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).

  • Patent number: 9130071
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image sensor having a pixel region, a peripheral circuit region, and an intermediate region interposed between the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region, includes forming a high melting point metal compound in active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an etch stop film on the high melting point metal compound formed in the active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an interlayer insulating film on the etch stop film, and forming, by using the etch stop film, a contact plug to contact the high melting point metal compound in the active region of the peripheral circuit region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentarou Suzuki, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20150228692
    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: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 9083908
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including a plurality of pixels each including: a first holding portion for holding signal carriers from a photoelectric conversion portion; an amplifying portion for amplifying and reading a signal based on the signal carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion portion; and a carrier discharging control portion for discharging charge carriers in the photoelectric conversion portion to an OFD region, and having a carrier path between the photoelectric conversion portion and the first carrier holding portion, in which the solid-state imaging apparatus further includes a second carrier holding portion electrically connected with the first carrier portion in parallel through a first transfer unit, when viewed from an output node of the photoelectric conversion portion, thereby smoothing an movie imaging without causing discontinuous frame while suppressing generation of noise mixing into the charge carrier holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yamashita, Masahiro Kobayashi, Takanori Watanabe, Shinsuke Kojima, Takeshi Ichikawa, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20150189211
    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: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuo Kokumai, Yusuke Onuki, Hiroaki Naruse, Masashi Kusukawa, Katsunori Hirota, Nobuyuki Endo, Kazuo Yamazaki, Hiroaki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20150147843
    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: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Hiroaki Naruse, Masashi Kusukawa, Katsunori Hirota
  • Patent number: 9041132
    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: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8941044
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of pixels each including a charge storage part, a photoelectric conversion part, a first transfer part and a second transfer part, when a signal charge generated during one period is transferred to an amplifier, a control unit supplies pulses such that a turning-on pulse is supplied to the second transfer part while supplying a turning-off pulse to the first transfer part thereby transferring the stored signal charge to the amplifier, a turning-on pulse is then supplied to a reset part to reset the signal charge transferred to the amplifier, and subsequently a turning-on pulse is supplied to the first transfer part and the second transfer part to transfer the signal charge held in the photoelectric conversion part to the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20150009388
    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: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20140361346
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion, a transfer portion, and a sense node are formed in a P-type well. The charge holding portion is configured to include an N-type semiconductor region, which is a first semiconductor region holding charges in a portion different from the photoelectric conversion portion. A P-type semiconductor region having a higher concentration than the P-type well is disposed under the N-type semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Yuichiro Yamashita, Masahiro Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140313384
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image sensor having a pixel region, a peripheral circuit region, and an intermediate region interposed between the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region, includes forming a high melting point metal compound in active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an etch stop film on the high melting point metal compound formed in the active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an interlayer insulating film on the etch stop film, and forming, by using the etch stop film, a contact plug to contact the high melting point metal compound in the active region of the peripheral circuit region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Kentarou Suzuki, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8860862
    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: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8847346
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion, a transfer portion, and a sense node are formed in a P-type well. The charge holding portion is configured to include an N-type semiconductor region, which is a first semiconductor region holding charges in a portion different from the photoelectric conversion portion. A P-type semiconductor region having a higher concentration than the P-type well is disposed under the N-type semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Yuichiro Yamashita, Masahiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8823125
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion configured to include a first-conductivity-type first semiconductor region, and a transfer portion configured to include a transfer gate electrode that controls a potential between the charge holding portion and a sense node. The charge holding portion includes a control electrode. A second-conductivity-type second semiconductor region is disposed on a surface of a semiconductor region between the control electrode and the transfer gate electrode. A first-conductivity-type third semiconductor region is disposed under the second semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region is disposed at a deeper position than the first semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Yuichiro Yamashita, Masahiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8809914
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image sensor having a pixel region, a peripheral circuit region, and an intermediate region interposed between the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region, includes forming a high melting point metal compound in active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an etch stop film on the high melting point metal compound formed in the active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an interlayer insulating film on the etch stop film, and forming, by using the etch stop film, a contact plug to contact the high melting point metal compound in the active region of the peripheral circuit region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentarou Suzuki, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8736734
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a pixel portion including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel including a photoelectric conversion portion, an accumulation portion for accumulating the charge, a first transfer portion connecting the photoelectric conversion portion to the accumulation portion, a second transfer portion connecting the accumulation portion to a floating diffusion portion, and a third transfer portion connecting the photoelectric conversion portion to a power source, and wherein, from a state where no potential barrier is formed in the second transfer portion, a potential barrier is formed in the second transfer portion under a condition that a potential barrier is formed in the first transfer portion and no potential barrier is formed in the third transfer portion, and then a potential barrier is formed in the third transfer portion, thereby the operation of accumulating charges in the pixels is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Yuichiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8717452
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of pixels each including a charge storage part, a photoelectric conversion part, a first transfer part and a second transfer part, when a signal charge generated during one period is transferred to an amplifier, a control unit supplies pulses such that a turning-on pulse is supplied to the second transfer part while supplying a turning-off pulse to the first transfer part thereby transferring the stored signal charge to the amplifier, a turning-on pulse is then supplied to a reset part to reset the signal charge transferred to the amplifier, and subsequently a turning-on pulse is supplied to the first transfer part and the second transfer part to transfer the signal charge held in the photoelectric conversion part to the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yamashita, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8710613
    Abstract: A pickup device according to the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion configured to include a first semiconductor region, and a transfer portion configured to include a transfer gate electrode that controls a potential between the charge holding portion and a sense node. A second semiconductor region is disposed on a surface of a semiconductor region between the control electrode and the transfer gate electrode. A third semiconductor region is disposed below the second semiconductor region. An impurity concentration of the third semiconductor region is higher than the impurity concentration of the first semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yamashita, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8625010
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including a plurality of pixels each including: a first holding portion for holding signal carriers from a photoelectric conversion portion; an amplifying portion for amplifying and reading a signal based on the signal carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion portion; and a carrier discharging control portion for discharging charge carriers in the photoelectric conversion portion to an OFD region, and having a carrier path between the photoelectric conversion portion and the first carrier holding portion, in which the solid-state imaging apparatus further includes a second carrier holding portion electrically connected with the first carrier portion in parallel through a first transfer unit, when viewed from an output node of the photoelectric conversion portion, thereby smoothing an movie imaging without causing discontinuous frame while suppressing generation of noise mixing into the charge carrier holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Yamashita, Masahiro Kobayashi, Takanori Watanabe, Shinsuke Kojima, Takeshi Ichikawa, Yusuke Onuki
  • Publication number: 20130334641
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image sensor having a pixel region, a peripheral circuit region, and an intermediate region interposed between the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region, includes forming a high melting point metal compound in active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an etch stop film on the high melting point metal compound formed in the active regions of the peripheral circuit region and the intermediate region, forming an interlayer insulating film on the etch stop film, and forming, by using the etch stop film, a contact plug to contact the high melting point metal compound in the active region of the peripheral circuit region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Kentarou Suzuki, Yusuke Onuki
  • Patent number: 8551873
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a MOS transistor, includes forming a gate electrode material layer on a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, forming an etching mask on the gate electrode material layer, forming a gate electrode by patterning the gate electrode material layer such that a protective film that protects at least a lower portion of a side face of the gate electrode and a portion of the first insulating film, which is adjacent to the side face, is formed while the gate electrode material layer is patterned, forming a second insulating film on the semiconductor substrate on which the gate electrode is formed, and forming an interlayer insulation film on the second insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Onuki, Takehito Okabe, Hideaki Ishino