Solid-state image sensing apparatus having an automatic control loop

Claim 1

A solid-state image sensing apparatus comprising: a plurality of row lines; means for applying row selecting control signals to said row lines; a plurality of column lines; means for applying column selecting control signals to said column lines; a plurality of picture elements, including at least one light-shielded picture element, each of said picture elements comprising normally-on type static induction transistors, each of said static induction transistors comprising a first layer of a substrate forming a first main electrode, a second layer of a channel disposed on said substrate, a source formed on the surface of the second layer forming a second main electrode and a gate formed within the second layer adjacent said channel, an insulator disposed on said gate, gate electrodes disposed on said insulator forming a capacitor therebetween, said second main electrode connected to a corresponding one of said column lines, said first main electrode connected commonly to respective first electrodes of other on-type static induction transistors, said channel being disposed between said main electrodes, and said capacitor connected between said gate of each of said static induction transistors and the corresponding one of said row lines; means for reverse-biasing said gates when a signal is read out from each of said picture elements; and automatic control loop means for controlling the output of each of said light-shielded picture elements such that said output becomes zero and for automatically controlling the output voltage of each of said means for applying row selecting control signals in accordance with the output of a corresponding light-shielded picture element.