Abstract: A solid image pick-up apparatus having a plurality of sensor cells each of the sensor cells having a photoelectric converting device, includes a plurality of holding capacitances for holding signals from the plurality of sensor cells, a plurality of first switches for transferring signals of the plurality of holding capacitances, a plurality of blocking areas for connecting outputs of the plurality of first switches each blocking area connecting the outputs of a predetermined number of at least two of the first switches, a common signal line, and a plurality of second switches for transferring signals of the plurality of blocking areas to the common signal line.

Abstract: In order to select an image pickup mode corresponding to purposes, there is provided a photoelectric conversion device comprising a plurality of photoelectric conversion pixels; and a control circuit for controlling a first mode for reading out first and second signals from each of the photoelectric conversion pixels, and a second mode for reading out the first signal from each of the photoelectric conversion pixels, wherein the first signal includes a noise signal produced upon resetting each of the photoelectric conversion pixels, and an optical signal produced by accumulating a photocharge, and the second signal includes a noise signal produced upon resetting each of the photoelectric conversion pixels.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a solid-state image pickup element including a sensor unit including a plurality of lines of photoelectric conversion units for generating charges from received light by photoelectric conversion, a memory unit including a plurality of lines of storage units for storing signals from the plurality of lines of photoelectric conversion units, a transfer unit for transferring a signal from the sensor unit to the memory unit, a control unit for causing storage units of an arbitrary block in the memory unit to output an image signal from the photoelectric conversion units and causing the photoelectric conversion units corresponding to the storage units of the arbitrary block to output a noise signal, and a subtracting unit for calculating a difference between the image signal and the noise signal.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup device has a drive unit with an all pixel drive mode for reading all pixels in a horizontal direction and a pixel skip drive mode for reading pixels in the horizontal direction by skipping some pixels, and a plurality of read-out systems for reading pixels. In the all pixel drive mode, signals of pixels are divisionally read by the plurality of read-out systems, and in the pixel skip drive mode, signals of pixels are read by one of the plurality of read-out systems. In this manner, in the pixel skip drive mode, the power consumption can be reduced and a difference between output signal levels to be caused by a variation in characteristics of elements of the read-out system can be suppressed.

Abstract: To provide an image pickup apparatus that generates an image signal having a high resolution both horizontally and vertically, the filter arrangement for a color filter array used in the apparatus is so designed that the colors of the filters in a cyclic patterned unit of N rows×N columns (4 lines×4 columns) differ from each other not only on the same line but also in the same column. Thus, from all the pixel blocks, pixel signals for each predetermined pixel block unit can be obtained that are required for the generation of a luminance signal and of color signals.

Abstract: In a photoelectric conversion device having a plurality of pixel cells each of which includes a photoelectric conversion element, a field effect transistor having the gate area for storing signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element and the source-drain path for outputting a signal corresponding to the signal charge stored in the gate, a first power supply line for supplying electric power to the field effect transistor, and a first switch connected between the field effect transistor and the first power supply line, when a reset voltage for resetting the gate of the field effect transistor is Vsig0, a threshold voltage of the field effect transistor is Vth, current flowing through the field effect transistor is Ia, a voltage applied via the first power supply line is Vc1, and a series resistance of the first switch is Ron, each pixel cell is configured to satisfy a condition determined by Vc1−Ron×Ia>Vsig0−Vth.

Abstract: In order to reduce the capacitance of a light-receiving element, the present invention provides a light-receiving element comprises a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, provided on the first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, provided between the second semiconductor region and an insulating film and an electrode region of the second conductivity type, provided in the second semiconductor region where the third semiconductor region is absent on and above the second semiconductor region, and connected to an anode or cathode electrode consisting of a conductor.

Abstract: In a solid state image pickup device, in order to form a bypass region with precisely controlled impurity concentration and width, there is provided a solid state image pickup device comprising a photoelectric conversion unit composed of a first region of a first conductive type formed on a semiconductor substrate and having a principal surface, a second region of a second conductive type formed in the first region, and a third region of the first conductive type present between the second region and the principal surface, a fourth region of the second conductive type formed in the first region, and a charge transfer unit including the first region, an insulation layer on the first region and a control electrode provided on the insulation layer, for transferring a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit, to the fourth region, wherein the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge transfer unit are connected through a fifth region of the second conductive type.

Abstract: Control to read signals from a sensor unit having a plurality of pixels by pixel blocks of a predetermined size, and the read signals are processed into pseudo luminance and color signals by pixel blocks of the predetermined size.

Abstract: In a photoelectric conversion device having a plurality of pixel cells each of which includes a photoelectric conversion element, a field effect transistor having the gate area for storing signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element and the source-drain path for outputting a signal corresponding to the signal charge stored in the gate, a first power supply line for supplying electric power to the field effect transistor, and a first switch connected between the field effect transistor and the first power supply line, when a reset voltage for resetting the gate of the field effect transistor is Vsig0, a threshold voltage of the field effect transistor is Vth, current flowing through the field effect transistor is Ia, a voltage applied via the first power supply line is Vc1, and a series resistance of the first switch is Ron, each pixel cell is configured to satisfy a condition determined by Vc1−Ron×Ia>Vsig0−Vth.

Abstract: In a solid state image pickup device, in order to form a bypass region with precisely controlled impurity concentration and width, there is provided a solid state image pickup device comprising a photoelectric conversion unit composed of a first region of a first conductive type formed on a semiconductor substrate and having a principal surface, a second region of a second conductive type formed in the first region, and a third region of the first conductive type present between the second region and the principal surface, a fourth region of the second conductive type formed in the first region, and a charge transfer unit including the first region, an insulation layer on the first region and a control electrode provided on the insulation layer, for transferring a signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit, to the fourth region, wherein the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge transfer unit are connected through a fifth region of the second conductive type.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device formed on a single semiconductor substrate, including: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a read-out circuit including a switch for reading out analog signals from the photoelectric conversion elements; a buffer circuit for driving the switch; and a logic circuit for processing digital signals. A first semiconductor area to which a ground level for the buffer circuit is supplied and a second semiconductor area to which a ground level for the logic circuit is supplied are electrically separated from each other.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device having a substrate, a light reception area formed on a surface of the substrate, the light reception area having at least one unit pixel, an insulating layer formed on the substrate including the light reception area, and a light shielding group made of a plurality of light shieldings and formed through the insulating layer along a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the light shielding group surrounding the light reception area.

Abstract: In order to reduce the capacitance of a light-receiving element, the present invention provides a light-receiving element comprises a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, provided on the first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, provided between the second semiconductor region and an insulating film and an electrode region of the second conductivity type, provided in the second semiconductor region where the third semiconductor region is absent on and above the second semiconductor region, and connected to an anode or cathode electrode consisting of a conductor.

Abstract: There is provided an image sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, an amplification unit for amplifying a signal from the photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer unit for transferring the signal from the photoelectric conversion unit to the photoelectric conversion unit, and a read control unit for controlling a read of the signal from the amplification unit under control of the voltage level of the input portion of the amplification unit.

Abstract: The output voltages of dark pixels and optical black (OB) pixels are different between a row including a pixel which receives strong light and another row. An image formed upon receiving a strong light spot suffers whitish bands on the right and left of the spot. To solve this problem, this invention provides an image pickup apparatus including a pixel containing a photodiode which converts a photo-signal into a signal charge and accumulates the signal charge and an amplifier transistor which amplifies the signal charge accumulated in the photodiode, and a control element adapted to limit the output of the amplifier transistor so as to prevent the output from falling to below a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: To optimize the layout of a pixel portion, there is provided a solid-state image pickup device including a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge transfer portion for transferring signal charges generated in the photoelectric conversion portion, and an amplifier portion for amplifying a signal corresponding to the signal charges transferred from the charge transfer portion and outputting the signal, wherein a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions, a plurality of charge transfer portions, and a plurality of amplifier portions are arranged in the row or/and column directions, and the charge transfer portion and the amplifier portion which are closest to each other are connected.

Abstract: In a photoelectric conversion element which is formed by alternately stacking a region of a first conductivity type and a region of a second conductivity type as a conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type to form a multi-layered structure, in which junction surfaces between the neighboring regions of the first and second conductivity types are formed to have depths suited to photoelectrically convert light in a plurality of different wavelength ranges, and which outputs signals for respective wavelength ranges, a region of a conductivity type opposite to the conductivity type of a surface-side region of the junction surface closest to a surface is formed in the surface of the surface-side region. Thus, highly color-separable signals which suffer less color mixture upon reading out signals from a plurality of photodiode layers is read out.

Abstract: A signal processing device is provided which is capable of suppressing a voltage change of a power supply when output signals from a plurality of signal sources are read, and capable of outputting a stable signal at a high sensitivity, and an image pickup apparatus using such a signal processing device is also provided. The signal processing device has: a plurality of terminals connectable to a plurality of signal sources; and a read circuit for converting signals input from the terminals into serial signals and outputting the serial signals, wherein: the read circuit comprises a holding capacitor connected to each of the terminals, a transfer switch for transferring a signal held in the holding capacitor to a common signal line, and a shift register for driving the transfer switch; and a semiconductor layer under the common signal line has a conductivity type opposite to a first conductivity type of a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: To achieve a high density, high resolution, or size reduction, there is provided a solid-state image pickup device having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements formed in a semiconductor substrate, conductive layers formed on the semiconductor substrate between the neighboring photoelectric conversion elements via an interlayer layer, a first interlayer layer formed on the photoelectric conversion elements and conductive layers, a second interlayer layer formed on the first interlayer layer, and microlenses formed above the photoelectric conversion elements, wherein the refraction index of the first interlayer layer located above the photoelectric conversion elements is different from that of the second interlayer layer.