Abstract: A photoelectric converting device provided with a control electrode area of a semiconductor of a first conductive type and at least two main electrode areas of a semiconductor of a second conductive type different from the first conductive type, and capable of accumulating photo-generated carriers in the control electrode area. The control electrode area becomes substantially depleted at the resetting operation.

Abstract: An image sensor chip comprises a plurality of output lines to which signals from a plurality of light-receiving elements are output. A plurality of switches are respectively connected to the plurality of output lines. Outputs from the plurality of switches are commonly connected to a common output line. A plurality of reset circuits are respectively connected to the plurality of output lines.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric conversion device which is adapted to accumulate optically generated carriers in the control electrode region of a transistor and to read a signal on the basis of the carriers thus accumulated. This photoelectric conversion device is so designed that the substantial size of the control electrode region is augmented at the time of carrier accumulation. In this device, a region of the same conductivity type as the control electrode region is formed at the time of accumulation and is electrically connected to the control electrode region. During accumulation, carriers, generated by light, are accumulated in the above-mentioned region which is of the same conductivity type as the control electrode region. At the time of signal reading after accumulation, the above-mentioned region which is of the same conductivity type as the control electrode region is made to disappear and the carriers that have been accumulated therein are transferred to the control electrode region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a device region, and a device separation region formed on a semiconductor substrate doped with impurities. And, the device separation region has a metal wiring formed on the surface of the device region or the back surface of the substrate. An aluminum region extending in the longitudinal direction connected to the metal wiring is formed within the device separation region.

Abstract: A photoconversion device has light receiving cells and also a dark cell to provide a dark output to enable the signals from the light receiving cells to be compensated for noise due to dark current. The dark cell resembles the light cells, but its light receiving region is covered by a light shielding layer (5). Capacitive coupling between the light shielding layer (5) and a charge accumulation region (3) distorts the dark cell output so that it does not match the dark current noise in the light cell outputs. This capacitive coupling is reduced by interposing a conductive layer (1) between the light shielding layer and the charge accumulation region (2). Preferably the conductive layer (1) is connected to the read-out electrode. Preferably the read-out electrode (1) of the light cells is enlarged to further reduce the difference between the capacitance of the charge accumulation region (2) of the dark cell and that of the light cells.

Abstract: In a photo-electric converter having a first reset circuit for resetting a charge stored in a control electrode to a first potential and a second reset circuit for rendering a main electrode of an output circuit to assume a second potential after the resetting by the first reset circuit to reset the residual charge of the control electrode, a third reset circuit for making a third reset which is equivalent to the second reset prior to the first reset is provided.

Abstract: A photoelectric converter made of a semiconductor transistor of the type that the potential of a control electrode region is controlled through a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is constructed such that the capacitor electrode faces the control electrode region with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, and at least the portion of the control electrode region which faces said capacitor electrode is a region having a high impurity density.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric conversion device which is adapted to accumulate optically generated carriers in the control electrode region of a transistor and to read a signal on the basis of the carriers thus accumulated. This photoelectric conversion device is so designed that the substantial size of the control electrode region is augmented at the time of carrier accumulation. In this device, a region of the same conductivity type as the control electrode region is formed at the time of accumulation and is electrically connected to the control electrode region. During accumulation, carriers, generated by light, are accumulated in the above-mentioned region which is of the same conductivity type as the control electrode region. At the time of signal reading after accumulation, the above-mentioned region which is of the same conductivity type as the control electrode region is made to disappear and the carriers that have been accumulated therein are transferred to the control electrode region.

Abstract: In a photoelectric transducer apparatus having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements each having a capacitor electrode formed on a control electrode of a corresponding semiconductor transistor, the apparatus being adapted to sequentially select each element in units of lines, to control a potential of the control electrode of the selected photoelectric transducer element through the capacitor electrode, to store carriers in the control electrode region, and to read out a signal component corresponding to the amount of charge, the apparatus includes: optical information storing memory for storing optical information read out from the photoelectric transducer element; and dark voltage storing memory for storing a voltage corresponding to a dark voltage read out from the photoelectric transducer element, and actual optical information stored in the optical information storing memory and information corresponding to the dark voltage component stored in the dark voltage storing memory are simultaneously

Abstract: There is disclosed a scanning circuit composed of plural stages of unit circuit for releasing scanning pulses of two or more phases in succession from the unit circuits according to multiphase driving pulses, provided with set circuits for setting the unit circuits at a predetermined state and a switch circuit for activating the set circuit of a preceding unit circuit in response to the scanning pulse, wherein the switch circuits are activated by driving pulses different from the first-mentioned driving pulses.

Abstract: There is disclosed a scanning circuit composed of plural stages of unit circuit for outputting scanning pulses of two or more phases in succession from the unit circuits according to multiphase driving pulses. The scanning circuit is provided with set circuits for setting the unit circuits at a predetermined state and a switch circuit for activating the set circuit of a preceding unit circuit in response to the scanning pulse. The switch circuits are activated by driving pulses different from the multiphase driving pulses.

Abstract: A color line sensor apparatus has a plurality of color line sensors comprising a plurality of lines, and a selecting circuit which can select a desired one of a plurality of lines. The line selected by the selecting circuit is scanned on the basis of a scan pulse from a single scanning circuit.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup apparatus having a selector for selecting a plurality of sensor outputs through predetermined circuits includes a difference processing circuit for calculating a difference between a selected sensor signal and a reference signal selected through the same predetermined circuit as that of the selected sensor signal. The difference processing circuit includes a first holding circuit for holding the sensor signal, a second holding circuit for holding the selected reference signal, and a circuit for receiving the output signals from the first and second holding circuits and outputting a signal corresponding to a difference therebetween.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup apparatus comprising photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a two-dimension, and switching elements and a scanning circuit for scanning the photoelectric conversion elements horizontally and vertically. One of two adjoining scanning outputs of the scanning circuit is input to a control terminal of a switching element for scanning two adjoining rows of the photoelectric conversion elements. The other of the two adjoining scanning outputs of the scanning circuit is input to a control terminal of a switching element for scanning only two adjoining rows of the photoelectric conversion elements, the just mentioned two rows of the photoelectric conversion elements being shifted by one row relative to the first-mentioned two adjoining rows of the photoelectric conversion elements.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a first main electrode region of a first conductivity type; a second main electrode region of a first conductivity type; a control electrode region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type serving as an accumulation region for carriers induced by an electromagnetic wave; a first circuit for setting the control electrode region selectively at a constant potential and at a floating state; and a second circuit for setting the first main electrode region selectively at a low impedance state and at a floating state; whereby the first and second circuits control the carrier removal, accumulation and readout operations in accordance with the selection conditions by the first and second circuits.