Solid-state image capturing element and method for driving solid-state image capturing element
View Patent ↗A solid-state image capturing element includes: a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of which outputs an electric signal corresponding to an amount of received light; a plurality of column signal lines each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of columns of the pixels and sequentially transfers the electric signal provided from the corresponding one of the columns of the pixels; and a plurality of holding circuits each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of the column signal lines and holds the electric signal transferred via the corresponding one of the column signal lines. Each of the holding circuits includes a circuit element including an input capacitance, and holds the electric signal in the input capacitance.
1. A solid-state image capturing element, comprising:
a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of the pixels outputting an electric signal corresponding to an amount of received light;
a plurality of column signal lines each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of columns of the pixels and sequentially transfers the electric signal provided from the corresponding one of the columns of the pixels;
a plurality of holding circuits each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of the column signal lines and holds the electric signal transferred via the corresponding one of the column signal lines; and
a plurality of reading column lines,
wherein each of the holding circuits includes a circuit element including an input capacitance, and holds the electric signal in the input capacitance,
the circuit element is a holding transistor,
the input capacitance is a gate capacitance of the holding transistor,
each of the holding circuits includes:
a first transistor which receives the electric signal from the corresponding one of the column signal lines;
the holding transistor which holds the electric signal; and
a second transistor which reads the electric signal from the holding transistor,
the first transistor is connected to the corresponding one of the column signal lines at one of a source and a drain of the first transistor, and to a gate of the holding transistor at the other,
the holding transistor is connected, at one of a source and a drain of the holding transistor, to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor,
the second transistor is connected to a corresponding one of the reading column signal lines at the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor, and
each of the holding circuits, when holding the electric signal in the holding transistor, holds the electric signal while amplifying the electric signal, by bringing the first transistor and the second transistor into conduction.
2. The solid-state image capturing element according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of difference circuits each of which is connected to a corresponding one of the column signal lines and outputs a difference signal between the electric signal and a reset signal at a time when light is not received by the pixels.
3. A method of driving a solid-state image capturing element, the solid-state image capturing element including: a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of the pixels outputting an electric signal corresponding to an amount of received light; a plurality of column signal lines each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of columns of the pixels and sequentially transfers the electric signal provided from the corresponding one of the columns of the pixels; and a plurality of holding circuits each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of the column signal lines, holds the electric signal transferred via the corresponding one of the column signal lines, and includes a first transistor which receives the electric signal from the corresponding one of the column signal lines; a holding transistor which holds the electric signal; and a second transistor which reads the electric signal from the holding transistor, the first transistor being connected to the corresponding one of the column signal lines at one of a source and a drain of the first transistor, and to a gate of the holding transistor at the other, the holding transistor being connected, at one of a source and a drain of the holding transistor, to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor, and the second transistor being connected to a corresponding one of reading column signal lines at the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor, the method of driving the solid-state image capturing element comprising
causing each of the holding circuits, when holding the electric signal in the holding transistor, to hold the electric signal while amplifying the electric signal, by bringing the first transistor and the second transistor into conduction.