US 12,342,092 B2
Imaging apparatus
Junji Hirase, Osaka (JP); Takayoshi Yamada, Hyogo (JP); and Kazuko Nishimura, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jul. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/346,757.
Application 18/346,757 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2021/048521, filed on Dec. 27, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-005353 (JP), filed on Jan. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0171877 A1, May 23, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 23/667 (2023.01); H04N 25/57 (2023.01); H04N 25/59 (2023.01); H04N 25/60 (2023.01); H04N 25/63 (2023.01); H04N 25/65 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/77 (2023.01) [H04N 23/667 (2023.01); H04N 25/57 (2023.01); H04N 25/60 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
a photoelectric converter that generates charge through photoelectric conversion;
a charge accumulator in which the charge is accumulated; and
a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor including a first terminal, a second terminal and an oxide layer, wherein;
during exposure, the first terminal is electrically connected to the charge accumulator,
the oxide layer is located between the first terminal and the second terminal,
a C-V characteristic that is defined as a relation of a capacitance value of the MOS capacitor to an inter-terminal voltage includes an inflection point, the inter-terminal voltage being a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal, and
when a potential of the charge accumulator continuously changes, the inter-terminal voltage and the capacitance value continuously change across the inflection point.