Imaging apparatus with focus-ranging precision in one direction due to saturated photoelectric conversion elements located adjacent to each other

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion units, each including,

one micro lens;

a first photoelectric conversion element that includes a first semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type;

a second photoelectric conversion element that includes a second semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the second semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a first direction, the second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a third photoelectric conversion element that includes a third semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the third semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the third semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a fourth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and has a second conductivity type; and

a fifth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region and has the second conductivity type,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element, the second photoelectric conversion element, and the third photoelectric conversion element are arranged at positions where light condensed by the one micro lens enters, and

wherein a length of the fifth semiconductor region in the second direction is less than a length of the fourth semiconductor region in the first direction.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein impurity concentration of at least a part of the fifth semiconductor region is lower than impurity concentration of the fourth semiconductor region.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a height of a potential barrier produced at the fifth semiconductor region against the signal charge is less than a height of a potential barrier produced at the fourth semiconductor region against the signal charge.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein impurity concentration of the fifth semiconductor region is lower than impurity concentration of the fourth semiconductor region.

5. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion units, each including,

one micro lens;

a first photoelectric conversion element that includes a first semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type;

a second photoelectric conversion element that includes a second semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the second semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a first direction, the second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a third photoelectric conversion element that includes a third semiconductor region that is located next to the first semiconductor region in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the third semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a first transfer gate connected to the first photoelectric conversion element;

a second transfer gate connected to the second photoelectric conversion element;

a third transfer gate connected to the third photoelectric conversion element;

a fourth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and has a second conductivity type; and

a fifth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region and has the second conductivity type,

wherein a part of the fourth semiconductor region is located between the first transfer gate and the second transfer gate,

wherein a part of the fifth semiconductor region is located between the first transfer gate and the third transfer gate,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element, the second photoelectric conversion element, and the third photoelectric conversion element are arranged at positions where light condensed by the one micro lens enters, and

wherein a height of a potential barrier produced at, against the signal charge, at least a part of the fifth semiconductor region is less than a height of a potential barrier produced at the fourth semiconductor region against the signal charge.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the fifth semiconductor region includes a region whose length in the second direction is less than a length of the fourth semiconductor region in the first direction.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the fifth semiconductor region includes a region whose length in the second direction is less than a length of other region of the fifth semiconductor region in the second direction.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein impurity concentration of the fifth semiconductor region is lower than impurity concentration of at least a part of the fourth semiconductor region.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the height of the potential barrier produced at the fifth semiconductor region against the signal charge is less than the height of the potential barrier produced at the fourth semiconductor region against the signal charge.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein a length of the fifth semiconductor region in the second direction is less than a length of the fourth semiconductor region in the first direction.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein impurity concentration of the fifth semiconductor region is lower than impurity concentration of the fourth semiconductor region.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a plurality of second photoelectric conversion units, each including,

one micro lens;

a fourth photoelectric conversion element that includes a sixth semiconductor region;

a fifth photoelectric conversion element that is located next to the fourth photoelectric conversion element in the first direction and includes a seventh semiconductor region;

a sixth photoelectric conversion element that is located next to the fourth photoelectric conversion element in the second direction and includes an eighth semiconductor region;

a ninth semiconductor region that is located between the sixth semiconductor region and the seventh semiconductor region; and

a tenth semiconductor region that is located between the sixth semiconductor region and the eighth semiconductor region,

wherein the fourth photoelectric conversion element, the fifth photoelectric conversion element, and the sixth photoelectric conversion element are arranged at positions where light condensed by the one micro lens enters,

wherein each of the sixth semiconductor region, the seventh semiconductor region, and the eighth semiconductor region has the first conductivity type,

wherein each of the ninth semiconductor region and the tenth semiconductor region has the second conductivity type,

wherein a height of a potential barrier produced at at least a part of the ninth semiconductor region against the signal charge is less than a height of a potential barrier produced at the tenth semiconductor region against the signal charge, and

wherein the signal charge has the first conductivity type.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein the plurality first photoelectric conversion units and the plurality second photoelectric conversion units are arranged to form a checkered pattern.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein there is a plurality of first sets in each of which four of the first photoelectric conversion units are arranged in a matrix of two adjacent to each other in the first direction and two adjacent to each other in the second direction;

wherein there is a plurality of second sets in each of which four of the second photoelectric conversion units are arranged in a matrix of two adjacent to each other in the first direction and two adjacent to each other in the second direction; and

wherein the first sets and the second sets are arranged to form a checkered pattern.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein some the first photoelectric conversion units are arranged successively in the first direction.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein each of the plurality of first photoelectric conversion units further includes a floating diffusion region,

the floating diffusion region is connected to the first transfer gate, the second transfer gate, and the third transfer gate.

17. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion units, each including,

one micro lens;

a first photoelectric conversion element that includes a first semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type;

a second photoelectric conversion element that includes a second semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the second semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a first direction, the second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a third photoelectric conversion element that includes a third semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the third semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the third semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a first transfer gate connected to the first photoelectric conversion element;

a second transfer gate connected to the second photoelectric conversion element;

a third transfer gate connected to the third photoelectric conversion element;

a fourth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and has a second conductivity type; and

a fifth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region and has the second conductivity type,

wherein a part of the fourth semiconductor region is located between the first transfer gate and the second transfer gate,

wherein a part of the fifth semiconductor region is located between the first transfer gate and the third transfer gate,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element, the second photoelectric conversion element, and the third photoelectric conversion element are arranged at positions where light condensed by the one micro lens enters, and

wherein the fifth semiconductor region includes a region whose impurity concentration is lower than impurity concentration of the fourth semiconductor region.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17 ,

wherein the impurity concentration of the fifth semiconductor region is lower than the impurity concentration of the fourth semiconductor region.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a plurality of second photoelectric conversion units, each including,

one micro lens;

a fourth photoelectric conversion element that includes a sixth semiconductor region;

a fifth photoelectric conversion element that is located next to the fourth photoelectric conversion element in the first direction and includes a seventh semiconductor region;

a sixth photoelectric conversion element that is located next to the fourth photoelectric conversion element in the second direction and includes an eighth semiconductor region;

a ninth semiconductor region that is located between the sixth semiconductor region and the seventh semiconductor region; and

a tenth semiconductor region that is located between the sixth semiconductor region and the eighth semiconductor region,

wherein the fourth photoelectric conversion element, the fifth photoelectric conversion element, and the sixth photoelectric conversion element are arranged at positions where light condensed by the one micro lens enters,

wherein each of the sixth semiconductor region, the seventh semiconductor region, and the eighth semiconductor region has the first conductivity type,

wherein each of the ninth semiconductor region and the tenth semiconductor region has the second conductivity type,

wherein the ninth semiconductor region includes a region whose impurity concentration of the second conductivity type is lower than impurity concentration of the second conductivity type of the tenth semiconductor region, and

wherein the signal charge has the first conductivity type.

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 19 ,

wherein there is a plurality of first sets in each of which four of the first photoelectric conversion units are arranged in a matrix of two adjacent to each other in the first direction and two adjacent to each other in the second direction;

wherein there is a plurality of second sets in each of which four of the second photoelectric conversion units are arranged in a matrix of two adjacent to each other in the first direction and two adjacent to each other in the second direction; and

wherein the first sets and the second sets are arranged to form a checkered pattern.

21. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17 ,

wherein each of the plurality of first photoelectric conversion units further includes a floating diffusion region,

the floating diffusion region is connected to the first transfer gate, the second transfer gate, and the third transfer gate.

22. An imaging system, comprising:

a signal processing circuit configured to perform focus ranging; and

an imaging apparatus configured to output a signal used for the focus ranging by the signal processing circuit, the imaging apparatus including,

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion units, each including,

one micro lens;

a first photoelectric conversion element that includes a first semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type;

a second photoelectric conversion element that includes a second semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the second semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a first direction, the second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a third photoelectric conversion element that includes a third semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the third semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the third semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a fourth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and has a second conductivity type; and

a fifth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region and has the second conductivity type,

wherein the first photoelectric conversion element, the second photoelectric conversion element, and the third photoelectric conversion element are arranged at positions where light condensed by the one micro lens enters, and

wherein a length of the fifth semiconductor region in the second direction is less than a length of the fourth semiconductor region in the first direction.

23. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion units, each including, one micro lens;

a first photoelectric conversion element that includes a first semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type;

a second photoelectric conversion element that includes a second semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the second semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a first direction, the second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a third photoelectric conversion element that includes a third semiconductor region that accumulates a signal charge, the third semiconductor region being located next to the first semiconductor region in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, the third semiconductor region having the first conductivity type;

a first transfer gate connected to the first photoelectric conversion element

a second transfer gate connected to the second photoelectric conversion element,

a third transfer gate connected to the third photoelectric conversion element,

a fourth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and has a second conductivity type; and

a fifth semiconductor region that is located between the first semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region and has the second conductivity type,

wherein

in planar view, a first line passes through the first transfer gate, the first semiconductor region, the fourth semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region, and the second transfer gate in this order, and

in planar view, a second line passes through the first semiconductor region, the fifth semiconductor region, and the third semiconductor region in this order, and

wherein one of the fourth semiconductor region and the fifth semiconductor region includes a region whose impurity concentration is lower than impurity concentration of the other of the fourth semiconductor region and the fifth semiconductor region.