Solid-state imaging device with an amplifying FET in each pixel and an output capacitor in each row

Claim 1

A solid-state imaging device comprising: a signal line; a plurality of picture cells each including a photoelectric converting element, a source follower transistor with, at a gate node thereof, a storage capacitance for storing a converted signal from the photoelectric converting element, a reset transistor for resetting said storage capacitance at said gate node of said source follower transistor, and a switching transistor for accessing said picture cell, wherein each of said picture cells provides, at said signal line, a signal voltage which will follow the voltage at said gate node of said source follower transistor in response to a scanning signal; a detecting capacitor with a first terminal coupled to said signal line and a second terminal; and a differential circuit including said detecting capacitor operating such that, in a first mode, said second terminal is driven to have a reference potential with low impedance so as to charge said detecting capacitor at a voltage responsive to said signal voltage, and, in a second mode, said second terminal is opened with high impedance, whereby deriving in said second mode at said second terminal a detecting voltage responsive to the difference between said signal voltages in said second mode and said first mode.