Solid-state image sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10580810-B2
Application number	US-201816025151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2012
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

A solid-state image sensor includes: a pixel array that includes first pixels, each having first and second photoelectric conversion units, and second pixels, each having third and fourth photoelectric conversion units; first to fourth transfer gates via which a signal charge respectively generated in the first to fourth photoelectric conversion units is respectively transferred to first to fourth charge voltage conversion units. At least one of a gate width, a gate length and an installation position of at least one transfer gate among the first to fourth transfer gates is altered to achieve uniformity in voltage conversion efficiency at the first to fourth charge voltage conversion units.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image sensor, comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion area that converts light from a first micro-lens, on which light enters, into an electric charge;
a second photoelectric conversion area that converts light from the first micro-lens into an electric charge;
a first transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the first photoelectric conversion area;
a second transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the second photoelectric conversion area;
a first floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the first photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the first transfer gate; and
a second floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the second photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the second transfer gate, wherein
an installation position of the first transfer gate relative to the first photoelectric conversion area is different from an installation position of the second transfer gate relative to the second photoelectric conversion area.

2. The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first output that includes a first gate which is connected to the first floating diffusion area and outputs a first signal based upon a voltage of the first floating diffusion area; and
a second output that includes a second gate which is connected to the second floating diffusion area and outputs a second signal based upon a voltage of the second floating diffusion area.

3. The image sensor according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a first signal line that outputs the first signal from the first output; and
a second signal line that outputs the second signal from the second output.

4. The image sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third photoelectric conversion area that converts light from a second micro-lens, on which light enters, into an electric charge;
a fourth photoelectric conversion area that converts light from the second micro-lens into an electric charge;
a third transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the third photoelectric conversion area; and
a fourth transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the fourth photoelectric conversion area, wherein
an installation position of the third transfer gate relative to the third photoelectric conversion area is different from an installation position of the fourth transfer gate relative to the fourth photoelectric conversion area.

5. The image sensor according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a third floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the third photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the third transfer gate; and
a fourth floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the fourth photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the fourth transfer gate.

6. The image sensor according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a third output that includes a third gate which is connected to the third floating diffusion area and outputs a third signal based upon a voltage of the third floating diffusion area; and
a fourth output that includes a fourth gate which is connected to the fourth floating diffusion area and outputs a fourth signal based upon a voltage of the fourth floating diffusion area.

7. The image sensor according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a third signal line that outputs the third signal from the third output; and
a fourth signal line that outputs the fourth signal from the fourth output.

8. An image capturing device, comprising:
the image sensor according to claim 1 .

9. The image sensor according to claim 4 , wherein:
the first photoelectric conversion area and the second photoelectric conversion area are arranged side by side along a first direction; and
the third photoelectric conversion area and the fourth photoelectric conversion area are arranged side by side along a second direction different from the first direction.

10. An image sensor, comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion area that converts light from a first micro-lens, on which light enters, into an electric charge;
a second photoelectric conversion area that converts light from the first micro-lens into an electric charge;
a third photoelectric conversion area that converts light from a second micro-lens, on which light enters, into an electric charge;
a fourth photoelectric conversion area that converts light from the second micro-lens into an electric charge;
a first transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the first photoelectric conversion area;
a second transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the second photoelectric conversion area;
a third transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the third photoelectric conversion area; and
a fourth transfer gate that transfers the electric charge of the fourth photoelectric conversion area, wherein:
an installation position of the first transfer gate relative to the first photoelectric conversion area is different from an installation position of the second transfer gate relative to the second photoelectric conversion area; and
an installation position of the third transfer gate relative to the third photoelectric conversion area is different from an installation position of the fourth transfer gate relative to the fourth photoelectric conversion area.

11. The image sensor according to claim 10 , wherein:
the first photoelectric conversion area and the second photoelectric conversion area are arranged side by side along a first direction; and
the third photoelectric conversion area and the fourth photoelectric conversion area are arranged side by side along a second direction different from the first direction.

12. The image sensor according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a first floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the first photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the first transfer gate;
a second floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the second photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the second transfer gate;
a third floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the third photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the third transfer gate; and
a fourth floating diffusion area to which the electric charge from the fourth photoelectric conversion area is transferred by the fourth transfer gate.

13. The image sensor according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a first output that includes a first gate which is connected to the first floating diffusion area and outputs a first signal based upon a voltage of the first floating diffusion area;
a second output that includes a second gate which is connected to the second floating diffusion area and outputs a second signal based upon a voltage of the second floating diffusion area;
a third output that includes a third gate which is connected to the third floating diffusion area and outputs a third signal based upon a voltage of the third floating diffusion area; and
a fourth output that includes a fourth gate which is connected to the fourth floating diffusion area and outputs a fourth signal based upon a voltage of the fourth floating diffusion area.

14. The image sensor according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a first signal line that outputs the first signal from the first output;
a second signal line that outputs the second signal from the second output;
a third signal line that outputs the third signal from the third output; and
a fourth signal line that outputs the fourth signal from the fourth output.

15. An image capturing device, comprising

Assignees

• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Suzuki Satoshi

Classifications

• H04N5/3745

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/14641

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/3658

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/14812

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/378

  Electricity · mapped topic