Solid-state imaging device with light shielding film and driving method thereof, and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10559609-B2
Application number	US-201916244386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2019
Priority date	Jul 5, 2013
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device and a driving method thereof, and an electronic apparatus that make it possible to improve the precision of phase difference detection while suppressing deterioration of resolution in a solid-state imaging device having a global shutter function and a phase difference AF function. Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: a pixel array unit including, as pixels including an on-chip lens, a photoelectric conversion unit, and a charge accumulation unit, imaging pixels for generating a captured image and phase difference detection pixels for performing phase difference detection arrayed therein; and a driving control unit configured to control driving of the pixels. The imaging pixel is formed with the charge accumulation unit shielded from light. The phase difference detection pixel is formed in a manner that at least part of at least one of the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge accumulation unit refrains from being shielded from light. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a plurality of pixels, including;
a first pixel including:
a first photoelectric conversion unit;
a first charge accumulation region coupled to the first photoelectric conversion unit via a first transfer transistor; and
a first floating diffusion coupled to the first charge accumulation region,

a second pixel including:
a second photoelectric conversion unit;
a second charge accumulation region coupled to the second photoelectric conversion unit via a second transfer transistor; and
a second floating diffusion coupled to the second charge accumulation region; and

a light-shielding film covering the first charge accumulation region of the first pixel, the second charge accumulation region of the second pixel, and a part of the second photoelectric conversion unit of the second pixel.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light-shielding film is contiguous,
wherein the first pixel includes a third transfer transistor that transfers charge in the first accumulation region to the first floating diffusion region, and
wherein the first photoelectric conversion unit and the first charge accumulation region are arranged in a first direction and the first charge accumulation region and the first floating diffusion region are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first pixel includes an amplifier transistor and a reset transistor connected to the first floating diffusion region, and
wherein the amplifier transistor and the reset transistor are arranged in the first direction.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first pixel includes a charge discharging transistor that discharges charge in the first photoelectric conversion unit.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the plurality of pixels includes a third pixel adjacent to the first pixel in the first direction,
wherein the first charge accumulation region and a third charge accumulation region of the third pixel are located between the first photoelectric conversion unit and a third photoelectric conversion unit of the third pixel in the first direction, and
wherein the light-shielding film covers the third charge accumulation region.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the plurality of pixels includes a third pixel adjacent to the first pixel in the second direction,
wherein the first floating diffusion region is located between the first charge accumulation region and a third charge accumulation region of the third pixel in the second direction, and
wherein the light-shielding film covers the third charge accumulation region.

7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 6 ,
wherein first floating diffusion region is shared by the first pixel and the third pixel.

8. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a plurality of pixels, including,
a first pixel including a first photoelectric conversion unit and a first charge accumulation region,
a second pixel including a second photoelectric conversion unit and a second charge accumulation region, and
a light-shielding film covering the first charge accumulation region of the first pixel, the second charge accumulation region of the second pixel, and a part of the second photoelectric conversion unit of the second pixel,

wherein the first pixel includes a floating diffusion region and a first transfer transistor that transfers charge in the first accumulation region to the floating diffusion region,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion unit and the first charge accumulation region are arranged in a first direction and the first charge accumulation region and the floating diffusion region are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction,
wherein the first pixel includes an amplifier transistor and a reset transistor connected to the floating diffusion region,
wherein the amplifier transistor and the reset transistor are arranged in the first direction,
wherein the first pixel includes a charge discharging transistor that discharges charge in the first photoelectric conversion unit,
wherein the plurality of pixels includes a third pixel adjacent to the first pixel in the second direction,
wherein the floating diffusion region is located between the first charge accumulation region and a third charge accumulation region of the third pixel in the second direction, and
wherein the light-shielding film covers the third charge accumulation region,
wherein the amplifier transistor and the reset transistor are shared by the first pixel and the third pixel.

9. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the amplifier transistor and the reset transistor are shared by the first pixel and the third pixel.

10. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a plurality of pixels, including,
a first pixel including a first photoelectric conversion unit and a first charge accumulation region,
a second pixel including a second photoelectric conversion unit and a second charge accumulation region, and
a light-shielding film covering the first charge accumulation region of the first pixel, the second charge accumulation region of the second pixel, and a part of the second photoelectric conversion unit of the second pixel,

wherein the first pixel includes a floating diffusion region and a first transfer transistor that transfers charge in the first accumulation region to the floating diffusion region,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion unit and the first charge accumulation region are arranged in a first direction and the first charge accumulation region and the floating diffusion region are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction,
wherein the first pixel includes an amplifier transistor and a reset transistor connected to the floating diffusion region,
wherein the amplifier transistor and the reset transistor are arranged in the first direction,
wherein the first pixel includes a charge discharging transistor that discharges charge in the first photoelectric conversion unit

wherein the plurality of pixels includes a fourth pixel adjacent to the first pixel in the second direction,
wherein the floating diffusion region is located between the first charge accumulation region and a fourth charge accumulation region of the fourth pixel in the second direction,
wherein the light-shielding film covers the fourth charge accumulation region, and
wherein the amplifier transistor is located between the first transfer transistor and the charge discharging transistor in the first direction.

11. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the amplifier transistor is located between the first transfer transistor and the charge discharging transistor in the first direction.

12. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the amplifier transistor is located between the first transfer transistor and the charge discharging transistor in the first direction.

13. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixels, the plurality of pixels including:
a first pixel including:
a first photoelectric conversion unit;
a first charge accumulation region coupled to the first photoelectric conversion unit via a first transfer transistor; and
a first floating diffusion coupled to the first charge accumulation region;
a second pixel including:
a second photoelectric con

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Okuno Jun
• Yamashita Kazuyoshi

Classifications

• H04N25/134

  based on three different wavelength filter elements · CPC title

• H04N23/672

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• H04N25/704

  Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets · CPC title

• H01L27/14645

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/3696

  Electricity · mapped topic