A solid-state imaging element and an electronic device are provided. A pixel at least includes a photoelectric conversion unit that performs photoelectric conversion, an FD unit to which charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit is transferred, and an amplification transistor that has a gate electrode to which the FD unit is connected. A reference signal is input to a MOS transistor. The reference signal is referred to when AD conversion is performed on a pixel signal according to an amount of light received by the pixel. Then, a shared structure is employed in which a predetermined number of pixels share an AD converter that includes a differential pair including the MOS transistor and the amplification transistor. Each of the pixels is provided with a selection transistor that is used to select a pixel for which AD conversion is performed on the pixel signal.

An image sensor according to an example embodiment include a plurality of image pixel groups, a plurality of auto focusing (AF) pixel groups, a first transmission control signal line connected to a first pixel of each of the plurality of image pixel groups, a second transmission control signal line connected to a second pixel of each of the plurality of image pixel groups, a third transmission control signal line connected to a first pixel of each of the plurality of AF pixel groups, and a fourth transmission control signal line connected to a second pixel of each of the plurality of AF pixel groups, wherein the fourth transmission control signal line is electrically separated from the first to the third transmission control signal line, and the each of the plurality of image pixel group and the plurality of AF pixel groups are disposed below a single microlens.

Provided is a solid-state image sensor and an electronic device capable of suppressing the occurrence of a strong electrical field near a transistor while being compact. The solid-state image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion element that performs photoelectric conversion, an element isolation that penetrates from a first main surface to a second main surface of a substrate and that is formed between pixels including the photoelectric conversion element, and a conductive part provided in close contact with a first main surface side of the element isolation.

A solid-state imaging device includes a transfer transistor and an element separation section. The transfer transistor includes a vertical gate electrode. At least a portion of the element separation section is disposed apart from the vertical gate electrode with a semiconductor layer interposed in between. The semiconductor layer has a high concentration of impurities of a first electrical conduction type. The element separation section includes an oxide film insulator.

Compact optical sources and methods for producing short and ultrashort optical pulses are described. A semiconductor laser or LED may be driven with a bipolar waveform to generate optical pulses with FWHM durations as short as approximately 85 ps having suppressed tail emission. The pulsed optical sources may be used for fluorescent lifetime analysis of biological samples and time-of-flight imaging, among other applications.

There is provided a solid-state imaging device that includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer gate, a floating diffusion unit, and a transistor. The photoelectric conversion unit produces a charge according to incident light. The transfer gate has a columnar shape having an opening that is continuous in a vertical direction, and transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion unit. The floating diffusion unit is formed extending to a region surrounded by the opening of the transfer gate, and converts the transferred charge into a voltage signal. The transistor is electrically connected to the floating diffusion unit via a diffusion layer.

An imaging device includes: pixels that are disposed in a row direction and a column direction and that include a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel along the row direction; a shield electrode located between the first pixel and the second pixel; a first shield via that extends from the shield electrode. The first pixel includes: a first photoelectric conversion layer that converts incident light to generate charge; and a first pixel electrode that collects the charge generated thereby. The second pixel includes: a second photoelectric conversion layer that converts incident light to generate charge; and a second pixel electrode that collects the charge generated thereby. The shield electrode is electrically isolated from the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode, and the first shield via is located between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode in a plan view.

A detection element, a manufacturing method thereof and a flat panel detector are disclosed. The detection element includes: a base substrate; a first electrode on the base substrate; a photoelectric conversion layer; a transparent electrode and a second electrode electrically connected with the transparent electrode on a side of the photoelectric conversion layer away from the first electrode. An orthographic projection of the photoelectric conversion layer on the base substrate completely falls within an orthographic projection of the first electrode on the base substrate, in a plane parallel to the base substrate, the transparent electrode is located at a middle portion of the photoelectric conversion, an orthographic projection of a portion of the photoelectric conversion layer not covered by the transparent electrode on the base substrate at least partially falls within an orthographic projection of the second electrode on the base substrate.

There is provided a light-detecting device. A light-detecting device includes a first substrate including a first electrode, a semiconductor layer, a first insulating film, and a via, and a second substrate that faces the first substrate and is electrically connected to the semiconductor layer through the via. The semiconductor layer includes a compound semiconductor material. The first electrode includes a first portion and the second portion. The first portion of the first electrode is in contact with the semiconductor layer, and the second portion is in contact with both the first insulating film and the via.

A ranging image sensor includes a semiconductor layer and an electrode layer. The semiconductor layer and the electrode layer form a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes an avalanche multiplication region, a charge distribution region, a first charge transfer region, and a second charge transfer region in the semiconductor layer. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photogate electrode, a first transfer gate electrode, and a second transfer gate electrode in the electrode layer. The avalanche multiplication region is continuous over the plurality of pixels or reaches a trench formed in the semiconductor layer so as to separate the plurality of pixels from each other.