Image sensor and electronic camera
An image sensor includes: (1) a first pixel and a second pixel each including: a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light and generates an electric charge; and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge, the first pixel and the second pixel being arranged in a row direction; (2) a first supply unit that supplies a signal which controls the transfer unit of the first pixel; and (3) a second supply unit that supplies a signal which controls the transfer unit of the second pixel.
1 . An image sensor, comprising
a first semiconductor substrate having a first photoelectric conversion unit that converts light into an electric charge, a second photoelectric conversion unit that converts light into an electric charge, a first transfer unit that transfers the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit, and a second transfer unit that transfers the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit; and
a second semiconductor substrate which is stacked with the first semiconductor substrate and has a first transfer signal supply unit that supplies the first transfer unit with a first transfer signal having a voltage which is lower than a ground voltage of the first semiconductor substrate, and a second transfer signal supply unit that supplies the second transfer unit with a second transfer signal having the voltage which is lower than the ground voltage of the first semiconductor substrate.
2 . The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply unit that supplies the first transfer signal supply unit with the voltage which is lower than the ground voltage of the first semiconductor substrate.
3 . The image sensor according to claim 2 ,
wherein the power supply unit supplies the second transfer signal supply unit with the voltage which is lower than the ground voltage of the first semiconductor substrate.
4 . The image sensor according to claim 2 ,
wherein the power supply unit is arranged on the first semiconductor substrate.
5 . The image sensor according to claim 2 ,
wherein the power supply unit is arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
6 . The image sensor according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a control unit that causes a timing at which the first transfer signal is output from the first transfer signal supply unit to be different from a timing at which the second transfer signal is output from the second transfer signal supply unit.
7 . The image sensor according to claim 6 , wherein
the first transfer signal supply unit supplies the first transfer unit with a third transfer signal having a voltage which is higher than the voltage of the first transfer signal, and
the second transfer signal supply unit supplies the second transfer unit with a fourth transfer signal having the voltage which is higher than the voltage of the second transfer signal.
8 . The image sensor according to claim 7 ,
wherein the control unit causes a timing at which the third transfer signal is output from the first transfer signal supply unit to be different from a timing at which the fourth transfer signal is output from the second transfer signal supply unit.
9 . The image sensor according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a first reset unit that resets a potential of a first floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit is transferred;
a second reset unit that resets a potential of a second floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit is transferred;
a first reset signal supply unit that supplies the first reset unit with a first reset signal for controlling the first reset unit; and
a second reset signal supply unit that supplies the second reset unit with a second reset signal for controlling the second reset unit.
10 . The image sensor according to claim 9 ,
wherein the first reset signal supply unit and the second reset signal supply unit are arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
11 . The image sensor according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a first transistor that electrically connects the first floating diffusion and a first capacitor;
a second transistor that electrically connects the second floating diffusion and a second capacitor;
a first capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the first transistor with a first capacitance expansion signal for controlling the first transistor; and
a second capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the second transistor with a second capacitance expansion signal for controlling the second transistor.
12 . The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit that causes a timing at which the first transfer signal is output from the first transfer signal supply unit to be different from a timing at which the second transfer signal is output from the second transfer signal supply unit.
13 . The image sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the first transfer signal supply unit supplies the first transfer unit with a third transfer signal having a voltage which is higher than the voltage of the first transfer signal, and
the second transfer signal supply unit supplies the second transfer unit with a fourth transfer signal having the voltage which is higher than the voltage of the second transfer signal.
14 . The image sensor according to claim 13 ,
wherein the control unit causes a timing at which the third transfer signal is output from the first transfer signal supply unit to be different from a timing at which the fourth transfer signal is output from the second transfer signal supply unit.
15 . The image sensor according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a first reset unit that resets a potential of a first floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit is transferred;
a second reset unit that resets a potential of a second floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit is transferred;
a first reset signal supply unit that supplies the first reset unit with a first reset signal for controlling the first reset unit; and
a second reset signal supply unit that supplies the second reset unit with a second reset signal for controlling the second reset unit.
16 . The image sensor according to claim 15 ,
wherein the first reset signal supply unit and the second reset signal supply unit are arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
17 . The image sensor according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a first transistor that electrically connects the first floating diffusion and a first capacitor;
a second transistor that electrically connects the second floating diffusion and a second capacitor;
a first capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the first transistor with a first capacitance expansion signal for controlling the first transistor; and
a second capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the second transistor with a second capacitance expansion signal for controlling the second transistor.
18 . The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first reset unit that resets a potential of a first floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit is transferred;
a second reset unit that resets a potential of a second floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit is transferred;
a first reset signal supply unit that supplies the first reset unit with a first reset signal for controlling the first reset unit; and
a second reset signal supply unit that supplies the second reset unit with a second reset signal for controlling the second reset unit.
19 . The image sensor according to claim 18 ,
wherein the first reset signal supply unit and the second reset signal supply unit are arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
20 . The image sensor according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a first transistor that electrically connects the first floating diffusion and a first capacitor;
a second transistor that electrically connects the second floating diffusion and a second capacitor;
a first capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the first transistor with a first capacitance expansion signal for controlling the first transistor; and
a second capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the second transistor with a second capacitance expansion signal for controlling the second transistor.
21 . The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first transistor that electrically connects a first floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit is transferred and a first capacitor;
a second transistor that electrically connects a second floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit is transferred and a second capacitor;
a first capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the first transistor with a first capacitance expansion signal for controlling the first transistor; and
a second capacitance expansion signal supply unit that supplies the second transistor with a second capacitance expansion signal for controlling the second transistor.
22 . The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first conversion unit that converts a first signal based on the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit into a digital signal; and
a second conversion unit that converts a second signal based on the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit into a digital signal.
23 . The image sensor according to claim 22 ,
wherein the first conversion unit and the second conversion unit are arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
24 . The image sensor according to claim 22 , further comprising:
a first addition process unit that performs an addition process on a first digital signal which is the digital signal converted from the first signal by the first conversion unit; and
a second addition process unit that performs an addition process on a second digital signal which is the digital signal converted from the second signal by the second conversion unit.
25 . The image sensor according to claim 24 ,
wherein the first addition process unit and the second addition process unit are arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
26 . The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first calculation unit that calculates an exposure time of the first photoelectric conversion unit; and
a second calculation unit that calculates an exposure time of the second photoelectric conversion unit.
27 . The image sensor according to claim 26 ,
wherein the first calculation unit and the second calculation unit are arranged on the second semiconductor substrate.
28 . The image sensor according to claim 26 , wherein
in the first transfer signal supply unit, a timing of supplying the first transfer unit with the first transfer signal is controlled based on the exposure time calculated by the first calculation unit, and
in the second transfer signal supply unit, a timing of supplying the second transfer unit with the second transfer signal is controlled based on the exposure time calculated by the second calculation unit.
29 . The image sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second photoelectric conversion unit is aligned with the first photoelectric conversion unit in a row direction.
30 . The image sensor according to claim 29 ,
wherein the second photoelectric conversion unit is arranged adjacent to the first photoelectric conversion unit in the row direction.
31 . The image sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second photoelectric conversion unit is aligned with the first photoelectric conversion unit in a column direction.
32 . The image sensor according to claim 31 ,
wherein the second photoelectric conversion unit is arranged adjacent to the first photoelectric conversion unit in the column direction.
33 . An imaging device comprising:
the image sensor according to claim 1 .