Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device having an X-Y addressable solid state imaging device with color filters and a driving unit which reads out pixel information of a same color filter in a unit pixel block as pixel information for one pixel simulatively. A predetermined color coding for the pixels has two rows and two columns. When k is a positive integer equal to or larger than 0, with (2k+3)×(2k+3) pixel blocks as unit pixel blocks, the driving unit reads out pieces of pixel information of the same color filter in each of the unit pixel blocks, the driving unit reads out pieces of pixel information of a same color filter in each of the unit pixel blocks simulatively as pixel information for one pixel in a state in which the unit pixel blocks are laid without overlapping one another, and the driving unit averages the added pieces of pixel information and outputs the averaged pieces of pixel information.

Abstract: In a MOS solid-state image pickup device including two capacitors storing electric charges of pixels in two rows for each column and two charge-voltage conversion amplifiers for outputting pixel signals corresponding to the electric charges stored in the capacitors, a switch for selectively short-circuiting input terminals of the charge-voltage conversion amplifiers and a switch for short-circuiting output terminals of the charge-voltage amplifiers are provided. In a first driving mode, the switches are not short-circuited so that analog signals are read in the form of dual-rail outputs. In a second driving mode, the switches are short-circuited so that an average of the analog signals is read.

Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device for enlarging an operating margin of a pixel portion and achieving complete transfer of a signal charge by using a plurality of power supply voltages, wherein a plurality of power supplies having different power supply voltage values are supplied to portions of a semiconductor chip 1.

Abstract: A CMOS sensor has unit pixels each structured by a light receiving element and three transistors, to prevent against the phenomenon of saturation shading and the reduction of dynamic range. The transition time (fall time), in switching off the voltage on a drain line shared in all pixels, is given longer than the transition time in turning of any of the reset line and the transfer line. For this reason, the transistor constituting a DRN drive buffer is made proper in its W/L ratio. Meanwhile, a control resistance or current source is inserted on a line to the GND, to make proper the operation current during driving. This reduces saturation shading amount. By making a reset transistor in a depression type, the leak current to a floating diffusion is suppressed to broaden the dynamic range.

Abstract: A CMOS sensor has unit pixels each structured by a light receiving element and three transistors, to prevent against the phenomenon of saturation shading and the reduction of dynamic range. The transition time (fall time), in switching off the voltage on a drain line shared in all pixels, is given longer than the transition time in turning of any of the reset line and the transfer line. For this reason, the transistor constituting a DRN drive buffer is made proper in its W/L ratio. Meanwhile, a control resistance or current source is inserted on a line to the GND, to make proper the operation current during driving. This reduces saturation shading amount. By making a reset transistor in a depression type, the leak current to a floating diffusion is suppressed to broaden the dynamic range.

Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided. The solid-state imaging device includes an imaging region having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, in which the imaging region includes an effective pixel and a black reference pixel; and a shape of a floating diffusion portion in the effective pixel is different from that of a floating diffusion portion in the black reference pixel.

Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device and a pixel defect testing method thereof are disclosed. A solid-state image pickup device including: a pixel unit having a plurality of unit pixels that perform photoelectric conversion; a driving circuit for driving the pixel unit to control output of a pixel output signal; an output signal processing circuit for subjecting the pixel output signal outputted from the pixel unit according to the driving of the driving circuit to predetermined signal processing, and outputting a resulting pixel output signal; a pixel defect determining circuit for capturing the pixel output signal outputted from the pixel unit according to the driving of the driving circuit, and determining a pixel defect by comparing the pixel output signal with a predetermined reference signal; and a timing generator for supplying a predetermined operating pulse to the driving circuit, the output signal processing circuit, and the pixel defect determining circuit.

Abstract: An imaging device reads an output level of a pixel circuit constituting a pixel array by supplying current to the pixel circuit. It reads a signal level and reset level from the pixel circuit by supplying it with the current from a current source circuit, and stores them into a line memory. A pixel level of the pixel circuit is obtained by a differential amplifier that outputs the difference between the signal level and reset level of the same pixel circuit. The gate potential of a current copier transistor that supplies the read current is set at a value that enables the read current to take a constant value from column to column of the pixel array. The image device can suppress variations in the current copier circuit provided for each array column of the pixel circuits, thereby reducing string-like noise in the image picked up.

Abstract: When pixels are simply skipped while keeping both an order of pixel information and a spatial positional relation the same as those in all-pixel readout, since a distance between pixels to be read out increases, the Nyquist frequency decreases and aliasing noise increases. A 5×5 pixel block is set as a unit pixel block and pieces of pixel information in first, third, and fifth columns of first, third, and fifth rows of a pixel arrangement are added and outputted as an output in an ath row and an ath column of the unit pixel block. Then, pieces of pixel information in sixth, eighth, and tenth columns of the first, the third, and the fifth rows of the pixel arrangement are added and outputted as an output in the ath row and a bth column of the unit pixel block. Subsequently, pieces of pixel information are added and outputted up to a last column or a column near the last column.

Abstract: When pixel signals are separately read from a plurality of horizontal signal lines to achieve high-speed processing, color difference in image signals and stripes are eliminated. In the operation of reading the pixel signals from the (2n)th row, the pixel signals from R pixels on odd columns are output to an output system A through a horizontal signal line (60A). On the other hand, the pixel signals from Gr pixels on even columns are output to an output system B through a horizontal signal line (60B). In the operation of reading the pixel signals from the (2n+1)th row, the pixel signals from Gb pixels on the odd columns are output to the output system B through the horizontal signal line (60B) by the switching operation in a switching circuit (50). Similarly, the pixel signals from B pixels on the even columns are output to the output system A through the horizontal signal line (60A) by the switching operation in the switching circuit (50).

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is capable of simplifying the pixel structure to reduce the pixel size and capable of suppressing the variation in the characteristics between the pixels when a plurality of output systems is provided. A unit cell (30) includes two pixels (31) and (32). Upper and lower photoelectric converters (33) and (34), transfer transistors (35) and (36) connected to the upper and lower photoelectric converters, respectively, a reset transistor (37), and an amplifying transistor (38) form the two pixels (31) and (32). A full-face signal line 39 is connected to the respective drains of the reset transistor (37) and the amplifying transistor (38). Controlling the full-face signal line (39), along with transfer signal lines (42) and (43) and a reset signal line (41), to read out signals realizes the simplification of the wiring in the pixel, the reduction of the pixel size, and so on.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device for enlarging an operating margin of a pixel portion and achieving complete transfer of a signal charge by using a plurality of power supply voltages, wherein a plurality of power supplies having different power supply voltage values are supplied to portions of a semiconductor chip 1.

Abstract: In a MOS solid-state image pickup device including two capacitors storing electric charges of pixels in two rows for each column and two charge-voltage conversion amplifiers for outputting pixel signals corresponding to the electric charges stored in the capacitors, a switch for selectively short-circuiting input terminals of the charge-voltage conversion amplifiers and a switch for short-circuiting output terminals of the charge-voltage amplifiers are provided. In a first driving mode, the switches are not short-circuited so that analog signals are read in the form of dual-rail outputs. In a second driving mode, the switches are short-circuited so that an average of the analog signals is read.

Abstract: Forming a back-illuminated type CMOS image sensor, includes process for formation of a registration mark on the wiring side of a silicon substrate during formation of an active region or a gate electrode. A silicide film using an active region may also be used for the registration mark. Thereafter, the registration mark is read from the back side by use of red light or near infrared rays, and registration of the stepper is accomplished. It is also possible to form a registration mark in a silicon oxide film on the back side (illuminated side) in registry with the registration mark on the wiring side, and to achieve the desired registration by use of the registration mark thus formed.