Solid-state image pickup device, method for making same, and image pickup apparatus

1. A solid-state image pickup device which comprises:

a light-receiving unit for photoelectric conversion of incident light; and

a charge transfer unit of an n-channel insulating gate type configured to transfer a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the light-receiving unit;

wherein

said charge transfer unit has an insulating film formed on a transfer electrode,

said insulating film has a negative fixed charge, and

said insulating film is in contact between adjacent transfer electrodes with an insulating layer of a substrate.

2. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said insulating film is formed on said transfer electrode and extends continuously between the adjacent transfer electrodes.

3. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said insulating film is formed on said transfer electrode and is buried between the adjacent transfer electrodes.

4. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said insulating film is formed on another insulating film formed on said transfer electrode.

5. A solid-state image pickup device which comprises:

a light-receiving unit for photoelectric conversion of incident light; and

a charge transfer unit of an n-channel insulating gate type configured to transfer a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the light-receiving unit;

wherein

said charge transfer unit has an insulating film formed on a transfer electrode,

said insulating film has a negative fixed charge, and

said insulating film forms a laminate film along with at least one other insulating film having a negative fixed charge, and said laminate film is formed to extend over said light-receiving unit and serves as an anti-reflective film on said light-receiving unit.

6. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said insulating film is made of hafnium dioxide (HfO 2 ), dialuminium trioxide (Al 2 O 3 ), ditantalum pentaoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ), dilanthanum trioxide (La 2 O 3 ), diyttrium trioxide (Y 2 O 3 ), zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ), dipraseodymium trioxide (Pr 2 O 3 ), dineodium trioxide (Nd 2 O 3 ), dipromethium trioxide (Pm 2 O 3 ), disamarium trioxide (Sm 2 O 3 ), dieuropium trioxide (Eu 2 O 3 ), digadolinium trioxide (Gd 2 O 3 ), diterbium trioxide (Tb 2 O 3 ), didysprosium trioxide (Dy 2 O 3 ), diholmium trioxide (Ho 2 O 3 ), dierbium trioxide (Er 2 O 3 ), dithulium trioxide (Tm 2 O 3 ), diytterbium trioxide (Yb 2 O 3 ), dilutetium trioxide (Lu 2 O 3 ) or titanium oxide (TiO 2 ).

7. A solid-state image pickup device which comprises:

a light-receiving unit for photoelectric conversion of incident light; and

a charge transfer unit of an n-channel insulating gate type configured to transfer a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the light-receiving unit,

wherein

said charge transfer unit has an insulating film formed on a transfer electrode,

said insulating film has a negative fixed charge, and

said insulating film contains nitrogen.

8. A solid-state image pickup device which comprises:

a light-receiving unit for photoelectric conversion of incident light; and

a charge transfer unit of an n-channel insulating gate type configured to transfer a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the light-receiving unit

wherein

said charge transfer unit has an insulating film formed on a transfer electrode,

said insulating film has a negative fixed charge, and

said insulating film contains silicon.

9. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a focusing optical unit configured to focus an incident light;

a solid-state image pickup device configured to have a plurality of sensor units photoelectrically converting incident light and outputting the resulting electric signal, and a focusing lens for focusing said incident light and transmitting the focused light to the respective sensor units; and

a signal processor unit configured to process the signal photoelectrically converted in said solid-state image pickup device;

wherein said solid-state image pickup device includes

(a) a light-receiving unit for the photoelectric conversion of the incident light, and

(b) a charge transfer unit of an n-channel insulating gate type transferring a signal charge photoelectrically converted in said light-receiving unit, and

(c) an insulating film having a negative fixed charge, said insulating film being formed on a transfer electrode of said charge transfer unit, said insulating film being in contact between adjacent transfer electrodes with an insulating layer of a substrate.

10. A solid-state image pickup device which comprises:

light-receiving means for photoelectric conversion of incident light; and

charge transfer means of an n-channel insulating gate type for transferring a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the light-receiving means;

wherein

said charge transfer means has an insulating film formed on a transfer electrode,

said insulating film has a negative fixed charge, and

said insulating film is in contact between adjacent transfer electrodes with an insulating layer of a substrate.

11. The solid-state image pickup device of claim 1 , wherein said insulating layer is a gate insulating layer that is formed between the transfer electrode and the substrate.