IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,283,417
Granted Patent B2
US 11,283,417 · App. 16/971,997 · Granted Mar 22, 2022

Amplification circuit, imaging device, and control method of amplification circuit

Inventors: Shinichi Watanabe (Kanagawa, JP); Takehiro Otani (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
H03F3/16H04N5/37457H04N5/363H04N5/378
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,283,417
App. No.
16/971,997
Granted
Mar 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A decline in image quality that is caused by a variation of a gain in an amplification circuit is suppressed. The amplification circuit includes an amplification transistor, a cascode transistor, and a control circuit. The amplification transistor amplifies an input signal. The cascode transistor is configured to, in a case where a drain-source voltage between a drain and a source is higher than a predetermined voltage, supply a substantially-constant drain current to a reference potential line with a predetermined reference potential via the amplification transistor. Further, the control circuit is configured to, in a case where an initialization instruction is issued, control the drain-source voltage to be a value higher than the predetermined voltage.

Claims (64)

1. An amplification circuit comprising:

an amplification transistor configured to amplify an input signal;

a cascode transistor configured to, in a case where a drain-source voltage between a drain and a source is higher than a predetermined voltage, supply a substantially-constant drain current to a reference potential line with a predetermined reference potential via the amplification transistor; and

a control circuit configured to, in a case where an initialization instruction is issued, control the drain-source voltage to be a value higher than the predetermined voltage.

2. The amplification circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the control circuit

includes

a source follower transistor configured to supply an electric potential higher than an electric potential of a source to the drain of the cascode transistor, and

an input side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the source of the source follower transistor and an input node to which the input signal is input, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the source from the input node, and

the drain is connected to an output node to which the amplified input signal is output.

3. The amplification circuit according to claim 2 ,

wherein the control circuit further includes an output side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and the output node, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the gate from the output node, and

the source follower transistor supplies an electric potential of the gate that is higher than an electric potential of the source, via the output side switch.

4. The amplification circuit according to claim 3 ,

wherein the control circuit further includes a bias control switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and a bias potential supply source configured to supply a predetermined bias potential.

5. An imaging device comprising:

an amplification transistor configured to amplify an input signal;

a current source transistor configured to, in a case where a drain-source voltage between a drain and a source is higher than a predetermined voltage, supply a substantially-constant drain current to a reference potential line with a predetermined reference potential via the amplification transistor;

a control circuit configured to, in a case where an initialization instruction is issued, control the drain-source voltage to be a value higher than the predetermined voltage; and

a pixel configured to photoelectrically convert incident light and supply the photoelectrically-converted incident light to the amplification transistor as the input signal.

6. The imaging device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the control circuit

includes

a source follower transistor configured to supply an electric potential higher than an electric potential of a source to the drain of the cascode transistor, and

an input side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the source of the source follower transistor and an input node to which the input signal is input, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the source from the input node, and

the drain is connected to an output node to which the amplified input signal is output.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6 , further comprising

a timing control unit configured to control an operation timing of the input side switch.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the control circuit further includes an output side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and the output node, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the gate from the output node,

the source follower transistor supplies an electric potential of the gate that is higher than an electric potential of the source, via the output side switch, and

the timing control unit causes the input side switch and the output side switch to operate at different respective timings.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the control circuit further includes a bias control switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and a bias potential supply source configured to supply a predetermined bias potential, and

the timing control unit causes the input side switch, the output side switch, and the bias control switch to operate at different respective timings.

10. A control method of an amplification circuit, the control method comprising:

a procedure of amplifying an input signal; and

a control procedure of, in a case where an initialization instruction is issued, controlling a drain-source voltage between a drain and a source of a cascode transistor configured to supply a substantially-constant drain current to a reference potential line with a predetermined reference potential via the amplification transistor when the drain-source voltage is higher than a predetermined voltage, to be a value higher than the predetermined voltage.

11. An amplification circuit comprising:

an amplification transistor configured to amplify an input signal;

a cascode transistor configured to, in a case where a drain-source voltage between a drain and a source is higher than a predetermined voltage, supply a substantially-constant drain current to a reference potential line with a predetermined reference potential via the amplification transistor; and

a control circuit configured to, in a case where an initialization instruction is issued, control the drain-source voltage to be a value higher than the predetermined voltage,

wherein when the drain-source voltage is at the value, the cascode transistor operates in a saturated region.

12. The amplification circuit according to claim 11 ,

wherein the control circuit includes

a source follower transistor configured to supply an electric potential higher than an electric potential of a source to the drain of the cascode transistor, and

an input side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the source of the source follower transistor and an input node to which the input signal is input, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the source from the input node, and

the drain is connected to an output node to which the amplified input signal is output.

13. The amplification circuit according to claim 12 ,

wherein the control circuit further includes

an output side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and the output node, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the gate from the output node, and

the source follower transistor supplies an electric potential of the gate that is higher than an electric potential of the source, via the output side switch.

14. The amplification circuit according to claim 13 , wherein the control circuit further includes a bias control switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and a bias potential supply source configured to supply a predetermined bias potential.

15. An imaging device comprising the amplification circuit according to claim 11 .

16. The imaging device according to claim 15 ,

wherein the control circuit includes

a source follower transistor configured to supply an electric potential higher than an electric potential of a source to the drain of the cascode transistor, and

an input side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the source of the source follower transistor and an input node to which the input signal is input, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the source from the input node, and

the drain is connected to an output node to which the amplified input signal is output.

17. The imaging device according to claim 16 ,

wherein the control circuit further includes

an output side switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and the output node, and in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, separate the gate from the output node, and

the source follower transistor supplies an electric potential of the gate that is higher than an electric potential of the source, via the output side switch.

18. The imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein the control circuit further includes a bias control switch configured to, in a case where the initialization instruction is not issued, connect the gate of the source follower transistor and a bias potential supply source configured to supply a predetermined bias potential.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: WATANABE, SHINICHI; OTANI, TAKEHIRO
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053565/0542 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-038161 · Mar 5, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210006212A1 · Jan 7, 2021