A metal grid of a pixel array may be patterned with different sized openings over photodiodes. As a result, a uniform pixel array of photodiodes with different sensitivities may be formed. For example, the pixel array may include low-sensitivity photodiodes (LSPDs), mid-sensitivity photodiodes (MSPDs), and high-sensitivity photodiodes (HSPDs). The LSPDs, MSPDs, and HSPDs have different capture rates. Therefore, a higher dynamic range is achieved by combining signals from LSPDs, MSPDs, and HSPDs. For example, the pixel array may achieve a dynamic range of approximately 140 decibels or higher due to its increased capacity. Additionally, the pixel array exhibits better dark performance as compared to a pixel array with a combination of large photodiodes (LPDs) and small photodiodes (SPDs). Because each photodiode in the pixel array is approximately a same size, photodiode leakage is reduced as compared with irregular pixel arrays including a combination of LPDs and SPDs.

A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; and a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel unit includes first pixel groups having two or more pixels and second pixel groups being different from the first pixel groups, wherein a portion of the pixels in the first pixel groups and a portion of the pixels in the second pixel groups share a floating diffusion element.

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels and a driving circuitry provided around the pixel array and driving the plurality of unit pixels. Each of the plurality of unit pixels includes a first region ad a second region. The first region includes a first photodiode, a first transfer transistor connected to the first photodiode, a first floating diffusion node connected to the first transfer transistor, and a (1-1)-th contact connected to a second floating diffusion node, and the second region includes a second photodiode, a second transfer transistor connected to the second photodiode, a (1-2)-th contact electrically connected to the (1-1)-th contact through connection metal wiring, and a second contact provided to a third floating diffusion node connected to the second transfer transistor.

An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a first epitaxial layer disposed on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate and formed to have a first conductive type by an epitaxial growth process, a photoelectric conversion device disposed on the first epitaxial layer, the photoelectric conversion device having a second conductive type which differs from the first conductive type and a second epitaxial layer disposed between the photoelectric conversion device and a second surface of the semiconductor substrate and formed to have the second conductive type through the epitaxial growth process, wherein the photoelectric conversion device is an epitaxial layer of the second conductive type formed by the epitaxial growth process.

A photodetector according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a semiconductor layer, a plurality of pixels including a first pixel including a photoelectric conversion element provided in the semiconductor layer, and a trench provided between the plurality of pixels adjacent to each other in the semiconductor layer. The first pixel includes a transistor provided on a side of a first surface of the semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type, which is provided on the side of the first surface of the semiconductor layer, and a first contact that is electrically coupled to the first semiconductor region. The first semiconductor region is in contact with the transistor.

A back-illuminated sensor chip is disclosed, which includes one or more pixel areas each including a plurality of pixels located in a plane and arranged in a matrix. Each pixel area includes: a central portion consisting of a plurality of first pixels located in vicinity of a center of the pixel area; and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion and consisting of the other pixels in the pixel area than the first pixels. The plurality of first pixels have a first height in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane, and the pixels in the peripheral portion have a second height in the vertical direction that is greater than the first height so that the peripheral portion protrudes outward beyond the central portion and is thus located nearer to a light source during imaging than the central portion. As a result, light sensibility of the peripheral portion is increased.

A solid-state image pickup device includes: a photoelectric conversion element including a charge accumulation region, the photoelectric conversion element performing photoelectric conversion on incident light and accumulating, in the charge accumulation region, electric charge obtained through the photoelectric conversion; a charge-voltage conversion element accumulating the electric charge obtained through the photoelectric conversion; and a charge accumulation element adjacent to the photoelectric conversion element, part or all of the charge accumulation element overlapping the charge accumulation region, and the charge accumulation element adding capacitance to capacitance of the charge-voltage conversion element.

An imaging device whose dynamic range is broadened is provided. The imaging device includes a pixel including a first photoelectric conversion element and a first circuit including a second photoelectric conversion element. The first circuit switches the operation mode of the pixel to a normal imaging mode or a wide dynamic range mode and switches the operation region of the first photoelectric conversion element to a normal region or an avalanche region in accordance with the illuminance of light with which the second photoelectric conversion element is irradiated. When the illuminance of light with which the first photoelectric conversion element is irradiated is increased, the increase rate of a writing current flowing to the pixel is higher in the avalanche region than in the normal region. However, in the wide dynamic range mode, the increase rate of current can be lowered, and thus the dynamic range can be broadened.

Disclosed is a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixels and a plurality of on-chip lenses. The plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix pattern. Each of the pixels has a photoelectric conversion portion configured to photoelectrically convert light incident from a rear surface side of a semiconductor substrate. The plurality of on-chip lenses are arranged for every other pixel. The on-chip lenses are larger in size than the pixels. Each of color filters at the pixels where the on-chip lenses are present has a cross-sectional shape whose upper side close to the on-chip lens is the same in width as the on-chip lens and whose lower side close to the photoelectric conversion portion is shorter than the upper side.

A method for producing a semiconductor light receiving device includes the steps of growing a stacked semiconductor layer on a principal surface of a substrate, the stacked semiconductor layer including a light-receiving layer having a super-lattice structure, the super-lattice structure including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer that are stacked alternately; forming a mask on the stacked semiconductor layer; forming a mesa structure on the substrate by etching the stacked semiconductor layer using the mask so as to form a substrate product, the mesa structure having a side surface exposed in an atmosphere; forming a fluorinated amorphous layer on the side surface of the mesa structure by exposing the substrate product in fluorine plasma; and after the step of forming the fluorinated amorphous layer, forming a passivation film containing an oxide on the side surface of the mesa structure.