Imaging device and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10075659-B2
Application number	US-201515119499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Imaging devices and electronic apparatuses with one or more shared pixel structures are provided. The shared pixel structure includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices or photodiodes. Each photodiode in the shared pixel structure is located within a rectangular area. The shared pixel structure also includes a plurality of shared transistors. The shared transistors in the shared pixel structure are located adjacent the photoelectric conversion devices of the shared pixel structure. The rectangular area can have two short sides and two long sides, with the shared transistors located along one of the long sides. In addition, a length of one or more of the transistors can be extended in a direction parallel to the long side of the rectangular area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device, comprising:
a shared-pixel structure that includes:
a plurality of first photodiodes that includes at least eight photodiodes, wherein each photodiode of the plurality of first photodiodes is located within a first rectangular area of the shared-pixel structure;
a plurality of shared transistors, wherein each transistor of the plurality of shared transistors is adjacent to a first side of the first rectangular area that contains the plurality of first photodiodes,
wherein at least one shared transistor of the plurality of shared transistors of the shared-pixel structure is outside the first rectangular area, and
wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes at least one of an amplification transistor, a select transistor, or a reset transistor;
a plurality of second photodiodes located within a second rectangular area of the shared-pixel structure, wherein a side of the second rectangular area is adjacent to a second side of the first rectangular area, and wherein the second side of the first rectangular area is shorter than the first side of the first rectangular area; and
a well contact between the second side of the first rectangular area and the side of the second rectangular area.

2. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the first rectangular area has two short sides and two long sides, and wherein each of the plurality of shared transistors is adjacent to one of the long sides of the first rectangular area.

3. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shared transistor of the plurality of shared transistors of the shared-pixel structure is arranged along a line that is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area.

4. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes at least one amplification transistor, wherein a length of the amplification transistor along a dimension of the amplification transistor is longer than a length of at least one transistor of the plurality of shared transistors, wherein the dimension of the amplification transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area, wherein the length of the at least one transistor is along a dimension of the at least one transistor, and wherein the dimension of the at least one transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area.

5. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first photodiodes is a photoelectric conversion element group that includes a sharing unit located within the first rectangular area, and wherein the plurality of shared transistors is a pixel transistor group that is substantially symmetric with respect to the photoelectric conversion element group.

6. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes a dummy transistor.

7. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes at least one selection transistor, wherein a length of the selection transistor along a dimension of the selection transistor is longer than a length of at least one transistor of the plurality of shared transistors, wherein the dimension of the selection transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area, wherein the length of the at least one transistor is along a dimension of the at least one transistor, and wherein the dimension of the at least one transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area.

8. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
an imaging device that comprises a shared-pixel structure, the shared-pixel structure comprises:
a plurality of first photodiodes that includes at least eight photodiodes, wherein each photodiode of the plurality of first photodiodes is located within a first rectangular area of the shared-pixel structure;
a plurality of shared transistors, wherein each transistor of the plurality of shared transistors is adjacent to a first side of the first rectangular area that contains the plurality of first photodiodes,
wherein at least one shared transistor of the plurality of shared transistors of the shared-pixel structure is outside the first rectangular area, and
wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes at least one of an amplification transistor, a select transistor, or a reset transistor;
a plurality of second photodiodes located within a second rectangular area of the shared-pixel structure, wherein a side of the second rectangular area is adjacent to a second side of the first rectangular area, and wherein the second side of the first rectangular area is shorter than the first side of the first rectangular area; and
a well contact between the second side of the first rectangular area and the side of the second rectangular area.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first rectangular area has two short sides and two long sides, and wherein each of the plurality of shared transistors is adjacent to one of the long sides of the first rectangular area.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one shared transistor of the plurality of shared transistors of the shared-pixel structure is arranged along a line that is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes at least one amplification transistor, wherein a length of the amplification transistor along a dimension of the amplification transistor is longer than a length of at least one transistor of the plurality of shared transistors, wherein the dimension of the amplification transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area, wherein the length of the at least one transistor is along a dimension of the at least one transistor, and wherein the dimension of the at least one transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first photodiodes is a photoelectric conversion element group that includes a sharing unit located within the first rectangular area, and wherein the plurality of shared transistors is a pixel transistor group that is substantially symmetric with respect to the photoelectric conversion element group.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes a dummy transistor.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of shared transistors includes at least one selection transistor, wherein a length of the selection transistor along a dimension of the selection transistor is longer than a length of at least one transistor of the plurality of shared transistors, wherein the dimension of the selection transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area, wherein the length of the at least one transistor is along a dimension of the at least one transistor, and wherein the dimension of the at least one transistor is parallel to the first side of the first rectangular area.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Kato Nanako
• Wakano Toshifumi
• Otake Yusuke

Classifications

• H04N25/778 Primary

  comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself · CPC title

• H04N25/77

  Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components · CPC title

• H04N5/357 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/378

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/37457

  Electricity · mapped topic