Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki Kitano
Yoshiaki Kitano 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).
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Patent number: 9252173Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a light sensing unit generating a signal charge by performing a photoelectric conversion of an incident light; a conductive material in the vicinity of the light sensing unit; a first light-shielding film formed to cover at least a portion of the conductive material; and a second light-shielding film formed on a part of or all of a surface of the first light-shielding film.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Yoshiaki Kitano
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Publication number: 20150029374Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor, a manufacturing apparatus and method, and an imaging apparatus that are capable of further enlarging a charge accumulation region. In the image sensor of this disclosure, a channel portion of a readout transistor that constitutes a pixel and a floating diffusion are formed so as to be overlaid with each other at least partly. For example, the channel portion and the floating diffusion are formed in the form of a column on a surface of a photodiode that constitutes the pixel. This disclosure can be applied to the manufacturing apparatus and method, and the imaging apparatus, in addition to the image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2013Publication date: January 29, 2015Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Yoshiaki Kitano
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SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD AND DESIGNING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Publication number: 20140061834Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including pixel photododes on a light-receiving surface of a substrate; a first insulating film on the substrate covering a multilayer wiring on and in contact with the substrate. The first insulating film comprises material of a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the substrate for at least bottom and top surface portions of the first insulating film. A second insulating film with a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index is on the first insulating film. A third insulating film with a third refractive index higher than the second refractive index is on the second insulating film. For each pixel, a color filter is on the third insulating film.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Kyoko Izuha, Hiromi Wano, Yoshiaki Kitano -
Patent number: 8633559Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes light-sensing sections serving as pixels, and waveguides each including a core layer and a cladding layer, the waveguides each being disposed at a position corresponding to one of the light-sensing sections. A cross-sectional structure of the waveguide taken in the horizontal direction of an imaging plane is different from a cross-sectional structure of the waveguide taken in the vertical direction of the imaging plane.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2009Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiromi Wano, Yoshiaki Kitano
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Patent number: 8598640Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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Solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method and designing method thereof, and electronic device
Patent number: 8558158Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate, photodiodes, a first insulating film, a second insulating film, a third insulating film, and a color filter. The photodiodes are disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The first insulating film covers a multilayer wiring on the semiconductor substrate. The first insulating film comprises a material having a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the semiconductor substrate for at least bottom surface and top surface portions of the first insulating film. The second insulating film has a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index. The third insulating film has a third refractive index higher than the second refractive index.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2010Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kyoko Izuha, Hiromi Okazaki, Yoshiaki Kitano -
Publication number: 20130088713Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a light sensing unit generating a signal charge by performing a photoelectric conversion of an incident light; a conductive material in the vicinity of the light sensing unit; a first light-shielding film formed to cover at least a portion of the conductive material; and a second light-shielding film formed on a part of or all of a surface of the first light-shielding film.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2012Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: Sony CorporationInventor: Yoshiaki Kitano
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Publication number: 20110298024Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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Patent number: 8017984Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, MANUFACTURING METHOD AND DESIGNING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Publication number: 20110108705Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate that includes a photodiode separately provided for each of pixels disposed in a matrix on a light-receiving surface; a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to cover multilayer wiring formed on and in contact with the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first insulating film is formed using material of a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the semiconductor substrate for at least bottom surface and top surface portions of the first insulating film; a second insulating film of a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index formed on the first insulating film; a third insulating film of a third refractive index higher than the second refractive index formed on the second insulating film; and a color filter formed on the third insulating film in a corresponding manner with each pixel so as to transmit light in a wavelength region of red, green, or blue.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Kyoko Izuha, Hiromi Okazaki, Yoshiaki Kitano -
Patent number: 7935563Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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Patent number: 7928487Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2008Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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Patent number: 7821093Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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Patent number: 7807953Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device, including: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion portion, formed therein; and a laminated film formed on said semiconductor substrate; wherein said laminated film includes a hydrogen desorbing film for desorbing hydrogen, and a hydrogen blocking-off film disposed so as to overlie said hydrogen desorbing film.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2009Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Keiji Tatani, Shinya Watanabe, Kouji Yahazu, Yosuke Isoo, Masaru Suzuki
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Patent number: 7800041Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device, including: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion portion, formed therein; and a laminated film formed on said semiconductor substrate; wherein said laminated film includes a hydrogen desorbing film for desorbing hydrogen, and a hydrogen blocking-off film disposed so as to overlie said hydrogen desorbing film.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Keiji Tatani, Shinya Watanabe, Kouji Yahazu, Yosuke Isoo, Masaru Suzuki
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Patent number: 7791118Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun
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Publication number: 20100078744Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes light-sensing sections serving as pixels, and waveguides each including a core layer and a cladding layer, the waveguides each being disposed at a position corresponding to one of the light-sensing sections. A cross-sectional structure of the waveguide taken in the horizontal direction of an imaging plane is different from a cross-sectional structure of the waveguide taken in the vertical direction of the imaging plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiromi Wano, Yoshiaki Kitano
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Publication number: 20090278031Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device, including: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion portion, formed therein; and a laminated film formed on said semiconductor substrate; wherein said laminated film includes a hydrogen desorbing film for desorbing hydrogen, and a hydrogen blocking-off film disposed so as to overlie said hydrogen desorbing film.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: YOSHIAKI KITANO, Keiji Tatani, Shinya Watanabe, Kouji Yahazu, Yosuke Isoo, Masaru Suzuki
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Patent number: 7595214Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes, in a substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions for subjecting incoming light to photoelectric conversion, a reading gate for reading a signal charge from the photoelectric conversion regions, and a transfer register (vertical register) for transferring the signal charge read by the reading gate. Therein, a groove is formed on the surface side of the substrate, and the transfer register and the reading gate are formed at the bottom part of the groove. With such a structure, in the solid-state image pickup device, reduction can be achieved for the smear characteristics, a reading voltage, noise, and others.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2007Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Jun Kuroiwa, Hideshi Abe, Mitsuru Sato, Hiroaki Ohki
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Publication number: 20090078976Abstract: A solid-state imaging device with a structure such that an electrode for reading a signal charge is provided on one side of a light-receiving sensor portion constituting a pixel; a predetermined voltage signal V is applied to a light-shielding film formed to cover an image pickup area except the light-receiving sensor portion; a second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed in the center on the surface of a first-conductivity-type semiconductor area constituting a photo-electric conversion area of the light-receiving sensor portion; and areas containing a lower impurity concentration than that of the second-conductivity-type semiconductor area is formed on the surface of the first-conductivity-type semiconductor area at the end on the side of the electrode and at the opposite end on the side of a pixel-separation area.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiaki Kitano, Hideshi Abe, Jun Kuroiwa, Kiyoshi Hirata, Hiroaki Ohki, Nobuhiro Karasawa, Ritsuo Takizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita, Mitsuru Sato, Katsunori Kokubun