IP Library Granted Patent US 12,324,262
Granted Patent B2
US 12,324,262 · App. 18/523,054 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Imaging element, stacked-type imaging element and solid-state imaging apparatus

Inventors: Akira Furukawa (Kumamoto, JP); Yoshihiro Ando (Kanagawa, JP); Hideaki Togashi (Kanagawa, JP); Fumihiko Koga (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
H10F39/80373A23B70/20H04N23/45H04N23/55H10D18/211H10D62/148H10D89/921H10F19/75H10F39/1825H10F39/1865H10F39/199H10F39/8023H10F39/803H10F39/8063H10F39/811H10F39/813H10H20/8232H10K30/30H10K30/81H10K39/32Y02E10/549
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,324,262
App. No.
18/523,054
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an imaging element including a photoelectric conversion unit formed by stacking a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer and a second electrode. The photoelectric conversion unit further includes a charge storage electrode which is disposed to be spaced apart from the first electrode and disposed opposite to the photoelectric conversion layer via an insulating layer. The photoelectric conversion unit is formed of N number of photoelectric conversion unit segments, and the same applies to the photoelectric conversion layer, the insulating layer and the charge storage electrode. An n th photoelectric conversion unit segment is formed of an n th charge storage electrode segment, an n th insulating layer segment and an n th photoelectric conversion layer segment. As n increases, the n th photoelectric conversion unit segment is located farther from the first electrode. A thickness of the insulating layer segment gradually changes from a first to N th photoelectric conversion unit segment.

Claims (50)

1. A light detecting device, comprising:

a light detecting element block comprising:

a first electrode;

a first light detecting element comprising:

a first charge storage electrode;

a first portion of a second electrode;

a first portion of a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first charge storage electrode and the first portion of the second electrode; and

a first portion of an insulating layer disposed between the first charge storage electrode and the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer; and

a second light detecting element comprising:

a second charge storage electrode;

a second portion of the second electrode;

a second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the second charge storage electrode and the second portion of the second electrode; and

a second portion of the insulating layer disposed between the second charge storage electrode and the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer; and

a driving circuitry electrically coupled to the first charge storage electrode and the second charge storage electrode,

wherein the first charge storage electrode and the second charge storage electrode are electrically insulated from the photoelectric conversion layer.

2. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein a transfer control electrode is disposed on one side of the light detecting element block.

3. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving circuitry is configured to drive the first light detecting element and the second light detecting element independently.

4. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first charge storage electrode is configured to transfer a charge generated in the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer to the first electrode and wherein the second charge storage electrode is configured to transfer a charge generated in the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer to the first electrode independent from the first charge storage electrode.

5. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the light detecting element block further comprises an on-chip microlens which overlaps with the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer and the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer.

6. The light detecting device according to claim 5 , wherein the light detecting device is configured to acquire an image-plane phase difference signal.

7. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the light detecting element block further comprises an on chip microlens.

8. The light detecting device according to claim 7 , wherein the on chip microlens overlaps the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer and the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

an optical system that collects light; and

a light detecting device that receives the light from the optical system, the light detecting device comprising:

a light detecting element block comprising:

a first electrode;

a first light detecting element comprising:

a first charge storage electrode;

a first portion of a second electrode;

a first portion of a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first charge storage electrode and the first portion of the second electrode; and

a first portion of an insulating layer disposed between the first charge storage electrode and the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer; and

a second light detecting element comprising:

a second charge storage electrode;

a second portion of the second electrode;

a second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the second charge storage electrode and the second portion of the second electrode; and

a second portion of the insulating layer disposed between the second charge storage electrode and the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer; and

a driving circuitry electrically coupled to the first charge storage electrode and the second charge storage electrode,

wherein the first charge storage electrode and the second charge storage electrode are electrically insulated from the photoelectric conversion layer.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein a transfer control electrode is disposed on one side of the light detecting element block.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the light detecting device includes at least two light detecting element blocks.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 , further comprising a transfer control electrode disposed between the at least two light detecting element blocks.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the light detecting device includes a plurality of light detecting element blocks.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13 , further comprising a transfer control electrode disposed between the plurality of light detecting element blocks.

15. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the driving circuitry is configured to drive the first light detecting element and the second light detecting element independently.

16. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the first charge storage electrode is configured to transfer a charge generated in the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer to the first electrode and wherein the second charge storage electrode is configured to transfer a charge generated in the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer to the first electrode independent from the first charge storage electrode.

17. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the light detecting element block further comprises an on-chip microlens which overlaps with the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer and the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17 , wherein the light detecting device is configured to acquire an image-plane phase difference signal.

19. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the light detecting element block further comprises an on chip microlens.

20. The electronic device according to claim 19 , wherein the on chip microlens overlaps the first portion of the photoelectric conversion layer and the second portion of the photoelectric conversion layer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2023
From: FURUKAWA, AKIRA; ANDO, YOSHIHIRO; TOGASHI, HIDEAKI; KOGA, FUMIHIKO
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065702/0190 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 29, 2023
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065713/0654 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-226658 · Nov 22, 2016 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17539956 · Dec 1, 2021
Division 16349361
Related Publication 20240096914A1 · Mar 21, 2024
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