Disclosed is an image sensor comprising a first semiconductor substrate that includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region, a first photoelectric conversion element on the first pixel region, a second photoelectric conversion element on the second pixel region, a first floating diffusion section on the first pixel region, a second floating diffusion section on the second pixel region, a first transfer gate electrode between the first photoelectric conversion element and the first floating diffusion section, a second transfer gate electrode between the second photoelectric conversion element and the second floating diffusion section, a second semiconductor substrate on the first semiconductor substrate, and pixel transistors connected to the first and second photoelectric conversion elements. A width of the second photoelectric conversion element is less than that of the first photoelectric conversion element. At least one of the pixel transistors is on the second semiconductor substrate.

A solid-state image pickup device has a first substrate and a second substrate in which circuit elements constituting pixels are arranged. The pixel includes: a pixel section that includes a photoelectric conversion element; a ground potential controller that switches a potential to which a circuit element included in the pixel section is grounded; and a reading section that outputs a signal corresponding to the signal charge as a pixel signal output by the pixel. The pixel section includes: the photoelectric conversion element; an amplification transistor that outputs an amplification signal amplified according to the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element; and a switch circuit that switches a ground of the amplification transistor according to a first output mode and a second output mode. The ground potential controller supplies a first potential in the first output mode and supplies a second potential in the second output mode.

A shared pixel includes a plurality of photo diode regions, a shared floating diffusion region, a plurality of transfer gates and a blooming layer. Each of the photo diode regions generates photo-charges in response to incident light. The photo diode regions are formed in a semiconductor substrate. The shared floating diffusion region is shared by the plurality of photo diode regions. The shared floating diffusion region is separated from the plurality of photo diode regions in the semiconductor substrate. Each of the transfer gates transfers the photo-charges of a corresponding photo diode region to the shared floating diffusion region in response to a transfer control signal. The blooming layer transfers overflow photo-charges to a power supply voltage node.

An imaging element comprises a photoelectric conversion unit formed in a pixel region and configured to convert light into electrical charge. Further, the imaging element includes a transistor formed in the pixel region and configured to transfer electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit. The photoelectric conversion unit of the imaging element may be connected to a well of the pixel region, where the well of the pixel region has a negative potential.

A solid-state image pickup device includes a semiconductor substrate in which photoelectric conversion units are arranged. An insulator is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The insulator has holes associated with the respective photoelectric conversion units. Members are arranged in the respective holes. A light-shielding member is disposed on the opposite side of one of the members from the semiconductor substrate, such that only the associated photoelectric conversion unit is shielded from light. In the solid-state image pickup device, the holes are simultaneously formed and the members are simultaneously formed.

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.

The ultraviolet sensor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer above the substrate, a surface of the dielectric layer that is provided for the incidence of ultraviolet radiation, a floating gate electrode in the dielectric layer and an electrically conductive control gate electrode near the floating gate electrode. The control gate electrode is insulated from the floating gate electrode. A sensor layer is formed by an electrically conductive further layer that is electrically conductively connected to the floating gate electrode. The control gate electrode is arranged outside a region that is located between the sensor layer and the surface provided for the incidence of ultraviolet radiation. The sensor layer is discharged by incident UV radiation and can be charged or discharged electrically by charging or discharging the floating gate electrode.

There is provided a semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer that includes an active region, semiconductor elements that are formed using the active region, connection regions that are obtained by metalizing parts of the semiconductor layer in an island shape isolated from the active region, an insulation film that is formed to cover one main surface side of the semiconductor layer, electrodes that are disposed to face the semiconductor elements and the connection regions via the insulation film, and contacts that penetrate through the insulation film to be selectively formed in portions according to necessity among portions that connect the semiconductor elements or the connection regions to the electrodes.

An imaging device capable of obtaining high-quality imaging data is provided. The imaging device includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit includes a photoelectric conversion element, a plurality of transistors including an amplifier transistor, and a plurality of capacitors. The second circuit includes a transistor. The third circuit includes a resistor and a transistor for controlling a current flowing in the resistor. The output signal of the imaging device is determined in accordance with the current flowing in the resistor. Variations in electrical characteristics of the amplifier transistor included in the first circuit can be compensated.