Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11937002-B2
Application number	US-202218053733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2022
Priority date	Jul 10, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus capable of achieving both of a high dynamic range operation and an auto focus operation in a pixel configuration in which a plurality of unit pixels includes two or more subpixels. The solid-state imaging device includes a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels including two or more subpixels, a second pixel separation region that separates each of the plurality of unit pixels separated by the first pixel separation region and an overflow region that causes signal charges accumulated in the subpixels to overflow to at least one of adjacent subpixels, in which the overflow region is formed between a first subpixel and a second subpixel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels, wherein each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels includes at least two subpixels;
a second pixel separation region that separates each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels into the at least two subpixels;
an overflow region configured to control a plurality of signal charges in each subpixel of the at least two subpixels to overflow to at least one adjacent subpixel of the at least two subpixels, wherein the overflow region is between a first subpixel of the at least two subpixels and a second subpixel of the at least two subpixels;
a first P-type region in a depth direction inside the first pixel separation region;
a second P-type region in the depth direction around the second pixel separation region; and
an N-type region between the first P-type region and the second P-type region, wherein
the first pixel separation region, the overflow region, and the second pixel separation region are included in a cross section in which a region of a unit pixel that is not separated by the second pixel separation region is cut along an incident direction of light, and
the overflow region has at least one of:
a third P-type region whose impurity concentration is lower than an average impurity concentration of the first P-type region,
a fourth P-type region whose impurity concentration is lower than an average impurity concentration of the second P-type region, or
a fifth N-type region between the third P-type region and the fourth P-type region.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second pixel separation region separates each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels into a plurality of subpixels of 2×2, and
the plurality of subpixels includes the at least two subpixels.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the second pixel separation region has a cross shape.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first pixel separation region is in a threshold distance from the second pixel separation region in a specific region of the solid-state imaging device, and
the specific region includes the overflow region.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the first pixel separation region has a width one of same or different from the second pixel separation region having the cross shape.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein at least a part of the second pixel separation region having the cross shape is connected to the first pixel separation region.

7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a transfer gate configured to execute a voltage control to cause the plurality of signal charges to overflow.

8. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , further comprising a power supply configured to supply voltages of at least three values to the transfer gate.

9. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 8 , further comprising a boosting circuit configured to boost and step down a voltage of the voltages supplied to the transfer gate.

10. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a silicon substrate;
a light receiving surface configured to receive light; and
a photoelectric conversion element on the silicon substrate, wherein the photoelectric conversion element is configured to accumulate the plurality of signal charges, wherein
the second pixel separation region penetrates from the light receiving surface to the silicon substrate.

11. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels, wherein each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels includes at least two subpixels;
a second pixel separation region that separates each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels into the at least two subpixels;
a first light condensing portion that covers entirety of a unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels, wherein the first light condensing portion is a lens; and
a plurality of second light condensing portions, wherein each second light condensing portion covers a respective subpixel of the at least two subpixels, wherein
a second light condensing portion of the plurality of second light condensing portions includes:
a light shielding portion above the first pixel separation region and the second pixel separation region; and
a light transmitting layer above a subpixel of the at least two subpixels,

the light shielding portion above the first pixel separation region includes a material having a lower refractive index than a metal, and
the light shielding portion provided above the second pixel separation region includes a material having a lower refractive index than the light transmitting layer.

12. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 11 , wherein the first light condensing portion and the second light condensing portion are lenses.

13. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 11 , wherein
the second light condensing portion includes an intermediate layer that is between the first light condensing portion and the light transmitting layer, and
the second light condensing portion includes a material having a higher refractive index than the first light condensing portion and a lower refractive index than the light transmitting layer.

14. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 11 , further comprising a color filter between a subpixel of the at least two subpixels and the second light condensing portion.

15. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a solid-state imaging device that includes:
a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels, wherein each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels includes at least two subpixels;
a second pixel separation region that separates each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels into the at least two subpixels;
an overflow region configured to control a plurality of signal charges in each subpixel of the at least two subpixels to overflow to at least one adjacent subpixel of the at least two subpixels, wherein the overflow region is between a first subpixel of the at least two subpixels and a second subpixel of the at least two subpixels;
a first P-type region in a depth direction inside the first pixel separation region;
a second P-type region in the depth direction around the second pixel separation region; and
an N-type region between the first P-type region and the second P-type region, wherein
the first pixel separation region, the overflow region, and the second pixel separation region are included in a cross section in which a region of a unit pixel that is not separated by the second pixel separation region is cut along an incident direction of light, and
the overflow region has at least one of:
a third P-type region whose impurity concentration is lower than an average impurity concentration of the first P-type region,
a fourth P-type region whose impurity concentration is lower than an average impurity concentration of the second P-type region, or
a fifth N-type region between the third P-type region and the fourth P-type region.

16. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels, wherein each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels includes at least two subpixels;
a second pixel separation region that separates each unit pixel of the plurality of

Assignees

• Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Yamashita Hirofumi
• Shimada Shohei
• Otake Yusuke
• Tanaka Yusuke
• Wakano Toshifumi

Classifications

• H10F39/803

  Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements · CPC title

• H10F39/1865

  Overflow drain structures · CPC title

• H10F39/8063

  Microlenses · CPC title

• H10F39/8037

  the integrated elements comprising a transistor · CPC title

• H10F39/802

  Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes · CPC title