IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,727,265
Granted Patent B2
US 12,727,265 · App. 18/326,012 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Imaging element and imaging apparatus

Inventors: Tomoyuki Kawai (Saitama, JP); Yoshinori Furuta (Saitama, JP); Kazuya Oda (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
H10F39/8027H10F39/18H10F39/8057
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,727,265
App. No.
18/326,012
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging element includes plural pixels in each of which a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge holding unit that holds charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit are arranged in a first direction, the plural pixels include a first pixel, in the photoelectric conversion unit of the first pixel, a light-receiving region and a light shielding region are arranged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a width of the photoelectric conversion unit in the second direction is larger than a width of the charge holding unit in the second direction.

Claims (51)

1 . An imaging element comprising:

a plurality of pixels arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction,

each of the plurality of pixels comprises:

a photoelectric conversion unit;

a charge holding unit that holds charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; and

a voltage conversion unit that converts charges transferred from the charge holding unit into voltage,

wherein the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge holding unit are arranged in the first direction,

the charge holding unit and the voltage conversion unit are arranged in the second direction,

the plurality of pixels include a first pixel,

in the photoelectric conversion unit of the first pixel, a light-receiving region and a light shielding region are arranged in the second direction, and

a width of the photoelectric conversion unit in the second direction is larger than a width of the charge holding unit in the second direction.

2 . The imaging element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second direction is a longitudinal direction of the imaging element.

3 . The imaging element according to claim 1 ,

wherein charges held in the charge holding unit of one of two of the first pixels disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction and charges held in the charge holding unit of other of the two of the first pixels are configured to be capable of being mixed in the charge holding units of the two of the first pixels.

4 . The imaging element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first pixel includes a first type pixel in which the light-receiving region is disposed on one side in the second direction and in which the light shielding region is disposed on other side in the second direction, and a second type pixel in which the light-receiving region is disposed on the other side in the second direction and in which the light shielding region is disposed on the one side in the second direction, and

in the first type pixel and the second type pixel disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction, the light-receiving region of the first type pixel and the light-receiving region of the second type pixel are disposed between the light shielding region of the first type pixel and the light shielding region of the second type pixel.

5 . The imaging element according to claim 4 ,

which comprises pairs of the first type pixel and the second type pixel adjacent to each other in the second direction, wherein

the pairs include a first pair, and

in the first pair, a boundary between the light-receiving regions is formed at an intermediate position between a center of the light-receiving region of the first type pixel and a center of the light-receiving region of the second type pixel.

6 . The imaging element according to claim 4 ,

which comprises pairs of the first type pixel and the second type pixel, wherein

the pairs include a second pair, and

in the second pair, an intermediate position between a center of the light-receiving region of the first type pixel and a center of the light-receiving region of the second type pixel is eccentric to an edge side of the imaging element from a boundary between the light-receiving regions.

7 . The imaging element according to claim 6 ,

wherein an amount of eccentricity of the intermediate position in the second pair is increased as the intermediate position is closer to an edge of the imaging element.

8 . An imaging apparatus comprising:

the imaging element according to claim 1 .

9 . An imaging element comprising:

a plurality of pixels arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction,

each of the plurality of pixels comprises:

a photoelectric conversion unit;

a charge holding unit that holds charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; and,

a voltage conversion unit that converts charges transferred from the charge holding unit into voltage,

wherein the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge holding unit are arranged in the first direction,

the charge holding unit and the voltage conversion unit are arranged in the second direction,

the plurality of pixels include a first pixel,

in the photoelectric conversion unit of the first pixel, a light-receiving region and a light shielding region are arranged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction,

the first pixel includes a first type pixel in which the light-receiving region is disposed on one side in the second direction and in which the light shielding region is disposed on other side in the second direction, and a second type pixel in which the light-receiving region is disposed on the other side in the second direction and in which the light shielding region is disposed on the one side in the second direction, and

in the first type pixel and the second type pixel disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction, the light-receiving region of the first type pixel and the light-receiving region of the second type pixel are disposed between the light shielding region of the first type pixel and the light shielding region of the second type pixel.

10 . An imaging element comprising:

a plurality of pixels arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction,

each of the plurality of pixels comprises:

a photoelectric conversion unit;

a charge holding unit that holds charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; and

a voltage conversion unit that converts charges transferred from the charge holding unit into voltage,

wherein the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge holding unit are arranged in the first direction,

the charge holding unit and the voltage conversion unit are arranged in the second direction,

charges held in the charge holding unit of one of two of the pixels disposed adjacent to each other in a second direction intersecting with the first direction and charges held in the charge holding unit of other of the two of the pixels are configured to be capable of being mixed in the charge holding units of the two of the pixels.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2023
From: KAWAI, TOMOYUKI; FURUTA, YOSHINORI; ODA, KAZUYA
To: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063818/0150 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-106126 · Jun 30, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240006428A1 · Jan 4, 2024
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