Patents by Inventor Takashi Machida

Takashi Machida has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250081646
    Abstract: An imaging device that smoothly transfers electric charges from a photoelectric converter to a transfer destination is provided. This imaging device includes: a semiconductor layer; a photoelectric converter that generates electric charges corresponding to a received light amount; and a transfer section that includes a first trench gate and a second trench gate and transfers the electric charges from the photoelectric converter to a single transfer destination via the first trench gate and the second trench gate, the first trench gate and the second trench gate each extending from the front surface to the back surface of the semiconductor layer into the photoelectric converter. The first trench gate has a first length from the front surface to the photoelectric converter, and the second trench gate has a second length from the front surface to the photoelectric converter, the second length being shorter than the first length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 12230654
    Abstract: An imaging device that smoothly transfers electric charges from a photoelectric converter to a transfer destination is provided. This imaging device includes: a semiconductor layer; a photoelectric converter that generates electric charges corresponding to a received light amount; and a transfer section that includes a first trench gate and a second trench gate and transfers the electric charges from the photoelectric converter to a single transfer destination via the first trench gate and the second trench gate, the first trench gate and the second trench gate each extending from the front surface to the back surface of the semiconductor layer into the photoelectric converter. The first trench gate has a first length from the front surface to the photoelectric converter, and the second trench gate has a second length from the front surface to the photoelectric converter, the second length being shorter than the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Machida
  • Publication number: 20240430591
    Abstract: An imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes one or more light receiving pixels that generate electric charges according to an amount of received light through photoelectric conversion; one or more analog-to-digital conversion circuits that are provided for each of the light receiving pixels and that convert an analog signal read from each of the one or more light receiving pixels into a digital signal; and a plurality of pixel units each including the one or more light receiving pixels and the one or more analog-to-digital conversion circuits. The plurality of pixel units is disposed to allow the one or more light receiving pixels to be adjacent to each other in two pixel units that are adjacent to each other in a first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventor: Takashi Machida
  • Publication number: 20240414450
    Abstract: In a solid-state imaging element that performs exposure in all pixels at the same time, image quality is improved. A solid-state imaging element includes a previous-stage circuit, a plurality of capacitive elements, a selection circuit, and a subsequent-stage circuit. In the solid-state imaging element, the previous-stage circuit converts charges into a voltage using each of a plurality of conversion efficiencies and outputs it to the previous-stage node. One ends of the plurality of capacitive elements are connected to the previous-stage node in common. The selection circuit connects the other end of one of the plurality of capacitive elements to a subsequent-stage node. The subsequent-stage circuit reads the voltage via the subsequent-stage node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoto YOSHITA, Takashi MACHIDA, Luonghung ASAKURA, Yoshiaki INADA, Yoshimichi KUMAGAI, Toru SHIRAKATA
  • Patent number: 12155950
    Abstract: To provide an imaging device that allows miniaturization to be achieved in an in-plane direction without impairing operation performance. This imaging device includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel includes m (m represents an integer greater than or equal to 2) first wiring lines and m first gate electrodes that are coupled to the m respective first wiring lines. The second pixel includes n (n represents a natural number smaller than m) second wiring lines and n second gate electrodes that are coupled to the n respective second wiring lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Machida
  • Publication number: 20240297202
    Abstract: To prevent leakage of incident light to a charge holding unit of an imaging element. The pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit disposed on a side of the light receiving face of the semiconductor substrate, a charge holding unit disposed on a side different from the light receiving face of the semiconductor substrate, and a charge transfer unit that transfers a charge to the charge holding unit, and is configured to have a rectangular shape in a light receiving face view. The charge holding unit light shielding film is configured to have a band shape adjacent to three sides including a first side that is one of the sides of the rectangle and parallel to the first side in a light receiving face view, is adjacent to a semiconductor region including the charge transfer unit in a light receiving face view, and is disposed in the pixel between the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge holding unit to shield incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: YILUN HE, TAKASHI MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 12002825
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a semiconductor substrate having one surface and another surface opposed to the one surface, a photoelectric conversion section formed to be embedded in the semiconductor substrate, a charge holding section provided in the one surface of the semiconductor substrate while being stacked on the photoelectric conversion section, an n-type semiconductor region provided in the one surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a charge-voltage conversion section provided in the one surface of the semiconductor substrate. A charge generated in the photoelectric conversion section is transferred via the n-type semiconductor region to the charge holding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Fukui, Takashi Machida
  • Patent number: 11923387
    Abstract: An imaging device that makes it possible to smoothly transfer electric charges from a photoelectric converter to a transfer destination is provided. This imaging device includes: a semiconductor layer having a front surface and a back surface, the back surface being on an opposite side of the front surface; photoelectric converter that is embedded in the semiconductor layer and generates electric charges corresponding to a received light amount; and a transfer section that includes a first trench gate and a second trench gate and transfers the electric charges from the photoelectric converter to a single transfer destination via the first trench gate and the second trench gate, the first trench gate and the second trench gate each extending from the front surface to the back surface of the semiconductor layer into the photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Machida
  • Publication number: 20240021633
    Abstract: An imaging device that smoothly transfers electric charges from a photoelectric converter to a transfer destination is provided. This imaging device includes: a semiconductor layer; a photoelectric converter that generates electric charges corresponding to a received light amount; and a transfer section that includes a first trench gate and a second trench gate and transfers the electric charges from the photoelectric converter to a single transfer destination via the first trench gate and the second trench gate, the first trench gate and the second trench gate each extending from the front surface to the back surface of the semiconductor layer into the photoelectric converter. The first trench gate has a first length from the front surface to the photoelectric converter, and the second trench gate has a second length from the front surface to the photoelectric converter, the second length being shorter than the first length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240006431
    Abstract: An imaging element according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a floating diffusion layer (FD) that holds a charge; photoelectric conversion elements (PD) being four or more and sharing the floating diffusion layer (FD); and a plurality of transfer gates (TG) that is provided for each of the photoelectric conversion elements (PD) being four or more and sharing the floating diffusion layer (FD) and that is configured to output the charge from the photoelectric conversion elements (PD) being four or more and sharing the floating diffusion layer (FD), in which the photoelectric conversion elements (PD) being four or more and sharing the floating diffusion layer (FD) are arranged in a matrix together with the floating diffusion layer (FD), and the transfer gate (TG) of each of the photoelectric conversion elements (PD) being two or more and not sharing the floating diffusion layer (FD) is integrated with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 11863892
    Abstract: An imaging unit having a superior phase-difference detection characteristic is provided. The imaging unit includes two or more image-plane phase-difference detection pixels each including a semiconductor layer, a photoelectric converter, a charge holding section, a first light-blocking film, and a second light-blocking film. The semiconductor layer includes a front surface and a back surface on an opposite side to the front surface. The photoelectric converter is provided in the semiconductor layer, and is configured to generate electric charge corresponding to a light reception amount by photoelectric conversion. The charge holding section is provided between the front surface and the photoelectric converter in the semiconductor layer, and is configured to hold the electric charge. The first light-blocking film is positioned between the photoelectric converter and the charge holding section, and has an opening through which the electric charge is allowed to pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo Kido, Takashi Machida
  • Patent number: 11818487
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus that includes a pixel array portion, a plurality of unit pixels being arranged in the pixel array portion and a driving unit controls an operation of the unit pixel, in which the unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, a charge retention unit configured to retain a charge, a charge-voltage converter converts the charge into a voltage, a first transmitting unit transmits the charge from the photoelectric converter to the charge retention unit, a second transmitting unit transmits the charge from the photoelectric converter to the charge-voltage converter, and a third transmitting unit transmits the charge from the charge retention unit to the charge-voltage converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Machida, Ryoji Suzuki, Hiroshi Tayanaka
  • Publication number: 20230262359
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state image sensor, an imaging device, and an electronic device capable of switching FD conversion efficiency in all pixels of a solid-state image sensor. A photodiode performs photoelectric conversion on incident light. A floating diffusion (FD) stores charge obtained by the photodiode. FD2, which is a second FD to which the capacity of an additional capacitor MIM is added, adds the capacity to the FD. The additional capacitor MIM is constituted by a first electrode formed by a wiring and a second electrode formed by a metallic light blocking film provided on a surface of a substrate on which the photodiode is formed. Switching between the FD and FD+FD2 allows switching of the FD conversion efficiency. The present technology is applicable to a CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi MACHIDA, Kazuyoshi YAMASHITA
  • Publication number: 20230254608
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device capable of suppressing deterioration in characteristics. The imaging device includes a first substrate portion and a second substrate portion on one surface side of the first substrate portion. The first substrate portion includes a sensor pixel, a first interlayer insulating film, and a first electrode portion. The second substrate portion includes a readout circuit, a second interlayer insulating film, and a second electrode portion. The first electrode portion and the second electrode portion are directly joined to each other. The second semiconductor substrate includes a first element region in which an amplification transistor is provided, a second element region in which another element is provided, and a through region through which the second semiconductor substrate passes in the thickness direction. The first element region and the second element region are isolated by the through region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyosuke YAMADA, Atsuhiko YAMAMOTO, Takashi MACHIDA, Hideo KIDO, Ryo FUKUI, Yu SHIIHARA
  • Patent number: 11678088
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state image sensor, an imaging device, and an electronic device capable of switching FD conversion efficiency in all pixels of a solid-state image sensor. A photodiode performs photoelectric conversion on incident light. A floating diffusion (FD) stores charge obtained by the photodiode. FD2, which is a second FD to which the capacity of an additional capacitor MIM is added, adds the capacity to the FD. The additional capacitor MIM is constituted by a first electrode formed by a wiring layer and a second electrode formed by a metallic light blocking film provided on a surface of a substrate on which the photodiode is formed. Switching between the FD and FD+FD2 allows switching of the FD conversion efficiency. The present technology is applicable to a CMOS image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Machida, Kazuyoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11623350
    Abstract: A gripping device includes: a gripping portion configured to be displaced between a closed position in which a workpiece is grasped and an open position in which the workpiece is released; a holding portion configured to hold the gripping portion; a shaft portion that extends from the holding portion; a support portion configured to support the shaft portion such that the gripping portion faces the workpiece; a driving unit configured to displace the gripping portion between the closed position and the open position; and a moving mechanism configured to move the support portion in an axial direction of the shaft portion, in which the support portion is configured to support the shaft portion such that when a load acts on the shaft portion in the axial direction, the shaft portion is slidable relative to the support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Machida
  • Publication number: 20220415945
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a light-receiving surface, a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section that photoelectrically converts light incident through the light-receiving surface, and a separation section that electrically and optically separates each photoelectric conversion section. Each of the pixels includes a charge-holding section that holds charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion section, a transfer transistor that includes a vertical gate electrode reaching the photoelectric conversion section, and transfers charges from the photoelectric conversion section to the charge-holding section, and a light-blocking section disposed in a layer between the photoelectric conversion section and the charge-holding section. A plurality of the vertical gate electrodes are electrically coupled together in a plurality of first pixels adjacent to each other among the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: YUSUKE MATSUMURA, TAKASHI MACHIDA, HIDEO KIDO, RYO FUKUI, YU SHIIHARA
  • Publication number: 20220415948
    Abstract: To provide an imaging device that makes it possible to further increase imaging performance. This imaging device includes, in an effective pixel region extending along a first surface, a condensing optical system that condenses incident light, a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate electric charge through photoelectric conversion; an electric charge holding unit configured to hold the electric charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; and a first light shielding film that is provided between the photoelectric conversion unit and the electric charge holding unit in a thickness direction orthogonal to the first surface. The electric charge corresponds to an amount of the incident light passing through the condensing optical system. The first light shielding film blocks the incident light. Here, the condensing optical system condenses the incident light at a position in the effective pixel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: TAKASHI MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220408051
    Abstract: To provide an imaging device that allows miniaturization to be achieved in an in-plane direction without impairing operation performance. This imaging device includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel includes m (m represents an integer greater than or equal to 2) first wiring lines and m first gate electrodes that are coupled to the m respective first wiring lines. The second pixel includes n (n represents a natural number smaller than m) second wiring lines and n second gate electrodes that are coupled to the n respective second wiring lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventor: TAKASHI MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220392936
    Abstract: [Object] There are provided a solid-state imaging device that can minimize a decrease in layout efficiency due to trenches and a method of producing the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: RYO FUKUI, TAKASHI MACHIDA, KENTARO AKIYAMA