Solid-state imaging device

Claim 2

A solid-state imaging device comprising: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type having a major surface portion, a photoelectric element provided in said major surface portion, and including a PN-junction diode constituting a photosensitive portion and a metal-insulator semi-conductor capacitor constituting a signal charge storing portion, a signal charge output portion provided in said major surface portion, and constructed of a first region of a second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type, a metal-insulator semiconductor field effect transistor switch having a first portion comprising the signal charge storing portion, a second portion comprising the charge output portion, and a first gate electrode provided through a first gate insulating film on the substrate major surface lying between said signal charge output portion and said signal charge storing portion, said transistor switch portion operating by control of the first gate electrode to enter signal charges from said signal charge storing portion into said signal charge output portion, and a photo-shield layer having a window and covering said transistor switch including said charge storage portion so as to permit incident light to illuminate only said PN-junction diode in said photoelectric element.

Claim 3

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric element includes: a second region of said second conductivity type constituting the PN-junction diode, and the metal-insulator semiconductor capacitance is composed of the major surface portion adjoining said second region, a second gate insulating film provided so as to cover said major surface portion, and a second gate electrode provided on said second gate insulating film.

Claim 4

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 2, wherein said second gate insulating film is provided on a part of said second region of said PN-junction diode, and said second gate electrode is provided through said second gate insulating film on said part of said second region.

Claim 5

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said second gate electrode serves also as said photo-shield layer.

Claim 6

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a charge transfer device which is provided in said major surface portion and which receives the signal charges from said transistor switch portion and transfers them to said signal charge output portion.

Claim 7

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor substrate is made of silicon.

Claim 8

A solid-state imaging device comprising a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type having a major surface portion and a plurality of photoelectric elements disposed in said major surface portion of the body, each said photoelectric element being comprised of: (a) a PN-junction diode having a region of a second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type, and which constitutes a photosensitive region, (b) a metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor having a first gate insulating film provided so as to cover a a storage region adjacent to said region of a second conductivity type, and a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film, and which constitutes a charge storage region, (c) a switching field-effect transistor having a first region comprising said charge storage region, a second gate insulating film provided so as to cover a region adjacent to said storage region, a second gate electrode provided on said second gate insulating film, and a region for outputting signal charges being adjacent to said region covered with said second gate electrode and functioning as the field-effect transistor together with said storage region and said switching gate electrode, and (d) an opaque film which is provided so as to cover said switching field-effect transistor including said charge storage region, and which has a window permitting incident light to only fall on said PN-junction diode.

Claim 9

A solid-state imaging device comprising a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type having a major surface portion and a plurality of photoelectric elements disposed in said major surface portion of the body, each said photoelectric element being comprised of: (a) a PN-junction diode having a region of a second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type, and which constitutes a photosensitive region, (b) a metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor having a first gate insulating film provided so as to cover a a storage region adjacent to said region of a second conductivity type, and a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film, and which constitutes a charge storage region, (c) a switching field-effect transistor having a first region comprising said charge storage region, a second gate insulating film provided so as to cover a region adjacent to said storage region, a second gate electrode provided on said second gate insulating film, and a region for outputting signal charges being adjacent to said region covered with said second gate electrode and functioning as the field-effect transistor together with said storage region and said switching gate electrode, and (d) an opaque film which is provided so as to cover said switching field-effect transistor including said charge storage region, and which has a window permitting incident light to only fall on said PN-junction diode.

Claim 10

A solid-state imaging device comprising a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type having a major surface portion and a plurality of photoelectric elements disposed in said major surface portion of the body, each said photoelectric element being comprised of: (a) a PN-junction diode having a region of a second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type, and which constitutes a photosensitive region, (b) a metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor having a first gate insulating film provided so as to cover a storage region adjacent to said region of a second conductivity type and a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film, and which constitutes a charge storage region, (c) a signal-charge transfer region having a part of said major surface portion which constitutes a transferring path, an insulating film provided so as to cover said part of said major surface portion, a series of transferring electrodes disposed on said insulating film, and a region for outputting signal charges provided so as to be adjacent to the electrodes, (d) a switching field-effect transistor having a first region comprising said storage region, a second gate insulating film provided so as to cover a region adjacent to said storage region, and a second gate electrode provided on said second gate insulating film and functioning as the field-effect transistor together with said storage region and said part of said major surface portion, and (e) an opaque film which is provided so as to cover said signal-charge transferring region, and said switching field-effect transistor including said charge storage region, and which has a window permitting incident light to only fall on said PN-junction diode.

Claim 11

A solid-state imaging device comprising a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type having a major surface portion and a plurality of photoelectric elements disposed in said major surface portion of the body, each said photoelectric element being comprised of: (a) a PN-junction diode having a region of a second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type, and which constitutes a photosensitive region, (b) a metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor having a first gate insulating film provided so as to cover a storage region adjacent to said region of a second conductivity type and a first gate electrode provided on said first gate insulating film, and which constitutes a charge storage region, (c) a signal-charge transfer region having a part of said major surface portion which constitutes a transferring path, an insulating film provided so as to cover said part of said major surface portion, a series of transferring electrodes disposed on said insulating film, and a region for outputting signal charges provided so as to be adjacent to the electrodes, (d) a switching field-effect transistor having a first region comprising said storage region, a second gate insulating film provided so as to cover a region adjacent to said storage region, and a second gate electrode provided on said second gate insulating film and functioning as the field-effect transistor together with said storage region and said part of said major surface portion, and (e) an opaque film which is provided so as to cover said signal-charge transferring region, and said switching field-effect transistor including said charge storage region, and which has a window permitting incident light to only fall on said PN-junction diode.

Claim 12

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 8, wherein said part of said major surface portion has said second conductivity type.