Image sensor and manufacturing method of image sensor

The present invention provides a semiconductor device that can adjust signal frequency bandwidths and consumption currents to be appropriately increased or reduced in source-follower amplifiers in all stages. The semiconductor device is comprised of a source-follower amplifier including a driver transistor D, and a load transistor Lthat is connected to the driver transistor Dand driven variably depending on a signal inputted to the driver transistor, wherein a gate of the load transistor Lis applied with a variable bias voltage. The semiconductor deviceis further comprised of a source-follower amplifier including a driver transistor D, and a load circuit (load transistor L) that is connected to said second driver transistor and driven variably depending on a signal outputted from the second driver transistor D, wherein a gate of the load transistor Lis applied with a variable bias voltage to vary a resistance value of the load transistor L

Semiconductor device and camera using same

In a manufacturing method of an image sensor, a lightproof film (an antireflective film for avoiding flares) is formed over a wiring area; a transparent film is formed over an imaging area using a material capable of patterning; a transparent film, for forming micro lense on top, is formed on the transparent film, wherein a height of the top surfaces of the transparent film and the lightproof film are evenly formed.

Growing community of inventors

Nishinomiya, Japan

Ryoichi Nagayoshi