An image sensor element includes a transfer transistor TX, a LOFIC select transistor LF, a photodiode PD, and a first overflow path OFP. The transfer transistor TX outputs a readout signal from a first end. The LOFIC select transistor LF includes a first end connected to a second end of the transfer transistor TX, and a second end connected to a capacitor. The photodiode PD is connected in common to a third end of the transfer transistor and a third end of the LOFIC select transistor LF. The first overflow path OFP is formed between the photodiode PD and a second end of the LOFIC select transistor LF. Each of the transfer transistor TX and the LOFIC select transistor LF is configured with a vertical gate transistor.

An inventive solid-state imaging apparatus is provided which can improve the efficiency of the electric carrier transfer from a photoelectric conversion portion to an electric-carrier accumulation portion. The solid-state imaging apparatus includes an active region having the photoelectric conversion portion, the electric-carrier accumulation portion, and a floating diffusion, and an element isolation region having an insulator defining the active region. In planer view, the width of the active region in the electric-carrier accumulation portion under a gate of the first transfer transistor is larger than the width of the active region in the photoelectric conversion portion under the gate of the first transfer transistor.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus that perform a stable overflow from a photodiode and prevent Qs from decreasing and color mixing from occurring. A solid-state imaging device according to an aspect of the present technology includes, at a light receiving surface side of a semiconductor substrate, a charge retention part that generates and retains a charge in response to incident light, an OFD into which the charge saturated at the charge retention part is discharged, and a potential barrier that becomes a barrier of the charge that flows from the charge retention part to the OFD, the OFD including a low concentration OFD and a high concentration OFD having different impurity concentrations of the same type, and the high concentration OFD and the potential barrier being formed at a distance. For example, the present technology is applicable to a CMOS image sensor.

A high dynamic range imaging pixel may include a photodiode that generates charge in response to incident light. When the generated charge exceeds a first charge level, the charge may overflow through a first transistor to a first storage capacitor. When the generated charge exceeds a second charge level that is higher than the first charge level, the charge may overflow through a second transistor. The charge that overflows through the second transistor may alternately be coupled to a voltage supply and drained or transferred to a second storage capacitor for subsequent readout. Diverting more overflow charge to the voltage supply may increase the dynamic range of the pixel. The amount of charge diverted to the voltage supply may therefore be updated to control the dynamic range of the imaging pixel.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic device capable of improving a saturation characteristic. A photo diode is formed on a substrate, and a floating diffusion accumulates a signal charge read from the photo diode. A plurality of vertical gate electrodes is formed from a surface of the substrate in a depth direction in a region between the photo diode and the floating diffusion, and an overflow path is formed in a region interposed between a plurality of vertical gate electrodes. The present technology may be applied to a CMOS image sensor.

Provided is an imaging apparatus that includes a pixel array portion, a plurality of unit pixels being arranged in the pixel array portion and a driving unit controls an operation of the unit pixel, in which the unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, a charge retention unit configured to retain a charge, a charge-voltage converter converts the charge into a voltage, a first transmitting unit transmits the charge from the photoelectric converter to the charge retention unit, a second transmitting unit transmits the charge from the photoelectric converter to the charge-voltage converter, and a third transmitting unit transmits the charge from the charge retention unit to the charge-voltage converter.

The present technology relates to an imaging device capable of preventing a decrease of sensitivity of the imaging device in a case where a capacitance element is provided in a pixel, a method of manufacturing an imaging device, and an electronic device. The imaging device includes, in a pixel, a photoelectric conversion element and a capacitance element accumulating an electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element. The capacitance element includes a first electrode including a plurality of trenches, a plurality of second electrodes each having a cross-sectional area smaller than a contact connected to a gate electrode of a transistor in the pixel, and buried in each of the trenches, and a first insulating film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode in each of the trenches. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a backside irradiation-type CMOS image sensor.

An image sensor including: a first photodiode; a first circuit including an overflow transistor and a first transfer transistor connected to the first photodiode, a switch element connected to the first transfer transistor and a capacitor disposed between the first transfer transistor and the switch element, wherein the capacitor is a physical capacitor; a second photodiode; and a second circuit including a second transfer transistor connected to the second photodiode, a reset transistor connected to an output of the first circuit and a driving transistor connected to the second transfer transistor and the output of the first circuit.

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: an overflow element group that accumulates a signal charge that overflows from a photodiode; and a floating diffusion layer that selectively holds a signal charge transferred from the photodiode and a signal charge transferred from the overflow element group. The overflow element group includes m groups (m≥2) connected in series in stages, each group including an overflow element and a storage capacitive element. An overflow element among the groups transfers, to the storage capacitive element included in the same group as the overflow element, a signal charge that overflows from the photodiode or a signal charge from an upstream storage capacitive element among the groups.

A CMOS image sensor has an image array as a matrix of unit pixels each including at least a photodiode, a memory for holding a charge stored in the photodiode, a floating diffusion region for converting the charge in the memory into a voltage, a first transfer gate for transferring the charge from the photodiode to the memory, a second transfer gate for transferring the charge from the memory to the floating diffusion region, and a resetting transistor for resetting the charge in the floating diffusion region. The unit pixels are driven to set the potential of a potential barrier at a boundary between the memory and the floating diffusion region to a potential such that a charge overflowing the memory is transferred to the floating diffusion region, when the first transfer gate is turned on. The CMOS image sensor operates in a global shutter mode for capturing moving images.