Seiko Epson Corporation

Yoshitaka Narita

Kazunobu Kuwazawa

Yutaka Maruo

Sanae Nishida

An imaging device comprising: a photoelectric conversion element generating photo-generated charges; an accumulation well accumulating the charges; a modulation well storing the charges; a modulation transistor having a channel threshold voltage controlled by the stored charges and outputting a corresponding signal; a transfer control element having a control end coupled to a control end of the modulation transistor and controlling the potential barrier of a transfer channel between the accumulation and modulation wells, and controlling transfer of the charges; an unwanted electric charge discharging control element controlling the potential barrier of an unwanted electric charge discharging channel coupled to the accumulation well, and discharging charges overflowing from the accumulation well during a period except for the charges transfer period; and a residual charge discharging control element controlling the potential barrier of a residual electric charge discharging channel coupled to the modulation well, and discharging residual charges in the modulation well.

Solid state imaging device and method of driving the same

A solid-state imaging device comprising: a photoelectric conversion element generating photo-generated charges; an accumulation well accumulating the charges; a modulation well holding the charges from the accumulation well; a modulation transistor controlled by the charges held in the modulation well and that outputs a signal corresponding to the charges; a transfer control element changing the potential barrier of a transfer channel between the accumulation and modulation wells to control transfer of the charges; an unwanted charges discharging control element controlling the potential barrier of an unwanted charges discharging channel coupled to the accumulation well, and discharging charges that overflow from the accumulation well during a period other than the transfer period when the photo-generated charges are transferred; and a residual charges discharging control element controlling the potential barrier of a residual charges discharging channel coupled to the modulation well, and discharging residual charges in the modulation well.

Growing community of inventors

Suwa, Japan

Yoshitaka Narita