Patents by Inventor Yusuke Onuki

Yusuke Onuki 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).

  • Publication number: 20170033145
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor, including a first transistor for transferring charges from a charge accumulation region to a first charge holding region and a second transistor for transferring charges from the first charge holding region to a second charge holding region, the method comprising forming, on the semiconductor substrate, a resist pattern having a opening on the first charge holding region, and injecting a impurity via the opening so as to make the first charge holding region be a buried type, wherein the impurity is injected such that an impurity region, which makes the first charge holding region be a buried type, is formed at a position away from an end of the gate electrode of the second transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Takafumi Miki, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 9560285
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus performs a global electronic shutter operation in which exposure periods of a plurality of pixels coincide with one another. In a first period in which a photoelectric conversion unit of at least one of the pixels stores charge, signals based on charges stored in holding units of the pixels are successively output to output lines. In a second period after the output of the signals from the pixels is terminated, the holding units of the pixels hold charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9553117
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 9502465
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a plurality of pixels, each of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion, a floating diffusion, and a transfer portion. The pixel also includes a beneath-holding-portion isolation layer and a pixel isolation layer. An end portion on a photoelectric conversion portion side of the pixel isolation layer is away from the photoelectric conversion portion compared to an end portion on a photoelectric conversion portion side of the beneath-holding-portion isolation layer, and an N-type semiconductor region constituting part of the photoelectric conversion portion is disposed under at least part of the beneath-holding-portion isolation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20160301887
    Abstract: The imaging apparatuses according to the embodiments perform an operation of outputting a plurality of signals from pixels to an output line a plurality of times. In each operation, both of first and second transfer switches are brought into an on state so that a discharge operation of discharging charge of a photoelectric conversion unit through a holding unit is performed. In a first period, the photoelectric conversion unit of at least one of the pixels accumulates charge. The operation performed a plurality of times includes a first operation and a second operation to be performed after the first operation. After the output operation in the first operation is terminated, the discharge operation in the second operation is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi
  • Publication number: 20160286149
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus performs a global electronic shutter operation in which a plurality of pixels are exposed during the same exposure period. In a first period, charge is accumulated by a photoelectric conversion unit. In a second period, accumulation units of a plurality of pixels accumulate charge. A ratio of saturation charge quantity of the photoelectric conversion unit to saturation charge quantity of the accumulation unit has a certain relationship with a ratio of a length of the first period to the sum of the length of the first period and the length of the second period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi
  • Publication number: 20160240577
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device is provided which can inhibit degradation of image quality which may occur when a global electronic shutter operation is performed. A gate drive line for a first transistor of gate drive lines for pixel transistors is positioned in proximity to a converting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9392195
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus performs a global electronic shutter operation in which a plurality of pixels are exposed during the same exposure period. In a first period, charge is accumulated by a photoelectric conversion unit. In a second period, accumulation units of a plurality of pixels accumulate charge. A ratio of saturation charge quantity of the photoelectric conversion unit to saturation charge quantity of the accumulation unit has a certain relationship with a ratio of a length of the first period to the sum of the length of the first period and the length of the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi
  • Publication number: 20160172408
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Masahiro Kobayashi, Takafumi Miki
  • Publication number: 20160126278
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes a first process for forming a first gate electrode for a first MOS transistor and a second gate electrode for a second MOS transistor on a substrate including a semiconductor region defined by an insulator region for element isolation, a second process for masking a portion located above the semiconductor region of the first gate electrode to introduce an impurity to a source-drain region of the first MOS transistor, and a third process for forming a first conductor member being in contact with the portion of the first gate electrode through a first hole disposed on an insulator member covering the substrate and a second conductor member being in contact with the second gate electrode through a second hole disposed on the insulator member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Mineo Shimotsusa, Masatsugu Itahashi, Yusuke Onuki, Nobuaki Kakinuma, Masato Fujita
  • Patent number: 9331121
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion apparatus which includes a pixel circuit section having a well where a photoelectric conversion element and an amplification element configured to generate a signal based on an amount of charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element are arranged, and a peripheral circuit section having a MOS transistor. The method includes forming a dielectric film for covering the photoelectric conversion element, the amplification element, and a gate electrode of the MOS transistor and forming, by etching the dielectric film, a side spacer by remaining a portion of the dielectric film on a side surface of the gate electrode while protecting by a resist, wherein an opening is formed in the dielectric film of the pixel circuit section with the etching, and a contact for defining a potential of the well is formed through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Hiroaki Naruse, Masashi Kusukawa, Katsunori Hirota
  • Publication number: 20160086993
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 9247173
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of pixel circuits is an insulated gate transistor and includes a first kind transistor having a maximum value of a gate potential difference to be applied equal to or higher than a first value. Each of a plurality of analog signal processing circuits is an insulated gate transistor and includes a second kind transistor having a maximum value of a gate potential difference to be applied equal to or lower than a second value that is lower than the first value. Each of a plurality of analog signal processing circuits does not include an insulated gate transistor having a maximum value of a gate potential difference to be applied not higher than the second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuo Kokumai, Yusuke Onuki, Hiroaki Naruse, Masashi Kusukawa, Katsunori Hirota, Nobuyuki Endo, Kazuo Yamazaki, Hiroaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9224774
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20150364517
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor including preparing a wafer including a pixel region where a photoelectric conversion element is provided, a peripheral circuit region where a gate electrode of a peripheral MOS transistor for constituting a peripheral circuit is provided, and a scribe region. The method includes forming an insulating film covering the pixel region, the peripheral circuit region, and the scribe region, and forming a sidewall spacer on a side surface of the gate electrode by etching the insulating film so that portions of the insulating film remains to cover the pixel region and the scribe region, and forming a metal silicide layer in the peripheral circuit region by using, as a mask for protection from silicidation, the insulating film covering the pixel region and the scribe region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Masatsugu Itahashi, Nobuaki Kakinuma, Mineo Shimotsusa, Masato Fujita, Takumi Ogino, Keita Torii
  • Publication number: 20150364522
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor includes forming a first element isolation and a first active region of a pixel area, and a second isolation and a second active region of a peripheral circuit area, forming a gate electrode film covering the first element isolation, the first active region, the second element isolation and the second active region, implanting an n-type impurity selectively into at least a part of the gate electrode film corresponding to the pixel area, and forming, after the implanting of the n-type impurity, a first gate electrode of the pixel area and a second gate electrode of the peripheral circuit area by patterning the gate electrode film. The part of the gate electrode film includes a portion located above a boundary between the first element isolation and the first active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Masatsugu Itahashi, Nobuaki Kakinuma, Mineo Shimotsusa, Masato Fujita, Yusuke Onuki, Takumi Ogino, Keita Torii
  • Publication number: 20150325620
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel area and a peripheral circuit area. The pixel area includes a first MOS, and the peripheral circuit area includes a second MOS. A method includes forming a gate of the first MOS and a gate of the second MOS, forming a first insulating film to cover the gates of the first and second MOSs, etching the first insulating film in the peripheral circuit area in a state that the pixel area is masked to form a side spacer on a side face of the gate of the second MOS, etching the first insulating film in the pixel area in a state that the peripheral circuit area is masked, and forming the second insulating film to cover the gates of the first and second MOSs and the side spacers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Masatsugu Itahashi, Seiichi Tamura, Nobuaki Kakinuma, Mineo Shimotsusa, Masato Fujita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20150264283
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Takeshi Ichikawa, Hirofumi Totsuka, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20150264244
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus performs a global electronic shutter operation in which a plurality of pixels are exposed during the same exposure period. In a first period, charge is accumulated by a photoelectric conversion unit. In a second period, accumulation units of a plurality of pixels accumulate charge. A ratio of saturation charge quantity of the photoelectric conversion unit to saturation charge quantity of the accumulation unit has a certain relationship with a ratio of a length of the first period to the sum of the length of the first period and the length of the second period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi
  • Publication number: 20150264243
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus performs a global electronic shutter operation in which exposure periods of a plurality of pixels coincide with one another. In a first period in which a photoelectric conversion unit of at least one of the pixels stores charge, signals based on charges stored in holding units of the pixels are successively output to output lines. In a second period after the output of the signals from the pixels is terminated, the holding units of the pixels hold charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi Ichikawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki, Toru Koizumi