An image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material to convert image light into image charge, and a metal grid, including a metal shield that is coplanar with the metal grid, disposed proximate to a backside of the semiconductor material. The metal grid is optically aligned with the plurality of photodiodes to direct the image light into the plurality of photodiodes, and a contact pad is disposed in a trench in the semiconductor material. The contact pad is coupled to the metal shield to ground the metal shield.

A focusing EBCCD includes a control device positioned between a photocathode and a CCD. The control device has a plurality of holes therein, wherein the plurality of holes are formed perpendicular to a surface of the photocathode, and wherein a pattern of the plurality of holes is aligned with a pattern of pixels in the CCD. Each hole is surrounded by at least one first electrode, which is formed on a surface of the control device facing the photocathode. The control device may include a plurality of ridges between the holes. The control device may be separated from the photocathode by approximately half a shorter dimension of a CCD pixel or less. A plurality of first electrodes may be provided, wherein each first electrode surrounds a given hole and is separated from the given hole by a gap.

A solid state imaging device having a light sensing section that performs photoelectric conversion of incident light includes: an insulating layer formed on a light receiving surface of the light sensing section; a layer having negative electric charges formed on the insulating layer; and a hole accumulation layer formed on the light receiving surface of the light sensing section.

A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel having a photoelectric conversion element which generates a charge in response to incident light, a first transfer gate which transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion element to a charge holding section, and a second transfer gate which transfers the charge from the charge holding section to a floating diffusion. The first transfer gate includes a trench gate structure having at least two trench gate sections embedded in a depth direction of a semiconductor substrate, and the charge holding section includes a semiconductor region positioned between adjacent trench gate sections.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an image sensor integrated chip. The method may be performed by forming an image sensing element within a substrate, and forming an absorption enhancement structure over a back-side of the substrate. The absorption enhancement structure is selectively etched to concurrently define a plurality of grid structure openings and a ground structure opening within the absorption enhancement structure. A grid structure is formed within the plurality of grid structure openings and a ground structure is formed within the ground structure opening. The grid structure extends from over the absorption enhancement structure to a location within the absorption enhancement structure.

A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel having a photoelectric conversion element which generates a charge in response to incident light, a first transfer gate which transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion element to a charge holding section, and a second transfer gate which transfers the charge from the charge holding section to a floating diffusion. The first transfer gate includes a trench gate structure having at least two trench gate sections embedded in a depth direction of a semiconductor substrate, and the charge holding section includes a semiconductor region positioned between adjacent trench gate sections.

An imaging apparatus includes a pixel region having a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix, each of the unit pixels including first and second photoelectric conversion units, a reading controller configured to read first signals obtained by mixing signals output from the first and second photoelectric conversion units in rows of a first reading mode and read second signals at least including signals of the first photoelectric conversion units and third signals at least including signals of the second photoelectric conversion units in rows of a second reading mode, and an OB clamp processor configured to correct signals in the unit pixels included in an opening region in the pixel region based on signals output from the unit pixels included in a light shielding region in the pixel region. The OB clamp processor performs one of various correction processes depending on an imaging condition.

A thin-film transistor substrate may include a substrate, a transistor on the substrate, and including an active pattern, and a gate electrode insulated from the active pattern, and a first protection member on the transistor, and overlapping the transistor in a plan view.

Described herein are techniques that improve the collection and readout of charge carriers in an integrated circuit. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having pixels with a plurality of charge storage regions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits configured to substantially simultaneously collect and read out charge carriers, at least in part. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having a plurality of pixels configured to transfer charge carriers between charge storage regions within each pixel substantially at the same time. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits having three or more sequentially coupled charge storage regions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to integrated circuits capable of increased charge transfer rates. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for manufacturing and operating integrated circuits according to the other techniques described herein.

To prevent leakage of incident light to a charge holding unit of an imaging element. The pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit disposed on a side of the light receiving face of the semiconductor substrate, a charge holding unit disposed on a side different from the light receiving face of the semiconductor substrate, and a charge transfer unit that transfers a charge to the charge holding unit, and is configured to have a rectangular shape in a light receiving face view. The charge holding unit light shielding film is configured to have a band shape adjacent to three sides including a first side that is one of the sides of the rectangle and parallel to the first side in a light receiving face view, is adjacent to a semiconductor region including the charge transfer unit in a light receiving face view, and is disposed in the pixel between the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge holding unit to shield incident light. The charge transfer unit light shielding film is configured to have a band shape adjacent to three sides including a second side that is a side facing the first side in a light receiving face view and parallel to the second side, and is configured to be disposed in the pixel between the photoelectric conversion unit and the charge transfer unit to shield incident light and have a shape which has an end portion overlapping an end portion of the charge holding unit light shielding film in a light receiving face view.