A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric converting units and a plurality of charge-accumulating units each accumulating a charge generated in the corresponding photoelectric converting unit. The photoelectric converting unit includes a photosensitive region that generates the charge in accordance with light incidence, and an electric potential gradient forming unit that accelerates migration of charge in a second direction in the photosensitive region. The charge-accumulating unit includes: a plurality of regions (semiconductor layers) having an impurity concentration gradually changed in one way in the second direction, and electrodes adapted to apply electric fields to the plurality of regions. Each of the electrodes is disposed over the plurality of regions having the impurity concentration gradually varied.

A solid-state image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a photoelectric conversion element converting incident light into a charge and a charge retaining section temporarily retaining the charge photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element and a light shielding section having an embedded section extending in at least a region between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge retaining section of the semiconductor substrate.

An image sensor may include a substrate including a plurality of unit pixel regions and having first and second surfaces facing each other. Each of the unit pixel regions may include a plurality of floating diffusion parts spaced apart from each other in the substrate, storage nodes provided in the substrate to be spaced apart from and facing the floating diffusion parts, a transfer gate adjacent to a region between the floating diffusion parts and the storage nodes, and photoelectric conversion parts sequentially stacked on one of the first and second surfaces. Each of the photoelectric conversion parts may include common and pixel electrodes respectively provided on top and bottom surfaces thereof and each pixel electrode may be electrically connected to a corresponding one of the storage nodes.

A photocathode is formed on a monocrystalline silicon substrate having opposing illuminated (top) and output (bottom) surfaces. To prevent oxidation of the silicon, a thin (e.g., 1-5 nm) boron layer is disposed directly on the output surface using a process that minimizes oxidation and defects. An optional second boron layer is formed on the illuminated (top) surface, and an optional anti-reflective material layer is formed on the second boron layer to enhance entry of photons into the silicon substrate. An optional external potential is generated between the opposing illuminated (top) and output (bottom) surfaces. The photocathode forms part of novel electron-bombarded charge-coupled device (EBCCD) sensors and inspection systems.

A solid-state image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a photoelectric conversion element converting incident light into a charge and a charge retaining section temporarily retaining the charge photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element and a light shielding section having an embedded section extending in at least a region between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge retaining section of the semiconductor substrate.

A solid-state image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a photoelectric conversion element converting incident light into a charge and a charge retaining section temporarily retaining the charge photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element and a light shielding section having an embedded section extending in at least a region between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge retaining section of the semiconductor substrate.

An image sensor may include a substrate including a plurality of unit pixel regions and having first and second surfaces facing each other. Each of the unit pixel regions may include a plurality of floating diffusion parts spaced apart from each other in the substrate, storage nodes provided in the substrate to be spaced apart from and facing the floating diffusion parts, a transfer gate adjacent to a region between the floating diffusion parts and the storage nodes, and photoelectric conversion parts sequentially stacked on one of the first and second surfaces. Each of the photoelectric conversion parts may include common and pixel electrodes respectively provided on top and bottom surfaces thereof and each pixel electrode may be electrically connected to a corresponding one of the storage nodes.

An image sensor may include a substrate including a plurality of unit pixel regions and having first and second surfaces facing each other. Each of the unit pixel regions may include a plurality of floating diffusion parts spaced apart from each other in the substrate, storage nodes provided in the substrate to be spaced apart from and facing the floating diffusion parts, a transfer gate adjacent to a region between the floating diffusion parts and the storage nodes, and photoelectric conversion parts sequentially stacked on one of the first and second surfaces. Each of the photoelectric conversion parts may include common and pixel electrodes respectively provided on top and bottom surfaces thereof and each pixel electrode may be electrically connected to a corresponding one of the storage nodes.

A solid-state image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a photoelectric conversion element converting incident light into a charge and a charge retaining section temporarily retaining the charge photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element and a light shielding section having an embedded section extending in at least a region between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge retaining section of the semiconductor substrate.

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric converting units and a plurality of charge-accumulating units each accumulating a charge generated in the corresponding photoelectric converting unit. The photoelectric converting unit includes a photosensitive region that generates the charge in accordance with light incidence, and an electric potential gradient forming unit that accelerates migration of charge in a second direction in the photosensitive region. The charge-accumulating unit includes: a plurality of regions (semiconductor layers) having an impurity concentration gradually changed in one way in the second direction, and electrodes adapted to apply electric fields to the plurality of regions. Each of the electrodes is disposed over the plurality of regions having the impurity concentration gradually varied.