Abstract: An optical sensor including: a semiconductor layer including a source region and a drain region; a gate electrode facing a region between the source region and the drain region; a photoelectric conversion layer between the region and the gate electrode; and a first transistor having a first gate coupled to one of the source region and the drain region.

Abstract: An imaging device including: unit pixel cells each including a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, a charge accumulation region connected to the first electrode, and a signal detection circuit connected to the charge accumulation region; and a voltage supply circuit connected to the second electrode, the voltage supply circuit supplying a first voltage to the second electrode in a first period, the voltage supply circuit supplying a second voltage that is different from the first voltage to the second electrode in a second period. Each unit pixel cells includes a reset transistor which switches between supply and cutoff of a reset voltage initializing the charge accumulation region, and a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode when the reset voltage is supplied is greater than a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode after the reset voltage is cut off.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first pixel cell including a first photoelectric converter that generates a first signal by photoelectric conversion, and a first signal detection circuit that is electrically connected to the first photoelectric converter and detects the first signal; and a second pixel cell including a second photoelectric converter that generates a second signal by photoelectric conversion, and a second signal detection circuit that is electrically connected to the second photoelectric converter and detects the second signal. A sensitivity of the first pixel cell is higher than a sensitivity of the second pixel cell. A circuit configuration of the first signal detection circuit is different from a circuit configuration of the second signal detection circuit.

Abstract: Each unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, an n-type impurity region forming an accumulation diode together with the semiconductor region, the accumulation diode accumulating a signal charge generated by the photoelectric converter, an amplifier transistor including a gate electrode electrically connected to the impurity region, and an isolation region formed around the amplifier transistor and implanted with p-type impurities. The amplifier transistor includes an n-type source/drain region formed between the gate electrode and the isolation region, and a channel region formed under the gate electrode. A gap in the isolation region is, in a gate width direction, wider at a portion including the channel region than at a portion including the source/drain region.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a semiconductor layer including a first region, a second region, and a third region between the first region and the second region, a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer between the third region and the first electrode, and voltage supply circuitry applying a voltage between the first electrode and the first region to apply a bias voltage to the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion layer has a characteristic showing how a density of current flowing through the photoelectric conversion layer varies with the bias voltage applied to the photoelectric conversion layer. The characteristic includes a third voltage range where an absolute value of a rate of change of the current density relative to the bias voltage is less than in a first voltage range and a second voltage range, the third voltage range being between the first voltage range and the second voltage range.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first image pickup cell having a first photoelectric converter converting incident light into first charges, the first photoelectric converter including a first pixel electrode, a first electrode, and a first photoelectric conversion region between the first pixel electrode and the first electrode, and a first charge storage node coupled to the first pixel electrode for accumulating the first charges; a second image pickup cell having a second photoelectric converter converting incident light into second charges, the second photoelectric converter including a second pixel electrode, a second electrode, and a second photoelectric conversion region between the second pixel electrode and the second electrode, and a second charge storage node coupled to the second pixel electrode for accumulating the second charges. The first pixel electrode has a first area, and the second pixel electrode has a second area less than the first area.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes: a semiconductor layer including a first region, a second region, and a third region between the first region and the second region; a gate electrode facing to the semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer between the third region and the gate electrode, the gate insulating layer including a photoelectric conversion layer; a signal detection circuit including a first signal detection transistor, a first input of the first signal detection transistor being electrically connected to the first region; a first transfer transistor connected between the first region and the first input; and a first capacitor having one end electrically connected to the first input. The signal detection circuit detects an electrical signal corresponding to a change of a dielectric constant of the photoelectric conversion layer, the change being caused by incident light.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first image pickup cell having a first photoelectric converter converting incident light into first charges, the first photoelectric converter including a first pixel electrode, a first electrode, and a first photoelectric conversion region between the first pixel electrode and the first electrode, and a first charge storage node coupled to the first pixel electrode for accumulating the first charges; a second image pickup cell having a second photoelectric converter converting incident light into second charges, the second photoelectric converter including a second pixel electrode, a second electrode, and a second photoelectric conversion region between the second pixel electrode and the second electrode, and a second charge storage node coupled to the second pixel electrode for accumulating the second charges. The first pixel electrode has a first area, and the second pixel electrode has a second area less than the first area.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes: a semiconductor layer including first and second regions; a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer including a photoelectric conversion layer; a voltage supply circuit; and a signal detection circuit connected to the first region. The photoelectric conversion layer has a photocurrent characteristic including first and second voltage ranges where an absolute value of a current density increases as an absolute value of a bias voltage increases, and a third voltage range where an absolute value of a rate of change of the current density relative to the bias voltage is less than in the first and second voltage ranges, The voltage supply circuit applies a predetermined voltage between the gate electrode and the second region such that the bias voltage falls within the third voltage range. The signal detection circuit detects an electrical signal corresponding to a change of a capacitance of the photoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: An imaging device including a semiconductor substrate; and a pixel. The pixel includes a photoelectric converter having a first electrode, a second electrode and a photoelectric conversion layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode, the photoelectric converter located above a surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first transistor that includes a part of the semiconductor substrate and detects electric charges; and a second transistor that includes a gate electrode and initializes a voltage of the first electrode. The first electrode, the second transistor, and the first transistor are arranged in that order toward the semiconductor substrate from the first electrode in cross sectional view, and when viewed from the direction normal to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a part of the gate electrode overlaps the first electrode, and another part of the gate electrode does not overlap the first electrode.

Abstract: A method for driving an imaging device which includes unit pixel cells each including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and second electrode, the photoelectric conversion layer having a photocurrent characteristic including a first voltage range, a second voltage range, and a third voltage range where an absolute value of a rate of change of the current density relative to the bias voltage is less than in the first voltage range and the second voltage range, the method including supplying a first voltage to the second electrode in a first period, and supplying a second voltage different from the first voltage to the second electrode in a second period different from the first period such that the bias voltage applied to the photoelectric conversion layer falls within the third voltage range.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a pixel comprising a photoelectric conversion layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a pixel electrode on the first surface; an auxiliary electrode on the first surface, the auxiliary electrode being spaced from the pixel electrode; an upper electrode on the second surface, the upper electrode facing the pixel electrode and the auxiliary electrode; and an amplification transistor having a gate coupled to the pixel electrode. The imaging device also includes voltage application circuitry that generates a first voltage and a second voltage different from the first voltage, the voltage application circuitry being coupled to the auxiliary electrode. The voltage application circuitry selectively supplies either the first voltage or the second voltage to the auxiliary electrode.

Abstract: An imaging device, including: a semiconductor substrate; a first pixel including a first photoelectric converter that converts incident light into first charges, a first charge detection circuit on the semiconductor substrate, the first charge detection circuit electrically connected to the first photoelectric converter and detecting the first charges, and a first capacitive element electrically connected to the first photoelectric converter, the first capacitive element storing at least a part of the first charges; and a second pixel comprising a second photoelectric converter that converts incident light into second charges, and a second charge detection circuit on the semiconductor substrate, the second charge detection circuit electrically connected to the second photoelectric converter and detecting the second charges, wherein the first capacitive element is at least partially located between the first photoelectric converter and the second photoelectric converter when viewed from a normal direction of t

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix; a vertical signal line provided for each column, conveying a pixel signal; a power line provided for each column, proving a power supply voltage; and a feedback signal line provided for each column, conveying a signal from a peripheral circuit to a pixel, in which each of the pixels includes: an N-type diffusion layer; a photoelectric conversion element above the N-type diffusion layer; and a charge accumulation node between the N-type diffusion layer and the photoelectric conversion element, accumulating signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, the feedback signal line, a metal line which is a part of the charge accumulation node, the vertical signal line, and the power line are disposed in a second interconnect layer, and the vertical signal line and the power line are disposed between the feedback signal line and the metal line.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate and at least one unit pixel cell provided to a surface of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the at least one unit pixel cell includes: a photoelectric converter including a pixel electrode and a photoelectric conversion layer located on the pixel electrode, the photoelectric converter converting incident light into electric charges; a charge detection transistor that includes a part of the semiconductor substrate and detects the electric charges; and a reset transistor that includes a gate electrode and initializes a voltage of the photoelectric converter. The pixel electrode is located above the charge detection transistor. The reset transistor is located between the charge detection transistor and the pixel electrode. When viewed from a direction normal to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, at least a part of the gate electrode is located outside the pixel electrode.

Abstract: An imaging device including at least one pixel, where each of the at least one pixels includes a photoelectric conversion layer having a first surface and a second surface being on a side opposite to the first surface; a first electrode located on the first surface; a second electrode located on the first surface, the second electrode being separated from the first electrode, a first voltage being applied to the second electrode; a third electrode located on the second surface, the third electrode opposing to the first electrode and the second electrode, a second voltage being applied to the third electrode; and an amplifier transistor having a gate electrically connected to the first electrode, where an absolute value of a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is larger than an absolute value of a difference between the second voltage and a voltage of the first electrode.

Abstract: An imaging device, comprising: at least one unit pixel cell; and a voltage application circuit that generates at least two different voltages, each of the at least one unit pixel cell comprising: a photoelectric conversion layer having a first surface and a second surface being on a side opposite to the first surface, a pixel electrode located on the first surface, an auxiliary electrode located on the first surface, the auxiliary electrode being separated from the pixel electrode and electrically connected to the voltage application circuit, an upper electrode located on the second surface, the upper electrode opposing to the pixel electrode and the auxiliary electrode, a charge storage node electrically connected to the pixel electrode, and a charge detection circuit electrically connected to the charge storage node.

Abstract: An imaging device including at least one pixel, where each of the at least one pixels includes a photoelectric conversion layer having a first surface and a second surface being on a side opposite to the first surface; a first electrode located on the first surface; a second electrode located on the first surface, the second electrode being separated from the first electrode, a first voltage being applied to the second electrode; a third electrode located on the second surface, the third electrode opposing to the first electrode and the second electrode, a second voltage being applied to the third electrode; and an amplifier transistor having a gate electrically connected to the first electrode, where an absolute value of a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is larger than an absolute value of a difference between the second voltage and a voltage of the first electrode.

Abstract: A photodetector includes: a semiconductor substrate including first and second impurity regions; a gate insulating layer located on a region of the semiconductor substrate, the region being between the first and second impurity regions, the gate insulating layer including a photoelectric conversion layer; a gate electrode located on the gate insulating layer and having a light-transmitting property; a first charge transfer channel transferring signal charges corresponding to a current occurring between the first impurity region and the second impurity region depending on a change in a dielectric constant of the photoelectric conversion layer caused by light incidence on the photoelectric conversion layer; a second charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel; a first charge storage storing charges, among the signal charges, transferred via the second charge transfer channel; and a first gate switching transfer and shutdown of charges passing through the second charge transfer chann

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix; a vertical signal line provided for each column, conveying a pixel signal; a power line provided for each column, proving a power supply voltage; and a feedback signal line provided for each column, conveying a signal from a peripheral circuit to a pixel, in which each of the pixels includes: an N-type diffusion layer; a photoelectric conversion element above the N-type diffusion layer; and a charge accumulation node between the N-type diffusion layer and the photoelectric conversion element, accumulating signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, the feedback signal line, a metal line which is a part of the charge accumulation node, the vertical signal line, and the power line are disposed in a second interconnect layer, and the vertical signal line and the power line are disposed between the feedback signal line and the metal line.