There is provided an imaging device configured to acquire an image with the restrained influence of the blinking state of a light source while ensuring synchronicity of charge accumulation. For a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows, the imaging device intermittently turns on a first transfer switch at a same timing a plurality of times to transfer electric charges from a photoelectric conversion unit to a holding unit a plurality of times. The imaging device row-sequentially turns on a second transfer switch of the plurality of pixels to transfer electric charges transferred a plurality of times to and held by the holding unit, to an amplifying unit on a row basis.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a first substrate having a first semiconductor device layer including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a well, and a second substrate having a second semiconductor device layer including a circuit configured to process signals obtained by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, wherein the first and second substrates are laminated together, wherein the first semiconductor device layer includes an effective pixel region, an optical black pixel region, and an outer periphery region, wherein, in a planar view, a light-blocking region formed by a light-blocking layer overlaps the optical black pixel region, and the light-blocking region does not overlap the outer periphery region, wherein the outer periphery region has a charge draining region including a semiconductor region of the same conductivity type as a signal charge, and wherein a fixed potential is supplied to the charge draining region.

A solid-state image pickup device is provided which can inhibit degradation of image quality which may occur when a global electronic shutter operation is performed. A gate drive line for a first transistor of gate drive lines for pixel transistors is positioned in proximity to a converting unit.

An imaging device includes: a photoelectric conversion region that generates photovoltaic power for each pixel depending on irradiation light; and a first element isolation region that is provided between adjacent photoelectric conversion regions in a state of surrounding the photoelectric conversion region.

A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion element, a floating diffusion layer, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, and an amplifier transistor, and a control unit configured to supply a first voltage to a gate of the reset transistor when the charges are accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element, the first voltage being set between a second voltage and a third voltage; subsequently supply the second voltage to the gate of the reset transistor when the reset transistor is turned on in order to reset the potential of the floating diffusion layer, and subsequently supply the third voltage to the gate of the reset transistor when the amplifier transistor outputs the signal based on the potential of the floating diffusion layer.

An image sensor includes at least one pixel with a transfer gate that is controllable among at least three biasing conditions, including a first biasing condition in which electrons are transferable from a photodiode to a potential well under the transfer gate, a second biasing condition in which the electrons are confined in the potential well under the transfer gate, and a third biasing condition in which the electrons are transferable out of the potential well under the transfer gate. The pixel includes a p+ type doped barrier implant located at least partially under a portion of the transfer gate, and a pinned charge transfer barrier located on the opposite side of the transfer gate from the photodiode that includes a p+ type doped region and an n-type doped region. The image sensor can operate in a global shutter mode and/or a rolling shutter mode.

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.

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 method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor, including a first transistor for transferring charges from a charge accumulation region to a first charge holding region and a second transistor for transferring charges from the first charge holding region to a second charge holding region, the method comprising forming, on the semiconductor substrate, a resist pattern having a opening on the first charge holding region, and injecting a impurity via the opening so as to make the first charge holding region be a buried type, wherein the impurity is injected such that an impurity region, which makes the first charge holding region be a buried type, is formed at a position away from an end of the gate electrode of the second transistor.

Provided are a solid-state image sensor and an electronic information device capable of effectively reducing the occurrence of pseudo-smear by adopting a simple configuration and operation. A solid-state image sensor 1 includes multiple pixel circuit units P.sub.N and P.sub.OB, each including a photoelectric conversion unit that generates charges via photoelectric conversion and accumulates the generated charges, a floating diffusion unit that retains charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer unit through which charges accumulated by the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to the floating diffusion unit, an output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the amount of charges retained by the floating diffusion unit, and a reset unit that discharges charges retained by the floating diffusion unit to the outside; and an A/D conversion unit 23 that acquires a signal output from the output unit and performs A/D conversion on the acquired signal using a set gain. At least one of the pixel circuit units P.sub.N and P.sub.OB is configured such that charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit to the floating diffusion unit and retained by the floating diffusion unit are limited so as not to exceed an upper limit amount which is set to be smaller by the extent of an increase in the gain.