An image sensing device may include a pixel array. The pixel array includes a sensing region including a plurality of unit pixels, each unit pixel configured to detect incident light to generate photocharge indicative of the detected incident light, a bias field region doped with impurities and disposed along an edge of the sensing region and a contact portion connected to the bias field region to apply a bias voltage to the bias field region to move the photocharge in the sensing region.

A solid-state imaging element (100) includes a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit (600). The first and second photoelectric conversion units (500, 600) are joined at joint surfaces facing each other, and include an upper electrode (502, 602), a lower electrode (508A, 608), a photoelectric conversion film (504, 604), and a storage electrode (510, 610). The lower electrode (508A) of the first photoelectric conversion unit (500) is connected to a charge storage unit (314) via a first through electrode (460A, 460B) penetrating a semiconductor substrate (300). The lower electrode (608) of the second photoelectric conversion unit (600) is connected to the charge storage unit (314) via: a second electrode (673) provided on a joint surface of the second photoelectric conversion unit (600); a first electrode (573) provided on a joint surface of the first photoelectric conversion unit (500); a second through electrode (560) penetrating the first photoelectric conversion unit (500); and the first through electrode (460A, 460B).

A solid-state imaging device having a backside illuminated structure, includes: a pixel region in which pixels each having a photoelectric conversion portion and a plurality of pixel transistors are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix; an element isolation region isolating the pixels which is provided in the pixel region and which includes a semiconductor layer provided in a trench by an epitaxial growth; and a light receiving surface at a rear surface side of a semiconductor substrate which is opposite to a multilayer wiring layer.

Image sensors are provided. The image sensors may include a substrate including first, second, third and fourth regions, a first photoelectric conversion element in the first region, a second photoelectric conversion element in the second region, a third photoelectric conversion element in the third region, a fourth photoelectric conversion element in the fourth region, a first microlens at least partially overlapping both the first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and a second microlens at least partially overlapping both the third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensors may also include a floating diffusion region and first, second and third pixel transistors configured to perform different functions from each other. Each of the first, second and third pixel transistors may be disposed in at least one of first, second, third and fourth pixel regions. The first pixel transistor may include multiple first pixel transistors.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus and a driving method that can perform imaging at lower power consumption. By providing the solid-state imaging apparatus including a pixel array section on which a plurality of SPAD pixels is two-dimensionally arranged, in which in a case where illuminance becomes first illuminance higher than reference illuminance, a part of the SPAD pixels of the plurality of pixels arranged on the pixel array section is thinned, it is possible to image at lower power consumption. The present technology can be applied to an image sensor, for example.

A depth sensor includes a first pixel including a plurality of first photo transistors each receiving a first photo gate signal, a second pixel including a plurality of second photo transistors each receiving a second photo gate signal, a third pixel including a plurality of third photo transistors each receiving a third photo gate signal, a fourth pixel including a plurality of fourth photo transistors each receiving a fourth photo gate signal, and a photoelectric conversion element shared by first to fourth photo transistors of the plurality of first to fourth photo transistors.

An image sensor includes a substrate having a plurality of pixel regions and a deep device isolation pattern disposed in the substrate between the pixel regions. The pixel regions include first, second, third, and fourth pixel regions, which are adjacent to each other in first and second directions. The deep device isolation pattern includes first portions interposed between the first and second pixel regions and between the third and fourth pixel regions and spaced apart from each other in the second direction, and second portions interposed between the first and third pixel regions and between the second and fourth pixel regions and spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The first pixel region includes a first extended active pattern, which is extended to the second pixel region in the first direction and is disposed between the first portions of the deep device isolation pattern.

An image sensor comprises a first and second chips. The first chip includes a first semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer in the first semiconductor substrate, a color filter, a micro lens, a first transistor adjacent to the photoelectric conversion layer, a first insulating layer, and a first metal layer in the first insulating layer and connected to the first transistor. The second chip includes a second insulating layer, a second semiconductor substrate, a second transistor on the second semiconductor substrate, a second metal layer in the second insulating layer and connected to a gate structure of the second transistor through a gate contact, a landing metal layer below the second metal layer, and a through via in direct contact with the landing metal layer and vertically passing through the second semiconductor substrate. A width of the through via becomes narrower as the width approaches the third surface.

An image pickup element includes: a semiconductor substrate including a photoelectric conversion section for each pixel; a pixel separation groove provided in the semiconductor substrate; and a fixed charge film provided on a light-receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the fixed charge film includes a first insulating film and a second insulating film, the first insulating film being provided contiguously from the light-receiving surface to a wall surface and a bottom surface of the pixel separation groove, and the second insulating film being provided on a part of the first insulating film, the part corresponding to at least the light-receiving surface.

An image sensor includes: a first imaging region that captures an image of light entering through an optical system under a first imaging condition and generates a detection signal to perform focus detection of the optical system; and a second imaging region that captures an image of the light entering through the optical system under a second imaging condition other than the first imaging condition and generates an image signal.