Imaging element and imaging device

Inventors: Osamu Saruwatari (Yokohama, JP); Daiki Ogura (Tokyo, JP); Rihito Kuroda (Sendai, JP)

Assignees: NIKON CORPORATION; TOHOKU UNIVERSITY

H04N25/706

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12713151
App. No.: 18/574,541
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion part configured to convert light into charges, an accumulation part in which the charges from the photoelectric conversion part are accumulated, a transfer path part which is a transfer path for transferring charges from the photoelectric conversion part to the accumulation part and has a lower potential than a pixel separation region formed around the photoelectric conversion part, and a measurement part configured to measure the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part and to measure the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part.

Claims (38)

1 . An imaging element comprising:

a photoelectric conversion part configured to convert light into charges;

an accumulation part in which the charges from the photoelectric conversion part are accumulated;

a transfer path part which is a transfer path for transferring charges from the photoelectric conversion part to the accumulation part and has a lower potential than a pixel separation region formed around the photoelectric conversion part;

a measurement part configured to measure the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part and to measure an amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part; and

a comparator including a first input terminal connected to the accumulation part, a second input terminal to which a predetermined reference potential is applied, and an output terminal which outputs a potential based on a potential of the first input terminal and a potential of the second input terminal,

wherein (i) a signal based on the number of times the predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part measured by the measurement part and (ii) a signal based on the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part measured by the measurement part are output within one frame period, and

wherein the measurement part (i) changes a potential applied to the first input terminal by way of a ramp voltage applied simultaneously with the predetermined reference potential being applied to the second input terminal and (ii) measures the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part on the basis of a time until the potential of the output terminal changes.

2 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer path part is a region having a lower impurity concentration than in the pixel separation region.

3 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement part measures an amount of charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion part to the accumulation part via the transfer path part.

4 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the comparator is configured of two transistors including a first transistor to which the first input terminal is connected and a second transistor to which the second input terminal is connected.

5 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , further comprising an accumulation amount selection part configured to select a capacitance of the accumulation part from a plurality of capacitances,

wherein the accumulation amount selection part selects different capacitances according to whether the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part or the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part is measured.

6 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein after the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part is measured, the measurement part measures the amount of charges accumulated in the accumulation part before the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part is measured.

7 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement part outputs a value obtained by adding the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part and the amount of charges accumulated in the accumulation part to the photoelectric conversion part as an amount of light converted into charges.

8 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein a potential of a ground point of a chip provided with the photoelectric conversion part is lower than a potential of a ground point of a chip provided with the measurement part.

9 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the signal based on the number of times the predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part measured by the measurement part is output, and then the signal based on the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part measured by the measurement part is output within one frame period.

10 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , further comprising an adder part configured to add the signal based on the number of times the predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part measured by the measurement part and the signal based on the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part measured by the measurement part within one frame period.

11 . An imaging device comprising the imaging element according to claim 1 .

12 . An imaging element comprising:

a photoelectric conversion part configured to convert light into charges;

an accumulation part in which the charges from the photoelectric conversion part are accumulated;

wherein the imaging element further comprises an adder part configured to add the signal based on the number of times the predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part measured by the measurement part and the signal based on the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part measured by the measurement part within one frame period.

13 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein the transfer path part is a region having a lower impurity concentration than in the pixel separation region.

14 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , further comprising a comparator including a first input terminal connected to the accumulation part, a second input terminal to which a predetermined reference potential is applied, and an output terminal which outputs a potential based on a potential of the first input terminal and a potential of the second input terminal,

wherein the measurement part changes a potential applied to the first input terminal and measures the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part on the basis of a time until the potential of the output terminal changes.

15 . The imaging element according to claim 14 , wherein the comparator is configured of two transistors including a first transistor to which the first input terminal is connected and a second transistor to which the second input terminal is connected.

16 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein the measurement part measures an amount of charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion part to the accumulation part via the transfer path part.

17 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , further comprising an accumulation amount selection part configured to select a capacitance of the accumulation part from a plurality of capacitances,

18 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein after the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part is measured, the measurement part measures the amount of charges accumulated in the accumulation part before the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part is measured.

19 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein the measurement part outputs a value obtained by adding the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part and the amount of charges accumulated in the accumulation part to the photoelectric conversion part as an amount of light converted into charges.

20 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein a potential of a ground point of a chip provided with the photoelectric conversion part is lower than a potential of a ground point of a chip provided with the measurement part.

21 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein the signal based on the number of times the predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part measured by the measurement part is output, and then the signal based on the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part measured by the measurement part is output within one frame period.

22 . An imaging device comprising the imaging element according to claim 12 .