Abstract: In a cogeneration apparatus having a power generation unit connected to an AC power feed line between a commercial power source and electric load, and an internal combustion engine, a switch is installed between the power generation unit and an outage power output, and the switch is opened to combine the power generation unit with the commercial power source to supply combined power to the electric load if a calculated total engine operation time period is not more than a predetermined time period when the outage is determined not to occur, while the switch is closed to connect the power generation unit to the outage power output, if the power generation unit is determined to be capable of generation power based on an estimated degree of deterioration of the unit when the outage is determined to occur.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device, which can provide a solid-state imaging device having further improved features such as reduced optical color mixing and the like. Also, an electronic device using the solid-state imaging device thereof is provided. According to a solid-state imaging device having a substrate 12 and multiple photoelectric converters 40 that are formed on the substrate 12, an insulating film 21 forms an embedded element separating unit 19. The element separating unit 19 is configured of an insulating film 20 having a fixed charge that is formed so as to coat the inner wall face of a groove portion 30, within the groove portion 30 which is formed in the depth direction from the light input side of the substrate 12.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device, which can provide a solid-state imaging device having further improved features such as reduced optical color mixing and the like. Also, an electronic device using the solid-state imaging device thereof is provided. According to a solid-state imaging device having a substrate and multiple photoelectric converters that are formed on the substrate, an insulating film forms an embedded element separating unit. The element separating unit is configured of an insulating film having a fixed charge that is formed so as to coat the inner wall face of a groove portion, within the groove portion which is formed in the depth direction from the light input side of the substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device, which can provide a solid-state imaging device having further improved features such as reduced optical color mixing and the like. Also, an electronic device using the solid-state imaging device thereof is provided. According to a solid-state imaging device having a substrate 12 and multiple photoelectric converters 40 that are formed on the substrate 12, an insulating film 21 forms an embedded element separating unit 19. The element separating unit 19 is configured of an insulating film 20 having a fixed charge that is formed so as to coat the inner wall face of a groove portion 30, within the groove portion 30 which is formed in the depth direction from the light input side of the substrate 12.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device, method for producing solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus are provided. The solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, with a plurality of pixels formed in the substrate. In addition, a plurality of groups are formed in the substrate, and in particular in pixel isolation regions between adjacent pixels. The grooves extend from a first surface of the substrate towards a second surface of the substrate. An embedded film extends into the grooves. At least some of the grooves include a first stage near the first surface of the substrate and a second stage near the second surface of the substrate that are defined by walls of the grooves, wherein the first stage is wider than the second stage, and wherein a step is present between the first and second stages. In addition, the device includes a light shielding film adjacent the first surface of the substrate that overlies the grooves.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including a substrate, a through-hole, a vertical gate electrode, and a charge fixing film. A photoelectric conversion unit generating signal charges in accordance with the amount of received light is formed in the substrate. The through-hole is formed from a front surface side through a rear surface side of the substrate. The vertical gate electrode is formed through a gate insulating film in the through-hole and reads out the signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to a reading-out portion. The charge fixing film has negative fixed charges formed to cover a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole at the rear surface side of the substrate while covering the rear surface side of the substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

Abstract: A substrate polishing method, a semiconductor device and a fabrication method for a semiconductor device are disclosed by which high planarization polishing can be achieved. In the substrate polishing method, two or more different slurries formed from ceria abrasive grains having different BET values from each other are used to carry out two or more stages of chemical-mechanical polishing processing of a polishing object oxide film on a substrate to flatten the polishing object film.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes: a silicon layer; a pixel portion formed in the silicon layer for processing and outputting signal charges obtained by carrying out photoelectric conversion for incident lights; an alignment mark formed in a periphery of the pixel portion and in the silicon layer; and a contact portion through which a first electrode within a wiring layer formed on a first surface of the silicon layer, and a second electrode formed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the silicon layer through an insulating film are connected, wherein the alignment mark and the contact portion are formed from conductive layers made of the same conductive material and formed within respective holes each extending completely through the silicon layer through respective insulating layers made of the same material.

Abstract: In a cogeneration apparatus having a power generation unit connected to an AC power feed line between a commercial power source and electric load, and an internal combustion engine, a switch is installed between the power generation unit and an outage power output, and the switch is opened to combine the power generation unit with the commercial power source to supply combined power to the electric load if a calculated total engine operation time period is not more than a predetermined time period when the outage is determined not to occur, while the switch is closed to connect the power generation unit to the outage power output, if the power generation unit is determined to be capable of generation power based on an estimated degree of deterioration of the unit when the outage is determined to occur.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device, which can provide a solid-state imaging device having further improved features such as reduced optical color mixing and the like. Also, an electronic device using the solid-state imaging device thereof is provided. According to a solid-state imaging device having a substrate 12 and multiple photoelectric converters 40 that are formed on the substrate 12, an insulating film 21 forms an embedded element separating unit 19. The element separating unit 19 is configured of an insulating film 20 having a fixed charge that is formed so as to coat the inner wall face of a groove portion 30, within the groove portion 30 which is formed in the depth direction from the light input side of the substrate 12.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, a through-hole, a vertical gate electrode, and a charge fixing film. A photoelectric conversion unit generating signal charges in accordance with the amount of received light is formed in the substrate. The through-hole is formed from a front surface side through a rear surface side of the substrate. The vertical gate electrode is formed through a gate insulating film in the through-hole and reads out the signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to a reading-out portion. The charge fixing film has negative fixed charges formed to cover a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole at the rear surface side of the substrate while covering the rear surface side of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup element, including a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion portion for converting a quantity of incident light into an electric signal, and a plurality of pixel transistors; wiring layers formed on one surface side of a semiconductor substrate having the plurality of pixels formed therein, a light made incident from a side opposite to the one surface having the wiring layers formed thereon being received by corresponding one of the photoelectric conversion portions; a scribe line formed in a periphery of a pixel portion composed of the plurality of pixels; and square-shaped termination detecting portions each having higher hardness than that of the semiconductor substrate and formed in the scribe line; wherein each of the square-shaped termination detecting portions has a side parallel with a direction of the scribe line of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: In an apparatus for estimating a temperature of a heating element such as IGBT mounted on an electronic printed circuit board, a first temperature and a second temperature at positions away from the heating element are detected, and it is determined whether a cooling device is operative. The temperature of the heating element is estimated based on the first and second temperatures using a first equation when the cooling device is inoperative, whereas it is estimated using a second equation when the cooling device is operative, thereby enabling to accurately estimate the temperature of the heating element equipped with the cooling device.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a first photodiode made up of a first first-electroconductive-type semiconductor region formed on a first principal face side of a semiconductor substrate, and a first second-electroconductive-type semiconductor region formed within the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the first first-electroconductive-type semiconductor region; a second photodiode made up of a second first-electroconductive-type semiconductor region formed on a second principal face side of the semiconductor substrate, and a second second-electroconductive-type semiconductor region formed within the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the second first-electroconductive-type semiconductor region; and a gate electrode formed on the first principal face side of the semiconductor substrate; with impurity concentration of a connection face between the second first-electroconductive-type semiconductor region and the second second-electroconductive-type semiconductor region being equal to or greater than im

Abstract: A system-interconnected inverter connected to a commercial system for supplying AC power, which inverter includes a switching device for turning on and off DC power based on a predetermined duty value to output a voltage whose frequency is the same as that of a system power source and a controller for controlling the switching device. The controller changes the duty value of the switching device in accordance with the value obtained by dividing the maximum value by the effective value of the output current from the switching device measured with the system-interconnected inverter disconnected from the system power source.