Abstract: A back illuminated imaging device 1 comprises a plurality charge blocking regions 19 which are arranged on a front surface 12 side, embedded in CCD charge transferring paths 21, and in which a first thickness T1 measured from the front surface 12 of first portions 19a extending along the CCD charge transferring paths 21 is larger than a first thickness T2 of second portions 19b extending along channel stops 20.

Abstract: An image sensor (21) has a plurality of chips (31). Each chip (31) has a plurality of converter (33) for converting incident beams into electric signals and a plurality of electric signal storages (35). The converters (33) are arranged in one row or a plurality of rows in the vicinity of the first end portion (31a) of the chip (31). Each electric signal storage (35) extends from the converter (33) to the second end portion (31b) opposite to the first end portion (31a). The first end portion (31a) of each chip (31) is shifted relative to the first end portion (31a) of an adjacent chip (31) so that the row of the converters (33) of the respective chips (31) are stepwise exposed.

Abstract: The photo-receptive area (21) of an image sensor is formed from a plurality of pixels (20) each having a sensor (23) for generating an electric signal in response to a brightness of incident light. To the sensors (23) are connected signal storage/read-out CCDs (24A-24F), respectively, each comprising a plurality of charge storages (25a-25f) and being elongated over two or more of the plurality of pixels (20). A plurality of the linear-shaped signal storage/read-out CCDs (24A-24F) are arranged parallel within a width of each pixel (20). For an image sensing process, electric signals generated in the sensors of the pixels (20) are transferred parallel in one direction by the plurality of signal storage/read-out CCDs (24A-24F), by which the electric signals generated in the sensors are stored in the charge storages (25a-25f) of the signal storage/read-out CCDs (24A-24F).