The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 23, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 24, 1994
Tomohisa Ishida, Kawasaki, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An amplification-type solid-state image sensor includes a plurality of picture elements each thereof including a phototransistor. The phototransistor includes a plurality of split gate electrodes to which is applied a voltage for inducing carriers of the same conductivity type as a source region and a drain region in a surface of a semiconductor layer forming a channel. During a resetting period a control voltage is applied simultaneously to all of the split gate electrodes and during a photogenerated charge storage period a control voltage is applied alternately to the split gate electrodes. The occurrence of a dark current due to a boundary surface level present at a boundary surface between an insulator layer and the semiconductor layer is restrained. During a signal reading period a carrier inducing voltage is applied to one of the split gate electrodes which is not adjacent to the source region so that the region just below the gate electrode becomes an effective drain region and a photogenerated charge is transferred to and collected at the other gate electrode adjoining the source region, thereby improving the sensitivity of the image sensor.