An integrated circuit includes a photodetection region configured to receive incident photons. The photodetection region is configured to produce a plurality of charge carriers in response to the incident photons. The integrated circuit also includes at least one charge carrier storage region. The integrated circuit also includes a charge carrier segregation structure configured to selectively direct charge carriers of the plurality of charge carriers into the at least one charge carrier storage region based upon times at which the charge carriers are produced.

A solid-state image sensor includes: a pixel array that includes first pixels, each having first and second photoelectric conversion units, and second pixels, each having third and fourth photoelectric conversion units; first to fourth transfer gates via which a signal charge respectively generated in the first to fourth photoelectric conversion units is respectively transferred to first to fourth charge voltage conversion units. At least one of a gate width, a gate length and an installation position of at least one transfer gate among the first to fourth transfer gates is altered to achieve uniformity in voltage conversion efficiency at the first to fourth charge voltage conversion units.

An image sensor with a pinned photodiode includes a photodiode formed in a substrate by implanting dopants of a first type through one or more dielectric layers formed over the substrate. A pinning layer for the photodiode may be formed by implanting dopants of a second type through the same one or more dielectric layers. The pinning layer may be formed over a photodiode region of the substrate. The concentration of dopants of the second type may have a maximum value in dielectric layers over the photodiode that exceeds the concentration of dopants of the second type in the substrate below. The photodiode and pinning layer may both be formed by implanting ions of the first and second type respectively through a dielectric layer formed after etching away a portion of another dielectric layer, having a different thickness, and having different optical transmission properties than the another dielectric layer.

This solid-state imaging device 100 has: a photosensitive part that includes pixel portions 211, which are disposed in a matrix, and charge transfer parts 212 for transferring, by the column, the signal charge of the pixel portions; a plurality of charge storage parts 220 that accumulate the signal charges transferred by the plurality of charge transfer parts of the photosensitive part; a relay part 240 that relays the transfer of the signal charges transferred by the plurality of charge transfer parts to each charge storage part; an output part 230 that outputs the signal charges of the plurality of charge storage parts as electric signals; a first substrate 110 at which the photosensitive unit 210 is formed; and a second substrate 120 at which the charge storage part 220 and output unit 230 are formed. The first substrate and second substrate are stacked together, and the relay part 240 electrically couples the charge transfer parts of the first substrate to the charge storage parts of the second substrate by means of a connecting parts passing through the substrates outside the photosensitive region of the photosensitive part.

An image sensor includes a control circuit and pixels. Each pixel includes: a photosensitive area, a substantially rectangular storage area adjacent to the photosensitive area, and a read area. First and second insulated vertical electrodes electrically connected to each other are positioned opposite each other and delimit the storage area. The first electrode extends between the storage area and the photosensitive area. The second electrode includes a bent extension opposite a first end of the first electrode, with the storage area emerging onto the photosensitive area on the side of the first end. The control circuit operates to apply a first voltage to the first and second electrodes to perform a charge transfer, and a second voltage to block said transfer.

There is used an XY address type solid-state image pickup element (for example, a MOS type image sensor) in which two rows and two columns are made a unit, and color filters having a color coding of repetition of the unit (repetition of two verticals (two horizontals) are arranged, and when a thinning-out read mode is specified, a clock frequency of a system is changed to 1/9, and on the basis of the changed clock frequency, a pixel is selected every three pixels in both a row direction and a column direction to successively read out a pixel signal.

An imaging element includes a plurality of pixels that are two-dimensionally arranged and each have a light receiving part including a photoelectric conversion element and a light collecting part that collects incident light toward the light receiving part. Each of the light collecting parts in the plurality of pixels includes an optical functional layer having, in a surface, a specific projection and depression structure depending on the pixel position.

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.

An object of the present invention is to prevent a sensitivity difference between pixels. There are disposed plural unit cells each including plural photodiodes 101A and 101B, plural transfer MOSFETs 102A and 102B arranged corresponding to the plural photodiodes, respectively, and a common MOSFET 104 which amplifies and outputs signals read from the plural photodiodes. Each pair within the unit cell, composed of the photodiode and the transfer MOSFET provided corresponding to the photodiode, has translational symmetry with respect to one another. Within the unit cell, there are included a reset MOSFET and selecting MOSFET.

An image sensor including a control circuit and a plurality of pixels, each pixel including: a photosensitive area, a substantially rectangular storage area adjacent to the photosensitive area, and a read area; first and second insulated vertical electrodes electrically connected to each other, opposite each other, and delimiting the storage area, the first electrode extending between the storage area and the photosensitive area, the second electrode including a bent extension opposite a first end of the first electrode, the storage area emerging onto the photosensitive area on the side of the first end, the control circuit being capable of applying a first voltage to the first and second electrodes to perform a charge transfer, and a second voltage to block said transfer.