Amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus and method for driving the same

Claim 2

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising: an amplifying type photoelectric conversion device comprising: a transistor formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, said transistor accumulating a charge generated by incident light as a signal charge in a charge accumulation region proximate to the surface of said semiconductor substrate and outputting a signal in accordance with said accumulated signal charge; and a resetting means provided adjacent to said transistor, said resetting means performing a resetting operation wherein said signal charge accumulated in said transistor is discharged from said charge accumulation region based on an applied voltage; a signal line for carrying a signal output from said transistor of said amplifying type photoelectric conversion device; a clamp circuit connected to said signal line, for clamping the voltage of said signal line at a first voltage; a sample hold circuit connected to said clamp circuit, for sample-holding a difference signal representing a difference between said first voltage and a second voltage output from said transistor after said resetting operation; an output line connected to said sample hold circuit; and a controlling circuit for controlling said clamp circuit and said sample hold circuit and for reading out said difference signal held in said sample hold circuit to said output line.

Claim 3

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said resetting means comprises a gate region which is provided adjacent to said charge accumulation region and includes a part of the surface of said semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode formed on said part of the surface of said semiconductor substrate with an insulating film being inserted therebetween, said accumulated signal charge being transferred from said charge accumulation region to the inside of said semiconductor substrate in accordance with a voltage applied to said gate electrode.

Claim 4

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said transistor comprises a first gate region including a first gate electrode formed on the surface of said semiconductor substrate and said charge accumulation region, and a source region and a drain region which are formed on said semiconductor substrate as a high impurity concentration layer, said signal being output from said source region in accordance with said signal charge; said resetting means comprises a channel region which is a part of said semiconductor substrate proximate to the surface and adjacent to said charge accumulation region; a charge discharge drain region provided as a high impurity concentration layer adjacent to said channel region; and a second gate electrode provided on said channel region and said charge discharge drain region with an insulating film being inserted therebetween, said first gate electrode adjoining thereby; said resetting means transferring said signal charge accumulated in said charge accumulation region, based on a voltage applied to said second gate electrode, from said charge accumulation region to said charge discharge drain region via said channel region.

Claim 5

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of said amplifying type photoelectric conversion devices arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional matrix configuration; each of said plurality of amplifying type photoelectric conversion devices being such that: said transistor comprises a first gate region including a first gate electrode formed on the surface of said semiconductor substrate and said charge accumulation region, and a source region and a drain region which are formed on said semiconductor substrate as a high impurity concentration layer, said signal being output from said source region in accordance with said signal charge; said resetting means comprises a second gate region which is provided adjacent to said charge accumulation region and includes a part of the surface of said semiconductor substrate, and a second gate electrode formed on said second gate region with an insulating film being inserted therebetween, said signal charge accumulated in said charge accumulation region being transferred, based on a voltage applied to said second gate electrode, from said charge accumulation region to the inside of said semiconductor substrate via said second gate region; and an electric field blocking part is provided between said second gate region of said resetting means of one of said plurality of amplifying type photoelectric conversion devices and said transistor of an amplifying type photoelectric conversion device adjacent to said one of the plurality of amplifying type photoelectric conversion devices.

Claim 6

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said electric field blocking part is a trench structure provided to said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 7

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a constant current circuit is connected to said signal line.

Claim 8

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an amplifying circuit for said output line is provided, and a capacitor device and a switching device are provided in parallel between an input terminal and an output terminal of said amplifying circuit.

Claim 9

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a second controlling circuit which turns on said switching device for a predetermined time and then turns off immediately before one pixel worth of said difference signal is input to said input terminal of said amplifying circuit.

Claim 10

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an impedance conversion circuit connected to said sample hold circuit; and a selection switch device connected between an output end of said impedance conversion circuit and said output line.

Claim 11

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: said amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of groups of said clamp circuit, said sample hold circuit, said impedance conversion circuit, said selection switch device and said output line; said signal line connected to said amplifying type photoelectric conversion device is connected in parallel to said plurality of said clamp circuits; corresponding said sample hold circuit and said impedance conversion circuit are respectively connected to said plurality of said clamp circuits; the output end of said impedance conversion circuit is connected to corresponding said output line via corresponding said selection switch device.

Claim 12

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising: an amplifying type photoelectric conversion device comprising: a first region provided in a semiconductor substrate so as to include a part of a surface of said semiconductor substrate, for accumulating a charge generated by photoelectric conversion as a signal charge; a first drain region which is a high impurity concentration layer formed in said first region; a first gate region including a surface-proximate portion of said substrate of said first region excluding said first drain region, an insulating film formed on said first region, and a first electrode formed on said insulating film; a second gate region including a second region provided adjacent to said first gate region, and a second gate electrode provided on said second region with said insulating film being inserted therebetween; a second drain region provided to the outside of said first region and adjacent to said second region; wherein a first transistor having said surface-proximate region of said substrate of said first region as a channel is formed between said first drain region and said semiconductor substrate, and a second transistor having a region between said first region and said second drain region as a channel is formed, a change in an operational characteristic of said first transistor which is generated by said signal charge being used as an output signal; a signal line for carrying a signal output from said transistor of said amplifying type photoelectric conversion device; a clamp circuit connected to said signal line, for clamping a voltage of said signal line at a first voltage; a sample hold circuit connected to said clamp circuit, for sample-holding a difference signal representing a difference between said first voltage and a second voltage output from said transistor after said resetting operation; an output line connected to said sample hold circuit; and a controlling circuit for controlling said clamp circuit and said sample hold circuit and for reading out said difference signal held in said sample hold circuit to said output line.

Claim 13

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising: an amplifying type photoelectric conversion device comprising: a first region provided in a semiconductor substrate so as to include a part of a surface of said semiconductor substrate, for accumulating a charge generated by photoelectric conversion as a signal charge; a first drain region which is a high impurity concentration layer formed in said first region; a first gate region including a surface-proximate portion of said substrate of said first region excluding said first drain region, an insulating film formed on said first region, and a first electrode formed on said insulating film; a second gate region including a second region provided adjacent to said first gate region, and a second gate electrode provided on said second region with said insulating film being inserted therebetween; a second drain region provided to the outside of said first region and adjacent to said second region; wherein a first transistor having said surface-proximate region of said substrate of said first region as a channel is formed between said first drain region and said semiconductor substrate, and a second transistor having a region between said first region and said second drain region as a channel is formed, a change in an operational characteristic of said first transistor which is generated by said signal charge being used as an output signal; a signal line for carrying a signal output from said transistor of said amplifying type photoelectric conversion device; a clamp circuit connected to said signal line, for clamping a voltage of said signal line at a first voltage; a sample hold circuit connected to said clamp circuit, for sample-holding a difference signal representing a difference between said first voltage and a second voltage output from said transistor after said resetting operation; an output line connected to said sample hold circuit; and a controlling circuit for controlling said clamp circuit and said sample hold circuit and for reading out said difference signal held in said sample hold circuit to said output line.

Claim 14

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said signal line is connected to a constant current circuit.

Claim 15

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an amplifying circuit for said output line is provided, and a capacitor device and a switching device are provided in parallel between an input end and an output end of said amplifying circuit.

Claim 16

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a second controlling circuit which turns on said switching device for a predetermined time and then turns off immediately before one pixel worth of said difference signal is input to said input terminal of said amplifying circuit.

Claim 17

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: an impedance conversion circuit connected to said sample hold circuit; and a selection switching device connected between an output end of said impedance conversion circuit and said output line.

Claim 18

An amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: said amplifying type solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of groups of said clamp circuit, said sample hold circuit, said impedance conversion circuit, said selection switch device and said output line; said signal line connected to said amplifying type photoelectric conversion device is connected in parallel to said plurality of said clamp circuits; corresponding said sample hold circuit and said impedance conversion circuit are respectively connected to said plurality of said clamp circuits; and the output end of said impedance conversion circuit is connected to corresponding said output line via corresponding said selection switch device.