IP Library Granted Patent US 11,832,011
Granted Patent B2
US 11,832,011 · App. 17/281,412 · Granted Nov 28, 2023

Imaging device and electronic equipment

Inventor: Luonghung Asakura (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
H04N25/772H01L27/14612H01L27/14634H01L27/14643H04N25/75
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,832,011
App. No.
17/281,412
Granted
Nov 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one example, an imaging device includes stacked first and second substrates. The first substrate has an array of light receiving pixels divisible into pixel blocks and the second substrate has a pixel control portion that controls the pixels. The first substrate includes a first wiring line that transmits a first voltage, a second wiring line that transmits a second voltage, and a fault detection circuit that detects a wiring fault for each pixel block. The fault detection circuit detects a wiring fault by connecting wiring lines corresponding to pixel columns or pixel rows in series in each pixel block, connecting one of the ends of a wiring chain connected in series in each pixel block to the first wiring line, connecting the other end to the second wiring line, and detecting a wiring fault based on a potential at an intermediate position of the wiring chain.

Claims (36)

1. An imaging device comprising:

a first substrate in which a pixel array portion composed of pixels that include light receiving portions and are arranged in a matrix is formed; and

a second substrate in which a pixel control portion that controls the pixels is formed and on which the first substrate is stacked, wherein

the first substrate includes

a first wiring line configured to transmit a first voltage,

a second wiring line configured to transmit a second voltage, and

a fault detection circuit configured to, when the pixel array portion is divided into a plurality of pixel blocks each corresponding to a plurality of pixel columns or a plurality of pixel rows, perform detection of a wiring fault for each pixel block, and

the fault detection circuit is configured to,

during time for detecting a wiring fault, connect a plurality of wiring lines corresponding to a plurality of pixel columns or a plurality of pixel rows in series in each pixel block, connect one of ends of a wiring chain connected in series in each pixel block to the first wiring line, connect the other end to the second wiring line, and

detect a wiring fault based on a potential at an intermediate position of the wiring chain.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the fault detection circuit includes a switching element group that is configured to, during the time for detecting a wiring fault, form a wiring chain by connecting a plurality of wiring lines in series in each pixel block between the first wiring line and the second wiring line,

a switching element at one of ends of the switching element group is connected to the first wiring line, and a switching element at the other end is connected to the second wiring line.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first substrate includes

a third wiring line configured to transmit a third voltage, and

a fourth wiring line configured to transmit a fourth voltage, and

the fault detection circuit includes

a first switching element that is connected to an intermediate position of the wiring chain and reads out a potential at the intermediate position, and

a second switching element that is connected between the third wiring line and the fourth wiring line and performs an on/off operation according to the potential at the intermediate position read out through the first switching element.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the fault detection circuit is configured to detect a wiring fault depending on whether a short current is generated between the third wiring line and the fourth wiring line.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein the fault detection circuit is configured to detect a wiring break fault between one of the ends of the wiring chain and an intermediate position of the wiring chain, or a wiring break fault between the intermediate position of the wiring chain and the other end of the wiring chain.

6. The imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the switching elements of the switching element group, the first switching element, and the second switching element of the fault detection circuit are composed of transistors of a conductive type that is identical to that of transistors composing the pixels.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein

when the transistors composing the pixels are composed of N-channel MOS transistors,

the switching elements of the switching element group, the first switching element, and the second switching element of the fault detection circuit are composed of N-channel MOS transistors of a same type as the pixels.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising an imaging device that includes:

a first substrate in which a pixel array portion composed of pixels that include light receiving portions and are arranged in a matrix is formed; and

a second substrate in which a pixel control portion that controls the pixels is formed and on which the first substrate is stacked, wherein

the first substrate includes

a first wiring line configured to transmit a first voltage,

a second wiring line configured to transmit a second voltage, and

a fault detection circuit configured to, when the pixel array portion is divided into a plurality of pixel blocks each corresponding to a plurality of pixel columns or a plurality of pixel rows, perform detection of a wiring fault for each pixel block, and

the fault detection circuit is configured to

during time for detecting a wiring fault, connect a plurality of wiring lines corresponding to a plurality of pixel columns or a plurality of pixel rows in series in each pixel block, connect one of ends of a wiring chain connected in series in each pixel block to the first, wiring line, connect the other end to the second wiring line, and

detect a wiring fault based on a potential at an intermediate position of the wiring chain.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2021
From: ASAKURA, LUONGHUNG
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055769/0420 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-209460 · Nov 7, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220046201A1 · Feb 10, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,745,016