Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix and configured to generate a signal by photoelectric conversion, a plurality of pixel output lines connected to each column of the unit pixels, a plurality of column amplifiers configured to amplify a signal of the pixel output lines, and a driving circuit configured to generate a control signal of the column amplifiers. Each of the column amplifiers includes first and second input terminals, an output terminal, an input capacitance between the first and second input terminals, and a first switch between the second input and output terminals. The driving circuit is configured to generate the control signal so as to make a period for switching the first switch from a conductive state to a non-conductive state longer than a period for switching the first switch from the non-conductive state to the conductive state.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit with a semiconductor region of a first conduction type, an amplifying transistor, and a contact. The contact supplies, via a semiconductor region of a second conduction type arranged along a side surface and a bottom surface of an element isolation region, a reference voltage to the semiconductor region of the second conduction-type arranged below source and drain regions of the amplifying transistor in a region below a gate electrode of the amplifying transistor.

Abstract: A driving method of an imaging apparatus comproses: horizontally transferring, by a horizontal scanning circuit, a signal based on a photoelectric conversion portion of a first pixel unit held in a signal holding capacitor to a common line; before ending of the horizontal transfer; applying, by a reset switch of a second pixel unit, a selection reset voltage to a floating diffusion region of the second pixel unit; and after the horizontal transfer, transferring, by a transfer switch of the second pixel unit, a signal of a photoelectric conversion portion of the second pixel unit to the floating diffusion region of the second pixel unit and amplifying, by an amplification transistor of the second pixel unit, a signal of the floating diffusion region of the second pixel unit to output the signal to an output line.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises a pixel array; a readout unit; a first terminal; and a second terminal, wherein the readout unit including a column amplification unit, a holding unit, a first power supply line, and a second power supply line, and wherein the column amplification unit including a transistor having a gate electrode and back-gate electrode, the gate electrode receiving a signal read out from a pixel on each column of the pixel array, and the holding unit including a capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode receiving a signal amplified by the column amplification unit, and wherein the first power supply line transfers the first power supply voltage to the back-gate electrode of the transistor, and the second power supply line transfers the second power supply voltage to the second electrode of the capacitor.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel region including a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion element, arranged in matrix, and a reset switch for discharging electric charge of the photoelectric conversion element; and a first scanning circuit for supplying a reset control signal for controlling an operation of the reset switch, the pixel region and the first scanning circuit being formed on a semiconductor substrate, in which the pixel region includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region, and the first scanning circuit includes a first decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the first pixel region, and a second decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the second pixel region.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit, an amplifying transistor, and a control unit. The pixel unit includes a first photoelectric conversion unit generating a first charge based on incident light of a first color, a second photoelectric conversion unit generating a second charge based on incident light of the first color, and a third photoelectric conversion unit generating a third charge based on incident light of a second color. The amplifying transistor is provided in common to the first to third photoelectric conversion units, and outputs a signal based on the first, second, and third charges generated by the first, second, and third photoelectric conversion units, respectively. The control unit sets the pixel unit to a selected state or a non-selected state according to an electric potential of a control terminal of the amplifying transistor.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel region including a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion element, arranged in matrix, and a reset switch for discharging electric charge of the photoelectric conversion element; and a first scanning circuit for supplying a reset control signal for controlling an operation of the reset switch, the pixel region and the first scanning circuit being formed on a semiconductor substrate, in which the pixel region includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region, and the first scanning circuit includes a first decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the first pixel region, and a second decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the second pixel region.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel region including a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion element, arranged in matrix, and a reset switch for discharging electric charge of the photoelectric conversion element; and a first scanning circuit for supplying a reset control signal for controlling an operation of the reset switch, the pixel region and the first scanning circuit being formed on a semiconductor substrate, in which the pixel region includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region, and the first scanning circuit includes a first decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the first pixel region, and a second decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the second pixel region.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises a pixel array; a readout unit; a first terminal; and a second terminal, wherein the readout unit including a column amplification unit, a holding unit, a first power supply line, and a second power supply line, and wherein the column amplification unit including a transistor having a gate electrode and back-gate electrode, the gate electrode receiving a signal read out from a pixel on each column of the pixel array, and the holding unit including a capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode receiving a signal amplified by the column amplification unit, and wherein the first power supply line transfers the first power supply voltage to the back-gate electrode of the transistor, and the second power supply line transfers the second power supply voltage to the second electrode of the capacitor.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises a pixel array; a readout unit; a first terminal; and a second terminal, wherein the readout unit including a column amplification unit, a holding unit, a first power supply line, and a second power supply line, and wherein the column amplification unit including a transistor having a gate electrode and back-gate electrode, the gate electrode receiving a signal read out from a pixel on each column of the pixel array, and the holding unit including a capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode receiving a signal amplified by the column amplification unit, and wherein the first power supply line transfers the first power supply voltage to the back-gate electrode of the transistor, and the second power supply line transfers the second power supply voltage to the second electrode of the capacitor.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit with a semiconductor region of a first conduction type, an amplifying transistor, and a contact. The contact supplies, via a semiconductor region of a second conduction type arranged along a side surface and a bottom surface of an element isolation region, a reference voltage to the semiconductor region of the second conduction-type arranged below source and drain regions of the amplifying transistor in a region below a gate electrode of the amplifying transistor.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit with a semiconductor region of a first conduction type, an amplifying transistor, and a contact. The contact supplies, via a semiconductor region of a second conduction type arranged along a side surface and a bottom surface of an element isolation region, a reference voltage to the semiconductor region of the second conduction-type arranged below source and drain regions of the amplifying transistor in a region below a gate electrode of the amplifying transistor.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel array including an optical black region and effective pixel region, and a scanning unit which scans the pixel array. The scanning unit includes a first shift register which scans the optical black region by a shift operation, and a second shift register which scans the effective pixel region by a shift operation. The second shift register starts the shift operation during a first period when the first shift register scans the optical black region, and scans a readout region serving as a partial region of the effective pixel region during a second period following the first period.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel array including an optical black region and effective pixel region, and a scanning unit which scans the pixel array. The scanning unit includes a first shift register which scans the optical black region by a shift operation, and a second shift register which scans the effective pixel region by a shift operation. The second shift register starts the shift operation during a first period when the first shift register scans the optical black region, and scans a readout region serving as a partial region of the effective pixel region during a second period following the first period.

Abstract: The present invention reduces differences in the influence of electric charge leakage from a non-read out region into multiple read out regions adjacent to a non-read out region. Reset scanning of that row in the non-read out region which adjoins the first or second read out region is started before read out scanning of the first and second read out regions.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprises: a clipping unit including a MOS transistor which has a source connected to a signal line and a drain being connected to a power supply, and the clipping unit clipping an electric potential of the signal line to an electric potential corresponding to an electric potential of the source; a holding capacitance which has a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being connected to a gate of the MOS transistor, and the holding capacitance holding at least a voltage transferred to the signal line while the charge-voltage converter has been reset; and a shift unit which shifts an electric potential of the second electrode in a direction such that the electric potential of the second electrode comes close to a level to be transferred to the signal line while the charge-voltage converter has been reset.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit with a semiconductor region of a first conduction type, an amplifying transistor, and a contact. The contact supplies, via a semiconductor region of a second conduction type arranged along a side surface and a bottom surface of an element isolation region, a reference voltage to the semiconductor region of the second conduction-type arranged below source and drain regions of the amplifying transistor in a region below a gate electrode of the amplifying transistor.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprises: a clipping unit including a MOS transistor which has a source connected to a signal line and a drain being connected to a power supply, and the clipping unit clipping an electric potential of the signal line to an electric potential corresponding to an electric potential of the source; a holding capacitance which has a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being connected to a gate of the MOS transistor, and the holding capacitance holding at least a voltage transferred to the signal line while the charge-voltage converter has been reset; and a shift unit which shifts an electric potential of the second electrode in a direction such that the electric potential of the second electrode comes close to a level to be transferred to the signal line while the charge-voltage converter has been reset.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises a pixel array; a readout unit; a first terminal; and a second terminal, wherein the readout unit including a column amplification unit, a holding unit, a first power supply line, and a second power supply line, and wherein the column amplification unit including a transistor having a gate electrode and back-gate electrode, the gate electrode receiving a signal read out from a pixel on each column of the pixel array, and the holding unit including a capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode receiving a signal amplified by the column amplification unit, and wherein the first power supply line transfers the first power supply voltage to the back-gate electrode of the transistor, and the second power supply line transfers the second power supply voltage to the second electrode of the capacitor.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel region including a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion element, arranged in matrix, and a reset switch for discharging electric charge of the photoelectric conversion element; and a first scanning circuit for supplying a reset control signal for controlling an operation of the reset switch, the pixel region and the first scanning circuit being formed on a semiconductor substrate, in which the pixel region includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region, and the first scanning circuit includes a first decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the first pixel region, and a second decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the second pixel region.