IP Library Patent Application 16568993
Patent Application
App. No. 16/568,993

SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
16/568,993
Abstract

The present technology relates to a solid-state image sensor, an imaging device, and an electronic device capable of switching FD conversion efficiency in all pixels of a solid-state image sensor. A photodiode performs photoelectric conversion on incident light. A floating diffusion (FD) stores charge obtained by the photodiode. FD2, which is a second FD to which the capacity of an additional capacitor MIM is added, adds the capacity to the FD. The additional capacitor MIM is constituted by a first electrode formed by a wiring layer and a second electrode formed by a metallic light blocking film provided on a surface of a substrate on which the photodiode is formed. Switching between the FD and FD+FD2 allows switching of the FD conversion efficiency. The present technology is applicable to a CMOS image sensor.

Claims (41)

1 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A light detecting device comprising:

a photoelectric converter configured to generate a charge corresponding to incident light;

a transfer transistor;

a floating diffusion configured to receive the charge via the transfer transistor;

a charge accumulation region;

a switching transistor disposed between the floating diffusion and the charge accumulation region in a first direction, wherein the switching transistor is configured to electrically connect the floating diffusion and the charge accumulation region;

an amplification transistor;

a selection transistor, and

wherein the floating diffusion is connected to a vertical signal line via the amplification transistor and the selection transistor,

wherein the amplification transistor is disposed between the switching transistor and the selection transistor in the first direction,

wherein a gate of the transfer transistor has an elongated shape in a plan view, a long side of the elongated shape extending in the first direction, and

wherein the long side of the elongated shape is longer in the first direction than a length of a region including the floating diffusion, the charge accumulation region and the switching transistor.

16 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , further comprising a reset transistor connected to the floating diffusion and resetting the floating diffusion to a power supply voltage.

17 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , wherein the charge accumulation region comprises a first electrode and a second electrode opposed to the first electrode,

wherein the first electrode is provided in a wiring layer above a surface of a substrate on which the photoelectric converter is formed, wherein the surface is on a light incident side of the substrate, and wherein the second electrode is provided on the surface of the substrate.

18 . The light detecting device of claim 17 , wherein the second electrode is a light blocking film, wherein a polysilicon gate layer is provided on the surface of the substrate, and wherein the light blocking film covers the polysilicon on the substrate.

19 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , wherein the floating diffusion, the amplification transistor and the selection transistor are arranged in this order in the first direction.

20 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , wherein the photoelectric converter and the transfer transistor are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

21 . The light detecting device of claim 16 , wherein the reset transistor is disposed along the first direction where the floating diffusion, the charge accumulation region and the switching transistor are arranged.

22 . The light detecting device of claim 21 , wherein the transfer transistor is disposed between the photoelectric converter and a region of the floating diffusion, the charge accumulation region, the switching transistor and the reset transistor in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

23 . The light detecting device of claim 22 , wherein the long side of the elongated shape is longer in the first direction than a length of the region of the floating diffusion, the charge accumulation region, the switching transistor and the reset transistor.

24 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , wherein the floating diffusion is a charge-to-voltage converter that converts the charge received via the transfer transistor into an electrical signal.

25 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , further comprising another photoelectric converter adjacent to the photoelectric converter, wherein the photoelectric converters are arranged in the first direction.

26 . The light detecting device of claim 15 , further comprising another transfer transistor adjacent to the transfer transistor, wherein the transfer transistors are arranged in the first direction.

27 . A light detecting device comprising:

a photoelectric converter configured to generate a charge corresponding to an incident light;

a floating diffusion;

a transfer transistor disposed between the photoelectric converter and the floating diffusion and transferring the charge from the photoelectric converter to the floating diffusion, wherein a gate of the transfer transistor has two short sides and two long sides;

a charge accumulation region;

a switching transistor disposed between the floating diffusion and the charge accumulation region, wherein the switching transistor is configured to electrically connect the floating diffusion and the charge accumulation region; and

a reset transistor connected to the floating diffusion and resetting the floating diffusion to a power supply voltage,

wherein the charge accumulation region, the switching transistor and the floating diffusion are arranged in this order and along a line that is parallel to one of the long sides of the gate of transfer transistor, and

wherein the length of the long side is longer than a length of a region including the floating diffusion, the charge accumulation region, the reset transistor and the switching transistor.

28 . The light detecting device of claim 27 , wherein the charge accumulation region comprises a first electrode and a second electrode opposed to the first electrode, wherein the first electrode is provided in a wiring layer above a surface of a substrate on which the photoelectric converter is formed, wherein the surface is on a light incident side of the substrate, and wherein the second electrode is provided on the surface of the substrate.

29 . The light detecting device of claim 28 , wherein the second electrode is a light blocking film, wherein a polysilicon gate layer is provided on the surface of the substrate, and wherein the light blocking film covers the polysilicon on the substrate.

30 . The light detecting device of claim 27 , wherein the transfer transistor is disposed between the photoelectric converter and a region of the floating diffusion, the charge accumulation region, the switching transistor and the reset transistor along a line that is parallel to the short sides of the gate of the transfer transistor.

31 . The light detecting device of claim 27 , wherein the floating diffusion is a charge-to-voltage converter that converts the charge received via the transfer transistor into an electrical signal.

32 . The light detecting device of claim 29 , wherein the light blocking film is provided for each pixel having the photoelectric converter, and shields any of an upper portion, a lower portion, a left portion and a right portion of the photoelectric converter only in a pixel for imaging plane phase difference detection.

33 . The light detecting device of claim 27 , further comprising another photoelectric converter adjacent to the photoelectric converter, wherein the photoelectric converters are arranged in the first direction.

34 . The light detecting device of claim 13 , further comprising another transfer transistor adjacent to the transfer transistor, wherein the transfer transistors are arranged in the first direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2020
From: MACHIDA, TAKASHI; YAMASHITA, KAZUYOSHI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052933/0174 →