Realization of an adequate hole accumulation layer and reduction in dark current are allowed to become mutually compatible. A solid-state imaging device 1 having a light-receiving portion 12 to photoelectrically convert incident light is characterized by including a film 21, which is disposed on a light-receiving surface 12s of the above-described light-receiving portion 12 and which lowers an interface state, and a film 22, which is disposed on the above-described film 21 to lower the interface state and which has a negative fixed charge, wherein a hole accumulation layer 23 is disposed on the light-receiving surface 12s side of the light-receiving portion 12.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor optical device including a substrate, a filter layer arranged on the substrate, and a semiconductor light receiving element arranged on the filter layer, wherein the filter layer includes a periodic structure through which a light of a desired wavelength range in incident light is transmitted, and which is constituted of different refractive index materials.

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.

Methods of measuring and calibrating the gain of a CCD imaging system are described. Charge injectors may be present on either side of an image sensor array that provide test charges to respective calibration VCCDs. Test charges may be transferred to upper and lower HCCDs during quad-output read out or to only the lower HCCD during dual-output or single-output read out. In each quadrant of the imaging system, test charges may be transferred to an EMCCD output or to a non-EMCCD output via a charge switch based on the magnitude of the test charges. The gains of all EMCCD outputs and non-EMCCD outputs in the imaging system may be calibrated against one another by adjusting the gain at each output when a discrepancy is detected between any two outputs.

Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise methods and apparatus for a CCD image sensor. The image sensor may comprise a center channel disposed along a horizontal center line of the pixel array for collecting and transferring charge. The center channel is electrically coupled to a lateral overflow drain. In various embodiments, the image sensor may comprise a light shield under a gap between neighboring microlenses, such as a gap along the center line, to block light, such as to maintain a uniform, spatial sampling pattern across the device. In various embodiments, the image sensor may comprise a barrier region disposed between the center channel and the lateral overflow drain, for example to prevent charge from the lateral overflow drain being injected back into the center channel and adjacent pixels.

A circuit may include an array of single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) cells, each SPAD cell configured to be selectively enabled by an activation signal. The circuit may include a control circuit configured to selectively enable a subset of the array of SPAD cells based on a measured count rate of the array of SPAD cells.

A socket includes a first base member that includes a module mount unit allowing a module including an imaging device and an object to be placed thereon and an electric connector that electrically connects the imaging device to an external apparatus, a second base member having an opening, and an engagement unit that causes the first base member to be engaged with the second base member under a condition that the module placed on the module mount unit is sandwiched by the first and second base members. When the first base member is engaged with the second base member by the engagement unit under a condition that the module placed on the module mount unit is sandwiched by the first base member and the second base member, the electric connector is electrically connected to the imaging device, and the object receives illumination light from a light source through the opening.

The present disclosure relates to an imaging device and an electronic device that make it possible to obtain a better pixel signal. A photoelectric conversion part that converts received light into a charge; a holding part that holds a charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion part; and a light shielding part that shields light between the photoelectric conversion part and the holding part are provided. The photoelectric conversion part, the holding part, and the light shielding part are formed in a semiconductor substrate. The light shielding part of a transfer region that transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion part to the holding part is formed as a non-penetrating light shielding part that does not penetrate the semiconductor substrate. The light shielding part other than the transfer region is formed as a penetrating light shielding part that penetrates the semiconductor substrate. The present technology is applicable to an imaging device.

A time of flight sensor includes at least one demodulation pixel. Each demodulation pixel includes a semiconductor substrate; a charge generation region in the semiconductor substrate, the charge generation region having a lateral extent, the charge generation region being configured to convert light into charge carriers; a light directing element in the charge generation region of the semiconductor substrate, the light directing element being configured to direct light through at least a portion of the lateral extent of the charge generation region; a collection region in the semiconductor substrate, the collection region being configured to collect the charge carriers generated in at least a portion of the lateral extent of the charge generation region, and a readout component in electrical communication with the collection region, the readout component being operable to control an electrical coupling between the charge generation region and the collection region.