Photoelectric conversion device, ranging apparatus, and information processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10468439-B2
Application number	US-201615225479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A photoelectric conversion device includes a first photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate electrons; a second photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate holes; a charge-to-voltage conversion portion including an n-type first semiconductor region configured to collect the generated electrons and a p-type second semiconductor region configured to collect the generated holes, the charge-to-voltage conversion portion being configured to convert a charge that is based on the electrons and the holes to a voltage; and a signal generation portion configured to generate a signal corresponding to the voltage, the signal generation portion including an amplification transistor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate electrons, the first photoelectric conversion portion being a first photodiode;
a second photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate holes, the second photoelectric conversion portion being a second photodiode;
a charge-to-voltage conversion portion including an n-type first semiconductor region configured to collect the electrons and a p-type second semiconductor region configured to collect the holes, the charge-to-voltage conversion portion being configured to convert a charge that is based on the electrons and the holes to a voltage; and
a signal generation portion configured to generate a signal corresponding to the voltage, the signal generation portion including an amplification transistor, wherein
the first photoelectric conversion portion includes a p-type third semiconductor region that constitutes an anode of the first photodiode,
the second photoelectric conversion portion includes an n-type fourth semiconductor region that constitutes a cathode of the second photodiode, and
the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region are electrically isolated from each other.

2. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region are configured so that a difference between a potential of the first semiconductor region and a potential of the second semiconductor region is less than 0.10 V.

3. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , further comprising a reset potential supply portion connected to the first semiconductor region via a reset transistor, the reset potential supply portion being configured to supply a potential to the first semiconductor region.

4. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 3 , wherein the reset potential supply portion is connected to the second semiconductor region via the reset transistor.

5. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region are connected to each other via a conductor.

6. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region are connected to each other via a conductor, the photoelectric conversion device further comprising a reset potential supply portion configured to supply a reset potential to the conductor.

7. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first potential supply portion configured to supply a first potential to an anode of the first photodiode; and
a second potential supply portion configured to supply a second potential to a cathode of the second photodiode,
wherein the second potential is higher than the first potential.

8. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7 , wherein the first potential is lower than a ground potential and the second potential is higher than the ground potential.

9. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate electrons, the first photoelectric conversion portion being a first photodiode;
a second photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate holes, the second photoelectric conversion portion being a second photodiode;
a charge-to-voltage conversion portion including an n-type first semiconductor region configured to collect the electrons and a p-type second semiconductor region configured to collect the holes, the charge-to-voltage conversion portion being configured to convert a charge that is based on the electrons and the holes to a voltage; and
a signal generation portion configured to generate a signal corresponding to the voltage, the signal generation portion including an amplification transistor, wherein
the first photoelectric conversion portion includes a p-type third semiconductor region that constitutes an anode of the first photodiode,
the second photoelectric conversion portion includes an n-type fourth semiconductor region that constitutes a cathode of the second photodiode, and
the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region form a p-n junction.

10. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9 , wherein the p-n junction formed by the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region is present between an n-type fifth semiconductor region that constitutes a cathode of the first photodiode and a p-type sixth semiconductor region that constitutes an anode of the second photodiode.

11. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first transfer potion configured to transfer the generated electrons to the first semiconductor region; and
a second transfer potion configured to transfer the generated holes to the second semiconductor region.

12. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate electrons;
a second photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate holes;
a charge-to-voltage conversion portion including an n-type first semiconductor region configured to collect the electrons and a p-type second semiconductor region configured to collect the holes, the charge-to-voltage conversion portion being configured to convert a charge that is based on the electrons and the holes to a voltage;
a first transfer potion configured to transfer the generated electrons to the first semiconductor region;
a second transfer potion configured to transfer the generated holes to the second semiconductor region;
a signal generation portion configured to generate a signal corresponding to the voltage, the signal generation portion including an amplification transistor, wherein
the first transfer potion and the second transfer portion are connected to a common node, and
the first transfer portion is turned on and the second transfer portion is turned off by supplying a first potential to the node, and the first transfer portion is turned off and the second transfer portion is turned on by supplying a second potential to the node.

13. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate electrons;
a second photoelectric conversion portion configured to generate holes;
a charge-to-voltage conversion portion including an n-type first semiconductor region configured to collect the electrons and a p-type second semiconductor region configured to collect the holes, the charge-to-voltage conversion portion being configured to convert a charge that is based on the electrons and the holes to a voltage;
a first transfer potion configured to transfer the generated electrons to the first semiconductor region;
a second transfer potion configured to transfer the generated holes to the second semiconductor region;
a signal generation portion configured to generate a signal corresponding to the voltage, the signal generation portion including an amplification transistor;
an n-type seventh semiconductor region different from the first semiconductor region;
a third transfer portion configured to transfer the generated electrons to the seventh semiconductor region;
a p-type eighth semiconductor region different from the second semiconductor region; and
a fourth transfer portion configured to transfer the generated holes to the eighth semiconductor region.

14. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the amplification transistor constitutes a

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ikeda Hajime
• Goden Tatsuhito
• Wada Yoichi
• Ota Keisuke
• Hasegawa Toshinori

Classifications

• G01S17/894

  Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar · CPC title

• G01S7/4914

  of detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates · CPC title

• G01S17/10

  using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) · CPC title

• G01S7/4876

  by removing unwanted signals (G01S7/495 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title