Solid-state image capturing device, smear charge removing method and digital still camera using the same

Abstract

In a solid-state image capturing device including a pixel array arranged in a row direction and a column direction orthogonal thereto, and a vertical register having a plurality of transfer electrodes which serves to read signal charges Qa, Qb, . . . generated by light receipt of each of pixels A, B, . . . and to sequentially transfer the signal charge in the column direction upon receipt of a transfer pulse, an electric potential well for a smear charge is generated and an unnecessary charge q in the vertical register is collected into the electric potential well for a smear charge before the signal charge is read from the pixels A, B, . . . onto the vertical register (a timing t), an electric potential well for signal charge transfer is then generated and the signal charges Qa, Qb, . . . are read from the pixels A, B, . . . onto the electric potential well for signal charge transfer, and the electric potential well for a smear charge and the electric potential well for signal charge transfer are transferred in the direction of a horizontal register without mixing an unnecessary chargewith a signal charge Q.