Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate charge by photoelectric conversion, a floating diffusion configured to hold charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit, and an output unit configured to output a signal corresponding to an amount of charge held in the floating diffusion, the pixel being enabled to switch a capacitance value of the floating diffusion, and a control unit configured to switch the capacitance value of the floating diffusion. The control unit is configured to set the floating diffusion to a first capacitance value when an absolute value of a power supply voltage supplied to the output unit is a first voltage and set the floating diffusion to a second capacitance value larger than the first capacitance value when the absolute value of the power supply voltage is a second voltage lower than the first voltage.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device including a pixel array including a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type as a charge accumulation layer and photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a signal in accordance with the incident light, and the second pixel includes a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and a transistor including a first main electrode formed by a third semiconductor region connected to the second semiconductor region and a gate.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a first substrate having a first semiconductor device layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a well, and a second substrate having a second semiconductor device layer including a circuit configured to process signals obtained by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, wherein the first and second substrates are laminated together, wherein the first semiconductor device layer includes an effective pixel region, an optical black pixel region, and an outer periphery region, wherein, in a planar view, a light-blocking region formed by a light-blocking layer overlaps the optical black pixel region, and the light-blocking region does not overlap the outer periphery region, wherein the outer periphery region has a charge draining region including a semiconductor region of the same conductivity type as a signal charge, and wherein a fixed potential is supplied to the charge draining region.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric converter, a first node configured to be supplied with charges from the photoelectric converter, an amplification transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a voltage of the first node, a first transistor configured to open/close a path between the first node and a second node not included in a path from the photoelectric converter to the first node, and a second transistor configured to open/close a path between the second node and a third node. A second capacitance which is added to the second node when the second transistor is set in a conductive state is larger than a first capacitance which is added to the first node when the first transistor is set in a conductive state.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a substrate including a first surface provided with a transistor and a second surface opposed to the first surface, and a light shielding portion. The plurality of pixels includes first pixels shielded from light, and second pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a first area of a first conductive type. Each of the first pixels includes a second area. Each of the second pixels includes a third area between the second surface and the first area, and includes a fourth area of a second conductive type between the first area and the first surface. In a cross-section along a first line, an impurity concentration of the first conductive type in the second area is higher than an impurity concentration of the first conductive type in the third area.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric converter, a first node configured to be supplied with charges from the photoelectric converter, an amplification transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a voltage of the first node, a first transistor configured to open/close a path between the first node and a second node not included in a path from the photoelectric converter to the first node, and a second transistor configured to open/close a path between the second node and a third node. A second capacitance which is added to the second node when the second transistor is set in a conductive state is larger than a first capacitance which is added to the first node when the first transistor is set in a conductive state.

Abstract: To effectively improve drivability during travel control, provided is a vehicle control device comprising a travel control unit configured to set a target acceleration of the vehicle based on a target vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed, and execute a travel control for automatically controlling travel of the vehicle by operating the drive device based on the target acceleration; a shift control unit configured to set a target driving force, and execute a shift control for operating the transmission device based on the target driving force; and a downshift suppression control unit configured to acquire an actual acceleration during execution of the travel control and suppress execution of downshift of the transmission device by the shift control unit based on an acceleration threshold value.

Abstract: An apparatus includes pixels each including a conversion unit. The conversion unit includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, and a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type in order from a light incident surface side, and includes an in-pixel separation portion of the second conductivity type. The second semiconductor region includes a first end and a second end opposing the first end. The conversion unit further includes a fourth semiconductor region between the first and second ends. The in-pixel separation portion separates the first semiconductor region into a first region overlapping the first end and a second region overlapping the second end in a top view from the light incident surface side. A concentration of a second conductivity type impurity is lower in the fourth semiconductor region than in the in-pixel separation portion.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a first substrate having a first semiconductor device layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a well, and a second substrate having a second semiconductor device layer including a circuit configured to process signals obtained by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, wherein the first and second substrates are laminated together, wherein the first semiconductor device layer includes an effective pixel region, an optical black pixel region, and an outer periphery region, wherein, in a planar view, a light-blocking region formed by a light-blocking layer overlaps the optical black pixel region, and the light-blocking region does not overlap the outer periphery region, wherein the outer periphery region has a charge draining region including a semiconductor region of the same conductivity type as a signal charge, and wherein a fixed potential is supplied to the charge draining region.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixels including a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion accumulating a signal charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion portion, and a floating diffusion region to which the signal charge of the charge holding portion is transferred, wherein the photoelectric conversion portion includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed under the first semiconductor region, the charge holding portion includes a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type formed under the third semiconductor region, and a p-n junction between the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region is positioned deeper than a p-n junction between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a first substrate having a first semiconductor element layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, and a second substrate having a second semiconductor element layer. The first and second substrates are laminated. The first semiconductor element layer has an effective pixel region, an optical black (OB) pixel region, and an outer periphery region. The effective pixel region includes a photoelectric conversion unit having a larger light-shielded area than other photoelectric conversion units out of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units. The OB pixel region overlaps with a light-shielding region, but the outer periphery region does not overlap with the light-shielding region in a planar view. The outer periphery region is provided with an electric charge discharge region including a semiconductor region of the same conductivity type as signal electric charges. The electric charge discharge region is supplied with a fixed potential.

Abstract: To effectively improve drivability during travel control, provided is a vehicle control device comprising a travel control unit configured to set a target acceleration of the vehicle based on a target vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed, and execute a travel control for automatically controlling travel of the vehicle by operating the drive device based on the target acceleration; a shift control unit configured to set a target driving force, and execute a shift control for operating the transmission device based on the target driving force; and a downshift suppression control unit configured to acquire an actual acceleration during execution of the travel control and suppress execution of downshift of the transmission device by the shift control unit based on an acceleration threshold value.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit for generating charge by photoelectric conversion, first to fourth charge holding portions configured to be transferred charge from the photoelectric conversion unit, and an output unit for outputting a signal corresponding to charge transferred from one of the first to fourth charge holding portions, and a control circuit for controlling the plurality of pixels. The control circuit performs, during one frame, transferring charge in the photoelectric conversion unit to the first or second charge holding portion a plural times for each of the first and second charge holding portions in each of the pixels at the same time, and performs, during the one frame, reading out from each pixel a signal corresponding to charge in the third charge holding portion and a signal corresponding to charge in the fourth charge holding portion.

Abstract: A technique advantageous for improving an optical property of a photoelectric conversion apparatus is provided. The photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion layer and a light-shielding film that covers the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein the light-shielding film includes one metallic layer and another metallic layer located between the one metallic layer and the photoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: There is provided a photoelectric conversion device including a photoelectric conversion unit, a floating diffusion, an amplification transistor, a capacitance addition transistor electrically connected to the floating diffusion. The photoelectric conversion device further includes a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitive element and a wiring capacitive element that are electrically connected to the floating diffusion via the capacitance addition transistor.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a floating diffusion, an amplifying transistor, first and second contact plugs, a wire, and a metal portion. The semiconductor substrate has a first plane and a second plane to be entered by light, and includes a photoelectric conversion element. The amplifying transistor includes a first gate electrode. The first contact plug is connected to the floating diffusion. The second contact plug is connected to the first gate electrode. The wire is configured to electrically connect the first gate electrode and the floating diffusion to each other. The metal portion, which is arranged between the first plane and a third plane, covers at least a part of the photoelectric conversion element in a planar view, and has an opening over which at least a part of the wire is superimposed in a planar view.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus including: a first substrate; a first wiring structure; a second substrate; and a second wiring structure, wherein the first wiring structure has a first wiring layer bonded to wiring of the second wiring structure, a second wiring layer connected to the first wiring layer by a first via, and a third wiring layer connected to the second wiring layer by a second via, at least part of the second via is located at a range distanced, by at least a width of the first via, from an axis of the first via, a thickness of the second wiring layer is less than the width of the first via, a major constituent of the first wiring layer, the second wiring layer and the first via is copper, and a layer that is made from a material different from copper is disposed between the first via and the second wiring layer.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric converter, a first node configured to be supplied with charges from the photoelectric converter, an amplification transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a voltage of the first node, a first transistor configured to open/close a path between the first node and a second node not included in a path from the photoelectric converter to the first node, and a second transistor configured to open/close a path between the second node and a third node. A second capacitance which is added to the second node when the second transistor is set in a conductive state is larger than a first capacitance which is added to the first node when the first transistor is set in a conductive state.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric converter, a first node configured to be supplied with charges from the photoelectric converter, an amplification transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a voltage of the first node, a first transistor configured to open/close a path between the first node and a second node not included in a path from the photoelectric converter to the first node, and a second transistor configured to open/close a path between the second node and a third node. A second capacitance which is added to the second node when the second transistor is set in a conductive state is larger than a first capacitance which is added to the first node when the first transistor is set in a conductive state.

Abstract: An inventive solid-state imaging apparatus is provided which can improve the efficiency of the electric carrier transfer from a photoelectric conversion portion to an electric-carrier accumulation portion. The solid-state imaging apparatus includes an active region having the photoelectric conversion portion, the electric-carrier accumulation portion, and a floating diffusion, and an element isolation region having an insulator defining the active region. In planer view, the width of the active region in the electric-carrier accumulation portion under a gate of the first transfer transistor is larger than the width of the active region in the photoelectric conversion portion under the gate of the first transfer transistor.