Abstract: By providing dummy pixels separately from effective pixels, the total number of pixel rows is equalized with the number of horizontal sync signals included in one frame interval (which is called an “HD number”). A period during which a reset signal for an electronic shuttering operation is being supplied to an arbitrary pixel row overlaps with a period during which another pixel row is selected to perform a readout operation thereon. Thus, it is possible to suppress a variation in reset potential among effective pixels.

Abstract: The image pickup device comprises: an image pickup unit 1 in which a plurality of unit cells for generating reset and read voltages are arranged; a noise eliminating unit 6 for generating, with respect to each unit cell, a differential voltage corresponding to a difference between the reset and read voltages; and output units 5 and 7 for outputting the read and differential voltages, respectively, to a signal processing apparatus. The signal processing apparatus comprises: a judging unit 8 for judging whether each of the read voltages is within a predetermined range; and a system output unit 9 for outputting, for unit cells whose voltages are judged as being within the predetermined range, corresponding differential voltages as luminance information of the unit cells; for unit cells whose voltages are judged as not being within the predetermined range, a predetermined voltage indicating high luminance as luminance information of the unit cells.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a shift register in which it is prevented from malfunctioning because of a portion between a first transistor and a second transistor being in a high-impedance state. The shift register of the present invention includes capacitor means 5 for storing data outputted from a unit circuit 1 of the preceding block. A first transistor 3 is turned ON only when data is being stored in the capacitor means 5. A second transistor 7 includes a control electrode and an input-side diffusion layer connected to the output-side diffusion layer of the first transistor 3, and is turned ON only when a pulse of a clock signal from the first transistor 3 is inputted to the control electrode and the input-side diffusion layer. Potential controlling means 2 keeps the second transistor 7 OFF at least during a period in which the second transistor 7 is supposed to be OFF.

Abstract: An imaging device outputs brightness information according to an amount of incident light and includes: an imaging unit that includes a plurality of unit cells arranged one dimensionally or two-dimensionally, each unit cell including a photoelectric conversion part that generates a first output voltage in a reset state and a second output voltage according to an amount of incident light, and each unit cell generating a reset voltage that corresponds to the first output voltage and a read voltage that corresponds to the second output voltage; and an output unit operable to output, in relation to each unit cell, brightness information indicating a difference between the reset voltage and the read voltage when the read voltage is in a predetermined range, and brightness information indicating high brightness when the read voltage is not in the predetermined range.

Abstract: The image sensor according to the present invention includes the following: a sensor unit being made up of a plurality of pixels; a scanning circuit having a dynamic logic circuit which outputs selection signals that select pixels from among the plurality of pixels in the sensor unit; and a bootstrap circuit that is placed between the scanning circuit and the sensor unit. The bootstrap circuit holds the selection signal outputted from the scanning circuit during one horizontal scanning period, and outputs, to the sensor unit, an AND signal obtained by operating a logical AND between the held selection signal and a drive signal that specifies a timing to output the AND signal to the sensor unit.

Abstract: The output voltage of a pixel is held as a reference signal output voltage in a reference signal holding capacitor connected to a positive input terminal of a second subtractor by lowering the potential of a reset voltage to that of a calibration voltage and by activating a reset pulse and a reference-signal-calibrating pulse. Then, the reference signal output voltage is output from the second subtractor. And a corrected reference signal output voltage, obtained by subtracting the reference signal output voltage from a no signal output voltage, is held in a corrected reference signal holding capacitor. Moreover, a divider divides a corrected original signal output voltage, which is held in a corrected original signal holding capacitor, by the corrected reference signal output voltage, which is held in the corrected reference signal holding capacitor.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensing apparatus which can improve the S/N ratio without enlarging the chip area in both of the mode in which pixel signals are summed and the mode in which pixel signals are not summed is provided. The solid-state image sensing apparatus includes an image sensing region 510 in which a plurality of unit cells 500 is laid out two-dimensionally, the first vertical signal line 520, a row selection circuit 530, a column selection circuit 560, a horizontal signal line 570 and a signal processing unit 100, having a sampling capacitors which accumulate signals corresponding to amplified signals of the unit cells, which selects the case of summing the signals or the case of not summing the signals, wherein the capacitance of the sampling capacitor which accumulates a signal corresponding to an amplified signal of a unit cell for each row when the sum is performed is smaller than the capacitance required for reading out the signal from said capacitor.

Abstract: A time an ith row reset signal RSi is generated and sent out for electronic shuttering is shifted from a conventionally defined time. In this manner, it is possible to avoid overlapping between a period during which the reset signal RSi is provided and a period during which an nth pixel row is selected to perform a readout operation thereon (i.e., a period when a row select signal SLn is at “High” level). As a result, reset potentials, which could otherwise be variable depending on whether or not readout operation is being performed on any other row, can be equalized among all the rows, thus eliminating the cause of horizontal noise.

Abstract: A plurality of pixels, each including a photodiode that can make a transition from a first potential state (reset state) into a second potential state variable with the quantity of incident light or vice versa, are provided. A unit compensator includes first and second storage devices implementable as respective MOS capacitors. The first storage device stores thereon charge in a quantity proportional to a difference between a signal potential &phgr;s corresponding to the second potential state of each pixel and a reference potential &phgr;0. The second storage device stores thereon charge in a quantity proportional to a difference between a fixed potential &phgr;d and the reference potential &phgr;0. When a reset potential &phgr;r is supplied from an associated pixel, these storage devices are short-circuited with each other, thereby transferring charge in a quantity proportional to a potential difference (&phgr;s−&phgr;r) between these storage devices.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging area including a plurality of pixels arranged in columns and rows, and peripheral circuitry for selecting at least one of the pixels. Each said pixel includes: a photoelectric transducer for creating electric charges by photoelectric conversion and storing the charges therein; means for storing the charges read out from the photoelectric transducer; a transfer electrode, provided between the photoelectric transducer and the storage means, for reading out the charges from the photoelectric transducer to the storage means; an amplifier for sensing a variation in potential in the storage means; and a reset electrode for discharging the charges, stored in the storage means, to a power supply, thereby resetting the potential in the storage means.

Abstract: In a solid state imaging apparatus, a normal function to read a pixel signal and an electronic shutter function are both realized by using a single shift register. The shift register successively transmits a driving signal supplied from a control unit. A selecting circuit is disposed correspondingly to each row of an imaging unit, and when the driving signal is output from a register corresponding to the row, the selecting circuit selectively executes a read operation or a reset operation in pixels belonging to the corresponding row in accordance with outputs of preceding and following registers. The driving signal is set to be differently supplied between the normal mode and the electronic shutter mode, so that outputs of preceding and following registers can be different between these modes. As a result, a read operation and a reset operation can be selectively conducted in the normal mode and the electronic shutter mode, respectively in the imaging unit.

Abstract: A physical quantity distribution sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises: a plurality of sensor/storage sections each having a sensor element for sensing a received physical quantity and a storage element for storing the information of physical quantity sensed by the sensor element; a selector for selecting at least one of the sensor/storage sections; and a plurality of buffers each capable of detecting and supplying the information stored in at least one selected sensor/storage section. This sensor further comprises at least one selection signal transfer line for transferring an output of the selector. Power supply input portions of the buffers are connected to the selection signal transfer line, and the buffers are operated using, as a power voltage, an output of the selector entered into the buffers through the selection signal transfer line.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a silicon substrate; a heat insulating layer including a silicon oxide film; and a heat detecting portion, in which the heat insulating layer includes a closed cavity and/or a hole, an interior of the hole has a greater diameter than an opening of the hole, and at least a portion of the closed cavity or the hole is formed within the silicon oxide film. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing this semiconductor device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a silicon substrate; a heat insulating layer including a silicon oxide film; and a heat detecting portion, in which the heat insulating layer includes a closed cavity and/or a hole, an interior of the hole has a greater diameter than an opening of the hole, and at least a portion of the closed cavity or the hole is formed within the silicon oxide film. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing this semiconductor device.

Abstract: A physical quantity distribution sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises: a plurality of sensor/storage sections each having a sensor element for sensing a received physical quantity and a storage element for storing the information of physical quantity sensed by the sensor element; a selector for selecting at least one of the sensor/storage sections; and a plurality of buffers each capable of detecting and supplying the information stored in at least one selected sensor/storage section. This sensor further comprises at least one selection signal transfer line for transferring an output of the selector. Power supply input portions of the buffers are connected to the selection signal transfer line, and the buffers are operated using, as a power voltage, an output of the selector entered into the buffers through the selection signal transfer line.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a silicon substrate; a heat insulating layer including a silicon oxide film; and a heat detecting portion, in which the heat insulating layer includes a closed cavity and/or a hole, an interior of the hole has a greater diameter than an opening of the hole, and at least a portion of the closed cavity or the hole is formed within the silicon oxide film. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing this semiconductor device.

Abstract: A physical quantity distribution sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises: a plurality of sensor/storage sections each having a sensor element for sensing a received physical quantity and a storage element for storing the information of physical quantity sensed by the sensor element; a selector for selecting at least one of the sensor/storage sections; and a plurality of buffers each capable of detecting and supplying the information stored in at least one selected sensor/storage section. This sensor further comprises at least one selection signal transfer line for transferring an output of the selector. Power supply input portions of the buffers are connected to the selection signal transfer line, and the buffers are operated using, as a power voltage, an output of the selector entered into the buffers through the selection signal transfer line.

Abstract: A physical quantity distribution sensor including a plurality of unit cells. Each unit cell includes an information storage region responsive to a physical stimulus and capable of a transition from a first electrical potential state to a second electrical potential state according to the physical stimulus, a driving element for providing at an output portion thereof an electrical potential according to the electrical potential state of the information storage region, and a switching element for selecting the unit cell. The physical quantity distribution sensor further includes an output adjustment section capable of adjusting the first electrical potential state of the information storage region in order that the output of the selected driving element may substantially equal a reference electrical potential at the time when the switching element is in the conductive state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a silicon substrate; a heat insulating layer including a silicon oxide film; and a heat detecting portion, in which the heat insulating layer includes a closed cavity and/or a hole, an interior of the hole has a greater diameter than an opening of the hole, and at least a portion of the closed cavity or the hole is formed within the silicon oxide film. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing this semiconductor device.

Abstract: According to this invention, a method and apparatus for aligning a mask and a wafer arranged to oppose each other, in a direction along their opposing surfaces, relative to each other, are arranged as follows. A first diffraction grating as a one-dimensional diffraction grating, bars of which extend in a direction perpendicular to an alignment direction, is formed on the mask. A second diffraction grating which has a checkerboard-like pattern, is formed on the wafer. The first diffraction grating is irradiated with laser beam emitted from a light source. Light beams diffracted and transmitted through the first diffraction grating is transferred to the second diffraction grating. Light beams diffracted and reflected by said second diffraction grating are transferred to said first diffraction grating. The light beams are diffracted by and transmitted through said first diffraction grating, again. Is detected, one of the diffracted light beams, which do not propagate along a predetermined plane.