Solid state image pickup device

Abstract

Abstract Solid state image pickup device in which signal charges obtained by a plurality of photodetectors (21) arranged in horizontal and vertical rows are read by a vertical transfer unit (22) extending along a vertical row of the photodetectors (21), are transferred at high speed from the transfer unit (22) to a storage unit (27), and are transferred for each of one or more horizontal photodetectors (21) from the storage unit (27) to a horizontal transfer unit (25). The signal charges are further transferred by the horizontal transfer unit (25) to an output unit (26). Before the signal charges are read out by the vertical transfer unit (22), unnecessary charges in the vertical transfer unit (22) can be swept out and transferred. An additional gate forming unit (30) and an additional charge absorption unit (32) are provided in this image pickup device so that the unnecessary charges in the vertical transfer unit (22) are swept and transferred in the same direction as the transfer direction of the signal charges to the storage unit (27) at high speed, thereby sending the unnecessary charges to the charge absorption unit (32).

Inventors

• 👤 Kaneyoshi Atsugi Plant Sony Co. Takeshita
• 👤 Shigeyuki Atsugi Plant Sony Co. Ochi

Bibliographic Details