IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,964,743
Granted Patent B2
US 10,964,743 · App. 16/822,330 · Granted Mar 30, 2021

Imaging device comprising current mirror circuit

Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa (Kanagawa, JP)
H01L27/14643H01L27/14609H01L27/14612H01L27/14623H01L27/14636H01L27/14667H01L29/24H01L31/0272H01L31/0322
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,964,743
App. No.
16/822,330
Granted
Mar 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device including pixels arranged in a matrix of n rows and m columns, in which the pixels in the m-th column are shielded from light, is provided.

Claims (33)

1. An imaging device comprising:

a first pixel;

a second pixel; and

a current mirror circuit,

wherein a first current corresponding to a current flowing through the first pixel flows to an input transistor of the current mirror circuit,

wherein a second current flows to an output transistor of the current mirror circuit, and

wherein a difference between the second current and a third current corresponding to a current flowing through the second pixel is calculated.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein current value of the second current is the same as current value of the first current.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the current flowing through the first pixel is a current corresponding to a state in which a charge retention portion included in the first pixel is initialized.

4. An imaging device comprising:

a first pixel;

a second pixel; and

a current mirror circuit,

wherein a first current corresponding to a current flowing through the first pixel flows to an input transistor of the current mirror circuit,

wherein a second current flows to an output transistor of the current mirror circuit,

wherein a difference between the second current and a third current corresponding to a current flowing through the second pixel is calculated,

wherein each the input transistor and the output transistor is a p-channel transistor, and

wherein each of the first pixel and the second pixel includes an n-channel transistor.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein current value of the second current is the same as current value of the first current.

6. The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein the current flowing through the first pixel is a current corresponding to a state in which a charge retention portion included in the first pixel is initialized.

7. An imaging device comprising:

a first pixel;

a second pixel; and

a current mirror circuit,

wherein a first current corresponding to a current flowing through the first pixel flows to an input transistor of the current mirror circuit,

wherein a light-blocking layer is arranged at a side where light enters a photoelectric conversion element included in the first pixel,

wherein a second current flows to an output transistor of the current mirror circuit, and

wherein a difference between the second current and a third current corresponding to a current flowing through the second pixel is calculated.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein current value of the second current is the same as current value of the first current.

9. The imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein the current flowing through the first pixel is a current corresponding to a state in which a charge retention portion included in the first pixel is initialized.

10. The imaging device according to claim 7 ,

wherein each the input transistor and the output transistor is a p-channel transistor,

wherein each of the first pixel and the second pixel includes an n-channel transistor.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2014-250013 · Dec 10, 2014 · national
JP 2014-266957 · Dec 29, 2014 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16122060 · Sep 5, 2018
Continuation 15708527 · Sep 19, 2017
Division 14961181 · Dec 7, 2015
Related Publication 20200227465A1 · Jul 16, 2020
Cited By (6)
US 12,225,314 US 12,235,293 US 12,238,435 US 12,396,181 US 12,659,621 US 12,660,239