Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing bloom in an output of a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor is disclosed. The method includes the step of toggling at least two phases of said CCD after exposure of said CCD. The method and apparatus are particularly useful when a flash of light occurs during the exposure.

Abstract: An FIT or IT solid-state imaging device comprising a p-type Si substrate in which n-type regions forming storage diode portions, signal read-out portions, n-type CCD channels, and p.sup.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor has a body of a semiconductor material of one conductivity type having a surface. A plurality of photodetectors are in the body at the surface and are arranged in at least one line. The photodetectors are adapted to photogenerate charge carriers. A CCD shift register is in the body at the surface and extends along the line of photodetectors. Transfer means is provided between the photodetectors and the CCD shift register for transferring charge carriers from the photodetectors to the CCD shift register. A buried region of a conductivity type opposite that of the body is in the body and spaced from the surface. The buried region extends under the photodetectors, CCD shift register, and transfer means. A contact region extends through the body from the surface to the buried region. The contact region is of the same conductivity type as the buried region but of higher conductivity.

Abstract: Generally, and in one form of the invention, a method for multiplying charge in a CCD cell is disclosed comprising the step of causing impact ionization of charge carriers in the CCD cell.Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a linear sensor, a charge transfer part is disposed between a one-dimensional array of photodetectors and an overflow drain and includes a CCD having four or more transfer gates for each photodetector for transferring signal charges from the photodetector array in a direction of the photodetector array, transfer gates controlling charge transfer from the photodetectors to the CCD, and shutter gates for controlling charge transfer from the charge transfer part to the overflow drain. Each transfer gate is disposed between each photodetector and a prescribed one of the four or more transfer gates, and each shutter gate is disposed between the prescribed transfer gate and the overflow drain. The four or more CCD transfer gates are controlled by four or more phase driving clocks.

Abstract: In CCD's, the major part of the dark current is caused by surface states. This dark current is disturbing, especially in image sensors, because the sensitivity of the camera is limited thereby. When according to the invention the integrating gates are varied periodically, the subjacent surface parts of the - buried - channel being brought periodically into inversion and into depletion, while maintaining the charge-containing capacity, a considerable reduction of the dark current can be obtained. In image sensors, voltage variation preferably occurs during the fly-back time.

Abstract: In a charge transfer image pick-up device including vertical registers and a horizontal register, impurity density of a well layer of the vertical registers is higher than that of a well layer of the horizontal register and a buried layer formed in the well layer of the vertical registers is composed of a first buried layer which is connected to a buried layer of the well layer of the horizontal register and a second buried layer formed on the first buried layer and having impurity density higher than that of the first buried layer, so that degradation of transfer efficiency of signal charge can be avoided and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

Abstract: A solid-state image device for outputting the charges transferred in one direction by a transfer clock is disclosed. It has a detection port for collecting signal charges, a first active region of a first conductivity for receiving the transferred charges, a second active region of a second conductivity formed in the first active region which is connected to the detection port, and a third active region of second conductivity formed beneath the first active region which is connected to a ground voltage terminal, whereby only the transferred signal charges are amplified to produce stable output signals with large gain. The first, second and third active regions together constitute amplifying means. The second active region is supplied with current by the charging operation of a reset transistor.

Abstract: A p type well is formed on an n type substrate and photodiode and VCCD regions are repeatedly at predetermined intervals in turns on the surface of the p type well.In an interline transfer image sensor, the p type well is formed on the n type substrate and the photodiode and VCCD region of predetermined intervals are repeatedly formed in turn on the surface of the p type well. The p.sup.+ type channel ion stop layer is formed at both edges of the VCCD region and the pinning voltage is applied to the p.sup.+ type channel stop layer. Accordingly, the variable potential of the potential contour of the VCCD region is increased and the storing capacity of the charge and the efficiency of the charge transfer are maximized side by side.

Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device suitable for miniaturization.

Abstract: An image sensor having improved antiblooming characteristics includes a plurality of photodetectors in a substrate at a surface thereof and arranged in an array of columns and rows. A CCD shift register extends along each column of the photodetectors. A separate overflow drain is adjacent each photodetector and an overflow barrier extends between each photodetector and its adjacent drain. Each photodetector has an active region of one conductivity type which is divided into first and second portions. The first portion of the active region has a higher concentration of the impurities of the one conductivity type than the second portion so as to have a lower potential during operation thereof. Thus, the charge carriers generated in the first portion will flow into the second portion where they are stored. This reduces the capacitance of the photodetector to increase it antiblooming characteristics while maintaining the sensitivity of the photodetector.

Abstract: A CCD image sensing device has vertical shift registers (22), a horizontal shift register (3A), a horizontal transfer gate (4), a horizontal shift register (3B), a smear gate (6), a smear drain region (7) and a channel stop region (8) arranged in that order on an n-type substrate (N-Sub). A p-well region underlying the vertical shift registers (22), the horizontal shift register (3A), the horizontal transfer gate (4), the horizontal shift register (3B) the smear gate (6), the smear drain region (7) and the channel stop region (8) is doped in a high impurity concentration to stabilize the potential of the p-well region at a potential substantially equal to that of the channel stop region (8), i.e., ground potential (GND). Consequently, no hole storage region is formed in the p-well and hence the deterioration of the signal transfer performance can be prevented. Since no hole-depletion region is created, no dark current due to avalanche is produced.

Abstract: In a solid state image sensor, such as a CCD image sensor having lateral antiblooming protection, the level of which is controlled by an overflow gate voltage forming a barrier, the storage of electrons in the photodiode junction region of the sensor is eliminated by removing the barrier and allowing the charge to flow from the sensor's photodiode junctions into the overflow region. The charge flow is then detected as a function of the instantaneous light impinging on the photodiodes. The physical connections of the overflow gates are selected to form zones. Since the charge flow now represent the instantaneous light intensity, higher frequency components are detected than that limited by the sensor sampling rate. An amplifier is connected to sense the charge flow from each zone. With the range of light intensity being large the amplifier is provided with a logarithmic feed back element. This element provides compression of a signal representing the sensed charge flow.

Abstract: A solid imaging device that minimizes the degradation in charge transfer efficiency attributable to narrow channel effect by enlarging the apparent width of the horizontal output gate outlet. Miniaturization of the floating diffusion (FD) region is not hampered despite the apparent widening of the horizontal output gate outlet. The inventive imaging device utilizes a floating diffusion amplifier as the charge detector that detects a charge signal transferred from a horizontal CCD. In this device structure, ions are implanted into the substrate surface side of the region adjacent to the FD region in the horizontal output gate in such a manner that the channel potential of the adjacent region will become appropriately deeper than that of the forward-half region next to the adjacent region.

Abstract: A virtual phase image sensor has majority carriers supplied to a virtual gate 24 by a conductor 32 overlying the image sensor, the virtual gate 24 and the conductor 32 each in contact with a conductive channel stop region 30.

Abstract: The present invention provides a CCD image sensor capable of suppressing the anomalous increase of the quantity of electric charges to be dealt with by sensor elements when a large quantity of light falls thereon without reducing the quantity of electric charges to be dealt with by vertical transfer registers and without increasing the amplitude of a pulse to be applied to the substrate when an electronic shutter operation is performed. The CCD image sensor is provided with sensor elements (1) of a HAD construction each having a hole accumulating layer (13) and arranged in vertical and horizontal rows, and heavily doped HCS regions (19) of the same type of conduction as that of the hole accumulating layers (13), formed in areas between the adjacent sensor elements of each vertical row to secure passages having a sufficient capacity for holes produced by photoelectric conversion so that the resistance against the hole current is reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to photosensitive semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to linear arrays having several parallel rows of photoconductive points and operating in the integration and charge carry mode. In particular, the object of the invention is to reduce a smearing effect.The device of the invention comprises a photosensitive surface (SP) divided into photosensitive surface elements (SI1 to SMn) placed in rows (L1 to Ln) and in columns (C1 to CM). Each column forms a shift register that ends in a storage space (CS1 to CSM) of a readout register (RL) formed by a shift register of the charge transfer type: readout register (RL) being on same semiconductor substrate (10) as photosensitive surface (SP) the device includes.According to a feature of the invention, the device an intermediate zone (ZI) protected from light used to make a separation distance (DS) between photosensitive surface (SP) and readout register (RL).

Abstract: A solid state image sensing device comprising first and second horizontal shift registers of two-phase drive system, a smear drain region disposed in an opposing relation to a first storage section of the second horizontal shift register to which the first phase drive pulse of the second horizontal shift register is applied and a channel stop region disposed in an opposing relation to a second storage section of the second horizontal shift register to which the second phase drive pulse is applied, wherein a smear component is drained to the smear drain region, and a hole component is drained to the channel stop region for thereby reducing a dark current of the second horizontal shift register to about that of the first horizontal shift register. Therefore, a dark current in the horizontal shift register of the solid state image sensing device can be reduced.

Abstract: A frame transfer image sensor having a lateral overflow drain and a structure for controlling the charge transfer to the drain during charge collection to improve exposure latitude.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure and a method for fabrication of a CCD image sensor having a structure that a p-type epitaxial layer is formed on an n-type substrate to reduce a smear noise and an n-type region for controlling an OFD voltage which is disposed between an n-type substrate beneath an n-type photo diode and a p-type epitaxial layer and a p.sup.+ -type region for reducing the smear phenomenon which is deposed between an n-type substrate beneath an n-type BCCD and a p-type epitaxial layer. According to this improved structure and method, it can be fabricated of a CCD image sensor easily and rapidly and with reduced smear noise.

Abstract: A charge-coupled device having an array of pixel elements formed in a substrate, which device is operable in a first state to expand the depletion well regions of each pixel element into the substrate for storing incoming photoelectrons therein and in a second state to contract the expanded depletion well regions to prevent storage of photoelectrons in the contracted depletion well regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device. A depression is formed in an insulating portion of a substrate and an electric lead is formed in the depression so that at least a portion of the electric lead is buried in the substrate. A semiconductor device is formed on the substrate and connected to the electric lead. The electric lead may be an extension of a source electrode, a drain electrode, or a gate electrode of the semiconductor device. Also, a gate electrode, a source electrode, or a drain electrode may be buried in a substrate.

Abstract: A charge coupled device having a layer of a semiconductor material on a surface of a substrate body of a semiconductor material. The layer is of a material which can be epitaxially deposited on the body with good crystalline quality. The material of the layer has a conduction band and/or valence band which is different from that of the body so as to provide a discontinuity in the energy level of the conduction band and/or valence band at the junction of the layer and the body during the operation of the charge coupled device. At least one electrode is over and insulated from the layer. The discontinuity in the conduction band and/or valence band creates a well in which photogenerated charge is collected.

Abstract: A wide dynamic range photodetector comprising a photosensitive region for generating signal electrons in response to being illuminated, a collection region for storing the signal electrons generated within the photosensitive region, a shift register for receiving and outputing the signal electrons from the collection region, and a transfer gate intermediate the photosensitive region and the collection region for alternately facilitating transfer of the signal electrons from the photosensitive region for storage in the collection region, and isolating the photosensitive region from the collection region while the signal electrons are being output via the shift register.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an image sensor which comprises a body of a semiconductor material having therein a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a line and a CCD shift register extending along the line of photodetectors adjacent to but spaced from an edge of the photodetectors. The CCD shift register includes a channel region and a plurality of first and second gate electrodes extending over and insulated from the channel region. One of each of the first and second gate electrodes extends across a portion of the edge of each photodetector. Each of the first electrodes has an arm extending along the entire edge of its respective photodetector between the photodetector and the second gate electrode. A separate transfer region is in the body between the edge of each photodetector and its respective first electrode and extends along the entire edge of the photodetector. A transfer gate is over and insulated from the transfer regions.

Abstract: A CCD image sensor having an N type photodetecting region, an N type VCCD region and an N type HCCD region, comprising a P type layer formed underneath and surrounding said N type VCCD region, an N type layer formed underneath and surrounding said P type layer, a P type well formed underneath and surrounding said N type layer, and an N type substrate formed under said P type well, said substrate being adapted and arranged for the application thereto of a shutter voltage. In accordance with the present invention, the CCD image sensor is capable of preventing an overflow drain caused by error charges or excess charges resulting from a smear. Therefore, the photoelectric efficiency can be increased in a wavelength of the red color type wherein the amount of light energy is small.

Abstract: A solid-state CCD imaging device has a substrate, photosensitive pixel cells provided as pixel sections in the substrate, and a transfer section, provided in the substrate, for transferring signal charge carriers read out from the pixel cells in a predetermined transfer direction. The transfer section has a semiconductive charge transfer channel layer formed in the substrate and transfer electrodes insulatively provided above the substrate and arrayed in the above direction while predetermined gap sections are kept therebetween. Each of the transfer electrodes defines one charge transfer stage. A gap potential control electrode layer is insulatively disposed above the electrodes.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photodetector having a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor region in the layer, and a first conductivity type region in the second conductivity type region. The second conductivity type semiconductor region includes second conductivity type subregions having different dopant impurity concentrations. The subregion which contacts the first conductivity type region has a dopant impurity concentration higher than the second conductivity type subregion. The device reads out photogenerated charges stored in the second conductivity type region as a light signal. The junction capacitances between the second conductivity type semiconductor region and the first conductivity type layer and the first conductivity type region are increased so that the maximum quantity of stored charge when the first conductivity type region is depleted is increased without a change in the potential.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor comprises a p-type semiconductor region, an n-type photoelectric conversion region formed in a surface region of the semiconductor region, an n-type charge transfer region formed in the surface of the semiconductor region separately from the photoelectric conversion region, and an electric charge read-out gate region formed between the photoelectric conversion region and the charge transfer region. A p.sup.+ thin surface layer region if formed to cover a surface of the photoelectric conversion region excluding an end portion adjacent to the electric charge read-out gate region. A gate electrode is formed above the electric charge read-out gate region. The end portion of the photoelectric conversion region not covered by the thin surface layer region, has a short length sufficient to make a potential well formed in the portion shallow under influence of potentials of the p.sup.+ thin surface layer region and the electric charge read-out gate region.