US 12,177,590 B2
Pixel circuit configured with global shutter ensuring sufficient saturated charges
Yoshiaki Tashiro, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
Appl. No. 17/776,977
Filed by SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
PCT Filed Dec. 2, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/044946
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/112154, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 10, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-218404 (JP), filed on Dec. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0394207 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 25/771 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 25/532 (2023.01); H04N 25/621 (2023.01); H04N 25/65 (2023.01); H01L 23/00 (2006.01); H04N 25/79 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/771 (2023.01) [H01L 27/14603 (2013.01); H01L 27/14694 (2013.01); H01L 27/14696 (2013.01); H04N 25/532 (2023.01); H04N 25/623 (2023.01); H04N 25/65 (2023.01); H01L 24/05 (2013.01); H01L 24/06 (2013.01); H01L 24/08 (2013.01); H01L 24/16 (2013.01); H01L 27/14634 (2013.01); H01L 27/14645 (2013.01); H01L 2224/05647 (2013.01); H04N 25/79 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detecting device, comprising:
a photoelectric conversion region configured to generate a photoelectric charge;
a sense node, wherein the sense node is connected to the photoelectric conversion region, wherein the sense node includes a first capacitive element connected to a first voltage source, and wherein the sense node holds the photoelectric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion region;
a floating diffusion configured to hold the photoelectric charge transferred from the sense node, wherein the floating diffusion includes a second capacitive element connected to the first voltage source;
a transfer transistor between the sense node and the floating diffusion, wherein the transfer transistor is configured to selectively connect the sense node to the floating diffusion to transfer the photoelectric charge held in the sense node to the floating diffusion; and
an amplifier transistor between the floating diffusion and a signal line, wherein the amplifier transistor is configured to selectively cause a pixel signal of a voltage value corresponding to a charge amount of the photoelectric charge held in the floating diffusion to appear on the signal line, and wherein a first capacitance of the sense node approximates a second capacitance of the floating diffusion.