Connection/separation element in photoelectric converter portion, solid-state imaging device, and imaging apparatus
Suppressing a fall in sensitivity upon shooting without causing similar effect as a pixel defect in spite of being able to perform focal point detection. When a gate electrode 67 is high, pinned photodiodes 41, 42 are electrically connected with each other. At this moment, a lower area of the gate electrode 67 has a photoelectric conversion function. On the other hand, when the gate electrode 67 is low, pinned photodiodes 41, 42 are electrically separated with each other. At this moment, the lower area of the gate electrode 67 does not have any photoelectric conversion function.
1. A solid-state imaging device for photoelectrically converting an object image formed by an image-taking lens, comprising:
a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally;
at least a portion of the pixels each including:
a pair of photoelectric converter portions, each photoelectric converter portion carrying out photoelectric conversion; and
a mode setting member capable of selectively setting a first and a second mode in accordance with a control signal;
the first mode being a mode in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically connected with each other;
the second mode being a mode in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically separated from each other;
an area between the photoelectric converter portions having a function to photoelectrically convert incident light in the first mode and not having that function in the second mode, wherein
the photoelectric converter portions are respectively positioned in a first area and a second area of the pixel, the first and second areas being divided in plan view by a dividing line,
each of the photoelectric converter portions having a respective end surface extending along a depth direction of the solid-state imaging device, the end surfaces of the first and second photoelectric converter portions opposing each other, and
the mode setting member including a gate electrode disposed along the dividing line, the gate electrode including a portion that extends along said depth direction and that intrudes into an area between the opposing end surfaces of the photoelectric converter portions.
2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode forms a gate of a MOS transistor that makes a semiconductor area of a respective photoelectric converter portion a source or a drain.
3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the gate electrode is made of a material having transparency to at least one wavelength range among visible light.
4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the gate electrode is made of ITO or polysilicon.
5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein a micro-lens for leading light to the photoelectric converter portions is provided to each of the at least a portion of the pixels with a one-to-one correspondence.
6. An imaging apparatus comprising:
the solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ;
a signal processor for outputting a detection signal indicating a focal point adjustment state of the image-taking lens based on signals obtained in the second mode from each of selected pixels among the at least a portion of the pixels; and
a lens controller for controlling the focal point adjustment of the image-taking lens based on the detection signal from the signal processor.
7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least a portion of the pixels each further including:
first electric charge storage portions for temporarily storing electric charges generated in and transferred from respective photoelectric converter portions;
a second electric charge storage portion for storing electric charges transferred from said first electric charge storage portions; and
an output portion generating an output signal corresponding to the electric charges stored in said second electric charge storage portion.
8. A solid-state imaging device for photoelectrically converting an object image formed by an image-taking lens, comprising:
a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally for taking the image of the object;
each pixel including:
a pair of photoelectric converter portions, each photoelectric converter portion carrying out photoelectric conversion; and
a mode setting member capable of selectively setting a first and a second mode in accordance with a control signal;
the first mode being a mode for taking the image of the object and in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically connected with each other;
the second mode being a mode for carrying out automatic focusing and in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically separated from each other;
an area between the photoelectric converter portions having a function to photoelectrically convert incident light in the first mode and not having that function in the second mode,
wherein the photoelectric converter portions are respectively positioned in a first area and a second area of the pixel, the first and the second areas being divided in plan view by a dividing line,
wherein dividing lines of the plurality of pixels, except a predetermined number of pixels among said plurality of pixels, are oriented in the same direction or in parallel to each other, and
wherein dividing lines of said predetermined number of pixels are perpendicular to the dividing lines of the remaining pixels in the plurality of pixels.
9. A solid-state imaging device for photoelectrically converting an object image formed by an image-taking lens, comprising:
a plurality of pixels including first pixels and second pixels disposed two-dimensionally for taking the image of the object;
the second pixels forming groups of pixels, the groups of pixels being arranged in predetermined positions, each group being situated between some of the first pixels;
each pixel of the first and second pixels including:
a pair of photoelectric converter portions, each photoelectric converter portion carrying out photoelectric conversion; and
a mode setting member capable of selectively setting a first and a second mode in accordance with a control signal;
the first mode being a mode for taking the image of the object and in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically connected with each other;
the second mode being a mode for carrying out automatic focusing and in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically separated;
an area between the photoelectric converter portions having a function to photoelectrically convert incident light in the first mode and not having that function in the second mode,
wherein the photoelectric converter portions are respectively positioned in a first area and a second area of each pixel, the first and second areas being divided in plan view by a dividing line, and
the dividing lines of the first pixels and the dividing lines of the second pixels are perpendicular to each other.
10. A solid-state imaging device for photoelectrically converting an object image formed by an image-taking lens, comprising:
a plurality of pixels including first pixels and second pixels disposed two-dimensionally for taking the image of the object;
the first pixels and the second pixels being arranged alternately in rows and columns;
each pixel of the first and the second pixels including:
a pair of photoelectric converter portions, each photoelectric converter portion carrying out photoelectric conversion; and
a mode setting member capable of selectively setting a first and a second mode in accordance with a control signal;
the first mode being a mode for taking the image of the object in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically connected with each other;
the second mode being a mode for carrying out automatic focusing in which the photoelectric converter portions are electrically separated;
an area between the photoelectric converter portions having a function to photoelectrically convert incident light in the first mode and not having that function in the second mode,
wherein the photoelectric converter portions are respectively positioned in a first area and a second area of each pixel, the first and second areas being divided in plan view by a dividing line, and
wherein the dividing lines of the first pixels and the dividing lines of the second pixels are perpendicular to each other.
11. An imaging apparatus comprising:
the solid-state imaging device according to claim 8 ;
a signal processor for outputting a detection signal indicating a focal point adjustment state of the image-taking lens based on signals obtained in the second mode from each of selected pixels among the plurality of pixels; and
a lens controller for controlling the focal point adjustment of the image-taking lens based on the detection signal from the signal processor.
12. An imaging apparatus comprising:
the solid-state imaging device according to claim 9 ;
a signal processor for outputting a detection signal indicating a focal point adjustment state of the image-taking lens based on signals obtained in the second mode from each of selected pixels among the plurality of pixels; and
a lens controller for controlling the focal point adjustment of the image-taking lens based on the detection signal from the signal processor.
13. An imaging apparatus comprising:
the solid-state imaging device according to claim 10 ;
a signal processor for outputting a detection signal indicating a focal point adjustment state of the image-taking lens based on signals obtained in the second mode from each of selected pixels among the plurality of pixels; and
a lens controller for controlling the focal point adjustment of the image-taking lens based on the detection signal from the signal processor.