Solid-state imaging device, method for driving the same, and electronic device for improved auto-focusing accuracy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200358-B2
Application number	US-202318531208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2023
Priority date	Sep 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, a method for driving the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device capable of improving auto-focusing accuracy by using a phase difference signal obtained by using a photoelectric conversion film. The solid-state imaging device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion portion having a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film. The upper electrode is divided into a first upper electrode and a second upper electrode. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a solid-state imaging device or the like.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light detecting device, comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion and a second photoelectric conversion portion of which positions in a height direction in a pixel are different,
wherein at least one of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside a semiconductor substrate,
wherein each of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion outputs a phase difference signal,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside the semiconductor substrate by a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film, and
wherein an electrode film which is formed in the same layer as that of the lower electrode of the first photoelectric conversion portion and which does not output the phase difference signal is connected to ground.

2. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are different in light-condensed spot diameter of incident light.

3. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are different in a degree of separation of incident light.

4. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are formed outside the semiconductor substrate by a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film.

5. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the second photoelectric conversion portion is formed in the semiconductor substrate.

6. The light detecting device according to claim 5 , wherein a charge generation region of the second photoelectric conversion portion becomes a region which is asymmetric with respect to an optical axis of the incident light by a light shielding film.

7. The light detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a third photoelectric conversion portion in the pixel.

8. A light detecting device, comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion and a second photoelectric conversion portion of which positions in a height direction in a pixel are different,
wherein at least one of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside a semiconductor substrate,
wherein each of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion outputs a phase difference signal,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside the semiconductor substrate by a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film, and
wherein the lower electrode is formed in a region which is asymmetric with respect to an optical axis of the incident light.

9. The light detecting device according to claim 8 , wherein the upper electrode is formed in a region facing the lower electrode.

10. The light detecting device according to claim 8 , wherein the photoelectric conversion film is formed in a region facing the lower electrode.

11. The light detecting device according to claim 8 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are different in light-condensed spot diameter of incident light.

12. The light detecting device according to claim 8 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are different in a degree of separation of incident light.

13. A signal processing method for a light detecting device including a first photoelectric conversion portion and a second photoelectric conversion portion of which positions in a height direction in a pixel are different,
wherein at least one of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion being formed outside a semiconductor substrate,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside the semiconductor substrate by a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film,
wherein an electrode film which is formed in the same layer as that of the lower electrode of the first photoelectric conversion portion and which does not output a phase difference signal is connected to ground, and
wherein the signal processing method comprising:
selecting at least one of phase difference signal output from the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion and detecting a phase difference.

14. An electronic device, comprising:
a light detecting device, comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion and a second photoelectric conversion portion of which positions in a height direction in a pixel are different,
wherein at least one of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside a semiconductor substrate,

wherein each of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion outputs a phase difference signal,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside the semiconductor substrate by a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film, and
wherein an electrode film which is formed in the same layer as that of the lower electrode of the first photoelectric conversion portion and which does not output the phase difference signal is connected to ground.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are different in light-condensed spot diameter of incident light.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are different in a degree of separation of incident light.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion are formed outside the semiconductor substrate by a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film.

18. An electronic device, comprising:
a light detecting device, comprising:
a first photoelectric conversion portion and a second photoelectric conversion portion of which positions in a height direction in a pixel are different,
wherein at least one of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside a semiconductor substrate,
wherein each of the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion outputs a phase difference signal,
wherein the first photoelectric conversion portion is formed outside the semiconduc

Assignees

• Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Hatano Keisuke
• Koga Fumihiko
• Yamaguchi Tetsuji
• Izawa Shinichiro

Classifications

• G02B7/34

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