Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels disposed on an insulation substrate. Each of the pixels includes a plurality of thin-film transistors, a conversion element disposed above the TFTs, and a plurality of insulating layers disposed between the conversion element and the plurality of TFTs. The plurality of TFTs includes a reading TFT having a gate electrode electrically connected to the conversion element and a first selecting TFT electrically connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the reading TFT. At least one of a signal wiring, to which a signal corresponding to an electric charge obtained by conversion of incident light or radiation performed by the conversion element is transferred, and a gate wiring that supplies a driving signal to a gate electrode of the first selecting thin-film transistor, is disposed between the plurality of insulating layers.

Abstract: A conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels including switching elements and conversion elements. The pixels are arranged in a pixel region including a switching element region in which switching elements are arranged in row and column directions and a conversion element region in which conversion elements are arranged in row and column directions. A plurality of wirings are including a second metal layer are connected to the plurality of switching elements of the column direction. Plural bias wirings of a fourth metal layer are connected to plural conversion elements. An external signal wiring of the fourth metal layer outside the pixel region is connected to the signal wirings. An external bias wiring of a first metal layer outside the pixel region is connected to the plurality of bias wirings. The external signal wiring and the external bias wiring intersect each other.

Abstract: In a radiation detecting apparatus of the invention, plural pixels are arranged, and the pixel has a conversion element converting a radiation into an electric signal and a switching element connected to the conversion element. The conversion element includes a first electrode disposed on a first surface of an insulating substrate, a second electrode disposed on the first electrode, and a semiconductor layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is made of a light-transmitting conductive material which transmits light emitted from a light source, and the first electrode is formed from a light transmitting electroconductive material transmitting light emitted from a light source disposed on a second surface of the insulating substrate opposite to the first surface. The switching element has a light shielding member which prevents incidence of the light from the light source to the switching element.

Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a pixel region, on an insulating substrate 100, including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel having a conversion element 101 that converts radiation into electric charges and a switching element 102 connected to the conversion element 101. The conversion element 101 has an upper electrode layer 119, a lower electrode layer 115, a semiconductor layer 117 arranged between the upper electrode layer 119 and the lower electrode layer 115. The upper electrode layer 119 or the lower electrode layer 115 has an opening 200 at least within a region where the semiconductor layer 117 is arranged.

Abstract: To improve a sensor resetting method and thereby implement a high rate at which a moving image is read, the invention provides an image pickup apparatus and a radiation image pickup apparatus including: a plurality of pixels arranged on a substrate in row and column directions, each pixel having a conversion element and a transfer switching element; a drive wiring connected to a plurality of the transfer switching elements in the row direction; and a conversion element wiring connected to a plurality of the conversion elements in the row direction, wherein a reset switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a reset wiring for supplying a reset voltage for resetting the conversion element, and a bias switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a bias wiring for supplying a bias voltage for operating the conversion element.

Abstract: A radiation image pickup apparatus or the like which realizes improvement of noise resistance characteristics when adding pixel signals is provided. For this purpose, the radiation image pickup apparatus has a switching unit which is arranged between a signal wiring and an amplifier and can switch electrical connection among a plurality of signal wirings and electrical connection between a predetermined one of the plurality of signal wirings and the amplifier corresponding thereto. In accordance with mode setting, the switching unit switches a first state where the plurality of signal wirings are electrically connected and the predetermined signal wiring and the corresponding amplifier are electrically disconnected and a second state where the plurality of signal wirings are electrically disconnected and the predetermined signal wiring and the corresponding amplifier are electrically connected.

Abstract: A radiation image pickup apparatus or the like which realizes improvement of noise resistance characteristics when adding pixel signals is provided. For this purpose, the radiation image pickup apparatus has a switching unit which is arranged between a signal wiring and an amplifier and can switch electrical connection among a plurality of signal wirings and electrical connection between a predetermined one of the plurality of signal wirings and the amplifier corresponding thereto. In accordance with mode setting, the switching unit switches a first state where the plurality of signal wirings are electrically connected and the predetermined signal wiring and the corresponding amplifier are electrically disconnected and a second state where the plurality of signal wirings are electrically disconnected and the predetermined signal wiring and the corresponding amplifier are electrically connected.

Abstract: Sensitivity is freely changeable to another one in correspondence to a photographing mode, and both still image photographing and moving image photographing for example which are largely different from each other in dosage of exposure to radiation and which are also different from each other in required sensitivity are carried out so as to meet that request. A source or drain electrode of a TFT 21 is connected to a signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14a and an IC 5. A source/drain of a TFT 23 is connected to the signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14b and the IC 5. Thus, in each pixel 6, any one of the signal lines 14a and 14b is freely selectable when a signal is read out.

Abstract: To improve a sensor resetting method and thereby implement a high rate at which a moving image is read, the invention provides an image pickup apparatus and a radiation image pickup apparatus including: a plurality of pixels arranged on a substrate in row and column directions, each pixel having a conversion element and a transfer switching element; a drive wiring connected to a plurality of the transfer switching elements in the row direction; and a conversion element wiring connected to a plurality of the conversion elements in the row direction, wherein a reset switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a reset wiring for supplying a reset voltage for resetting the conversion element, and a bias switching element is disposed between the conversion element wiring and a bias wiring for supplying a bias voltage for operating the conversion element.

Abstract: A conversion apparatus includes a pixel region, on a substrate, including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, with each pixel having a conversion element that converts radiation into electric charges, and a switching element. The switching element has a structure having a gate electrode, a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer from the substrate side in this order. The conversion element has an MIS-type structure of a bottom electrode arranged on an insulating layer extending from the first insulating layer of the switching element and being vertically higher than the gate electrode of the switching element, an insulating layer which is formed of the same layer as the second insulating layer of the switching element, and a semiconductor layer which is formed of the same layer as the semiconductor layer of the switching element from the substrate side in this order.

Abstract: In an image pick-up apparatus, a plurality of pixels, each pairing a semiconductor conversion element for converting an incident electromagnetic wave to an electric signal and a thin film transistor connected to the semiconductor conversion element, is arranged in a two-dimensional state on a substrate. The image pick-up apparatus includes gate wiring to which gate electrodes of thin film transistors of a plurality of pixels arranged in one direction are commonly connected, and signal wiring to which source electrodes or drain electrodes of thin film transistors of a plurality of pixels arranged in a direction different from the one direction are commonly connected on the substrate. Protection layers are arranged on the thin film transistors, the gate wiring and the signal wiring. The protection layers formed at least at the same time. Then, the protection layers are removed in at least a part or all of regions in which the semiconductor conversion elements are formed.

Abstract: In a radiation image pickup device including: a sensor element for converting radiation into an electrical signal; and a thin film transistor connected to the sensor element, an electrode of the sensor element connected to the thin film transistor is disposed above the thin film transistor, and that the thin film transistor has a top gate type structure in which a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode layer are laminated in this order on a substrate, so that a channel portion of the thin film transistor is protected by a gate electrode, thereby providing stable TFT characteristics without undesirable turning ON any of the TFT elements due to the back gate effect by the fluctuation in electric potentials corresponding to outputs from the sensor electrodes, and thereby greatly improving image quality.

Abstract: A conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels including switching elements and conversion elements. The pixels are arranged in a pixel region including a switching element region in which switching elements are arranged in row and column directions and a conversion element region in which conversion elements are arranged in row and column directions. A plurality of wirings are including a second metal layer are connected to the plurality of switching elements of the column direction. Plural bias wirings of a fourth metal layer are connected to plural conversion elements. An external signal wiring of the fourth metal layer outside the pixel region is connected to the signal wirings. An external bias wiring of a first metal layer outside the pixel region is connected to the plurality of bias wirings. The external signal wiring and the external bias wiring intersect each other.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a plurality of switching elements. The photoelectric conversion element is formed above at least one switching element, and a shielding electrode layer is disposed between the switching elements and the photoelectric conversion elements. Further, a radiation image pickup device according to the present invention has a radiation conversion layer for directly converting radiation into electric charges, and a plurality of switching elements, and has the radiation conversion layer formed above one or more switching elements, and a shielding electrode layer disposed between the switching elements and the radiation conversion layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a radiation detecting apparatus having a radiation conversion element laminated on a switch TFT, including a gate electrode of the switch TFT; a first insulating layer, a first semiconductor layer, and an ohmic contact layer, which are laminated on the gate electrode in order; and a source/drain electrode of the switch TFT laminated on the ohmic contact layer, which all constitute the switch TFT; and a lower electrode of the radiation conversion element, which is formed on the same layer as the source/drain electrode; a second insulating layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a second ohmic contact layer, which are laminated on the lower electrode in order; and a bias wiring for applying a bias to the radiation conversion element.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided in which a plurality of pixels, each having a conversion element and a thin-film transistor, are arranged in a two-dimensional fashion on an insulating substrate; the photoelectric conversion element is arranged over the thin-film transistor, with an insulating film, which serves as an interlayer insulating film, inserted between the conversion element and the thin-film transistor; and by way of a contact hole portion provided in the insulating film, the source electrode or the drain electrode of the thin-film transistor and the photoelectric conversion element are connected with each other. The imaging apparatus has a pixel in which the contact hole portion is removed through a laser-beam irradiation so that the connection portion between the conversion element and a conductive layer, which serves as the source electrode or the drain electrode of the thin-film transistor, is discontinued.

Abstract: A conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged. The pixels are including the switching elements and the conversion elements. The pixel region includes a switching element region in which the plurality of switching elements are arranged in row and column directions, and a conversion element region in which the plurality of conversion elements are arranged in row and column directions. A plurality of signal wirings are including a second metal layer, and connected to the plurality of switching elements of the column direction. Bias wirings are including a fourth metal layer, and connected to the plurality of conversion elements. An external signal wiring is including the first metal layer outside the pixel region, and connected to the signal wirings. The external signal wiring and the bias wiring intersect each other.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a plurality of switching elements. The photoelectric conversion element is formed above at least one switching element, and a shielding electrode layer is disposed between the switching elements and the photoelectric conversion elements. Further, a radiation image pickup device according to the present invention has a radiation conversion layer for directly converting radiation into electric charges, and a plurality of switching elements, and has the radiation conversion layer formed above one or more switching elements, and a shielding electrode layer disposed between the switching elements and the radiation conversion layer.

Abstract: Sensitivity is freely changeable to another one in correspondence to a photographing mode, and both still image photographing and moving image photographing for example which are largely different from each other in dosage of exposure to radiation and which are also different from each other in required sensitivity are carried out so as to meet that request. A source or drain electrode of a TFT 21 is connected to a signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14a and an IC 5. A source/drain of a TFT 23 is connected to the signal output circuit 3 through a signal line 14b and the IC 5. Thus, in each pixel 6, any one of the signal lines 14a and 14b is freely selectable when a signal is read out.

Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes plural pixels each provided with a switching element disposed on an insulating substrate and a conversion element disposed on the switching element, and plural signal wirings arranged in one direction and connected with the plural switching elements, wherein the conversion elements have electrodes separated respectively for the pixels, the switching element is connected with the electrode for each pixel, and both ends of the signal wiring, opposed to each other in a width direction, and both ends of the control wiring, opposed to each other in a width direction are disposed inside of an area of the electrode when seen from above the conversion element.