IP Library Granted Patent US 12707752
Granted Patent B2
US 12707752 · App. 18/303,604 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Imaging device

Inventors: Yuuko Tomekawa (Osaka, JP); Kazuko Nishimura (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
H10F39/813H04N23/20H10F39/182H10F39/184H10F39/189H10F39/803
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12707752
App. No.
18/303,604
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging device includes a first photoelectric converter, a second photoelectric converter, and a first capacitive element. The first photoelectric converter converts light having a wavelength in a first wavelength region into first electric charge. The second photoelectric converter converts light having a wavelength in a second wavelength region into second electric charge. The second photoelectric converter is arranged at a different height from the first photoelectric converter in a thickness direction of the imaging device. The first capacitive element accumulates the first electric charge and the second electric charge.

Claims (54)

1 . An imaging device comprising:

a first photoelectric converter that converts light having a wavelength in a first wavelength region into first electric charge;

a second photoelectric converter that is arranged at a different height from the first photoelectric converter in a thickness direction of the imaging device and that converts light having a wavelength in a second wavelength region into second electric charge; and

a single first capacitive element that accumulates the first electric charge and the second electric charge.

2 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first capacitive element has a metal-insulator-metal structure.

3 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first switching device,

wherein the first photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element are connected to each other via the first switching device.

4 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element are connected to each other without a switching device between the first photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element.

5 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second switching device,

wherein the second photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element are connected to each other via the second switching device.

6 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element are connected to each other without a switching device between the second photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element.

7 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first photoelectric converter includes a first photoelectric conversion layer that generates the first electric charge,

the first photoelectric converter includes a first pixel electrode that collects the first electric charge,

the second photoelectric converter includes a second photoelectric conversion layer that generates the second electric charge, and

the second photoelectric converter includes a second pixel electrode that collects the second electric charge.

8 . The imaging device according to claim 7 ,

wherein, in a plan view, the first pixel electrode has a larger area than the second pixel electrode.

9 . The imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

the first photoelectric converter further includes a first counter electrode,

the first photoelectric conversion layer is arranged between the first counter electrode and the first pixel electrode,

the second photoelectric converter further includes a second counter electrode,

the second photoelectric conversion layer is arranged between the second counter electrode and the second pixel electrode, and

the first counter electrode and the second counter electrode are electrically separated from each other.

10 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a case where, out of the first photoelectric converter and the second photoelectric converter, a photoelectric converter closer to a light receiving surface of the imaging device is defined as a proximal photoelectric converter, and a photoelectric converter farther from the light receiving surface is defined as a distal photoelectric converter,

a central wavelength of a wavelength region of light that the proximal photoelectric converter photoelectrically converts is shorter than a central wavelength of a wavelength region of light that the distal photoelectric converter photoelectrically converts.

11 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first wavelength region includes a wavelength region of infrared light.

12 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first wavelength region includes a wavelength region of ultraviolet light.

13 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second wavelength region includes a wavelength region of visible light.

14 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix shape, wherein

each of the plurality of unit pixels includes the first photoelectric converter, the second photoelectric converter, the first capacitive element, a third photoelectric converter, and a second capacitive element,

the first wavelength region includes a wavelength region of infrared light or ultraviolet light,

the second wavelength region includes a wavelength region of first color light,

the third photoelectric converter converts the first color light into third electric charge, and

the second capacitive element accumulates the third electric charge.

15 . The imaging device according to claim 14 , wherein

each of the plurality of unit pixels further includes a fourth photoelectric converter, a fifth photoelectric converter, a third capacitive element, a fourth capacitive element, a first switching device, and a second switching device, wherein

the fourth photoelectric converter converts second color light into fourth electric charge,

the fifth photoelectric converter converts third color light into fifth electric charge,

the third capacitive element accumulates the fourth electric charge,

the fourth capacitive element accumulates the fifth electric charge,

the second photoelectric converter, the third photoelectric converter, the fourth photoelectric converter, and the fifth photoelectric converter are configured such that whether to allow the second photoelectric converter, the third photoelectric converter, the fourth photoelectric converter, and the fifth photoelectric converter to be sensitive to light is controlled in a collective manner,

the first photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element are connected to each other via the first switching device, and

the second photoelectric converter and the first capacitive element are connected to each other via the second switching device.