An image sensor is described having a pixel cell unit. The pixel cell unit has first, second and third transfer gate transistor gates on a semiconductor surface respectively coupled between first, second and third visible light photodiode regions and a first capacitance region. The pixel cell unit has a fourth transfer gate transistor gate on the semiconductor surface coupled between a first infrared photodiode region and a second capacitance region.

In one form, a pixel for use in image sensing comprises a photodetector, a sink device, and a readout circuit. The photodetector is formed in a semiconductor substrate and has a charge collection region for receiving photocharge representative of incident light. The sink device is formed in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the charge collection region and has a gate overlying and insulated from the semiconductor substrate and receiving a responsivity control signal. The readout circuit transfers the photocharge collected by the charge collection region of the photodetector to an output in response to a select signal. In another form, the pixel may be used in an image sensor having a pixel array of such pixels.

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.

A method, apparatus and system are described providing a high dynamic range pixel. An integration period has multiple sub-integration periods during which charges are accumulated in a photosensor and repeatedly transferred to a storage node, where the charges are accumulated for later transfer to another storage node for output.

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic device which efficiently capture incident light to improve sensitivity while maintaining the effect of suppressing noise generation. A memory is located on a side opposite from a light receiving surface and formed in the same substrate of Si as a photoelectric conversion element. The substrate including Si is defined by digging the Si deep from the light receiving surface, at a position where the memory is formed, and a bottom light-shielding film is formed at a bottom portion of the defined hole. The present disclosure is applicable to, for example, a stacked and back-illuminated solid-state imaging device.

The present invention provides a pixel circuit comprising a pinned photodiode, at least one first transfer gate for electrically connecting the pinned photodiode to at least one storage node and at least one further transfer gate. The at least one further gate can connect the at least one storage node with at least one floating diffusion node. At least one merging switch is included for allowing connection between the at least one floating diffusion node with one or more capacitor nodes, which can accept charge that exceeds the maximum storage capacity of the storage node.

One problem addressed by the present invention is to provide an optical sensor, a solid-state imaging device, and methods for reading the signals therefrom, which contribute greatly to the development of industry and the realization of a safer and more secure society. One solution according to the present invention is an optical sensor having a light-receiving element, storage capacitors that store a charge, and a transfer switch for transferring to the storage capacitors a charge generated by light input to the light-receiving element, wherein the storage capacitors are a floating diffusion capacitor and a lateral overflow integration capacitor, and the transfer switch is a non-LDD/MOS transistor, that is, a non-LDD/MOS transistor for which the impurity concentration of the drain region is reduced by 50%.

A solid state imaging device that includes a phase difference detection pixel which is a pixel for phase difference detection; a first imaging pixel which is a pixel for imaging and is adjacent to the phase difference detection pixel; and a second imaging pixel which is a pixel for imaging other than the first imaging pixel. An area of a color filter of the first imaging pixel is smaller than an area of a color filter of the second imaging pixel.

A solid state imaging device that includes a phase difference detection pixel which is a pixel for phase difference detection; a first imaging pixel which is a pixel for imaging and is adjacent to the phase difference detection pixel; and a second imaging pixel which is a pixel for imaging other than the first imaging pixel. An area of a color filter of the first imaging pixel is smaller than an area of a color filter of the second imaging pixel.

Improvement of noise characteristics is achievable. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (333) arranged in a two-dimensional grid shape in a matrix direction and each generating a charge corresponding to a received light amount, and a detection unit (400) that detects a photocurrent produced by the charge generated in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. A chip (201a) on which the photoelectric conversion elements are disposed and a chip (201b) on which at least a part of the detection unit is disposed are different from each other.