Solid state image sensing device

Abstract

A solid-state image sensing device comprising a photoelectric converter portion, a solid-state image sensor, and a controlling means. The photoelectric converter portion has a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in two dimensions on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image sensor vertically transfers charges, transferred from the photoelectric converter portion, at separate times of first transfer and second transfer. Further, the photoelectric converter portion has a vertical transfer portion, in which first and fourth gates are provided for odd-numbered photoelectric converters, and second and third gates are provided for even-numbered photoelectric converters, and a horizontal transfer portion for horizontally transferring charges transferred from the vertical transfer portion. The controlling means supplies the vertical transfer portion with vertical transfer pulses and the horizontal transfer portion with horizontal transfer pulses. The controlling means transfers charges from the photoelectric converter portion to the vertical transfer portion such that the charges of odd-numbered pixels and the charges of even-numbered pixels are each transferred in a lump, respectively.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A solid-state image sensing device comprising: 
 a) a photoelectric converter portion having a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in two dimensions on a semiconductor substrate;    b) a solid-state image sensor having: 
 a vertical transfer portion for vertically transferring charges, transferred from said photo-electric converter portion, at separate timing of first transfer and second transfer, in which first and fourth gates are provided for odd-numbered photoelectric converters of said photoelectric converter portion and second and third gates are provided for even-numbered photoelectric converters of said photoelectric converter portion; and  
 a horizontal transfer portion for horizontally transferring charges transferred from said vertical transfer portion; and  
   c) controlling means for supplying said vertical transfer portion with vertical transfer pulses and supplying said horizontal transfer portion with horizontal transfer pulses, wherein    said controlling means, in order to transfer charges from said photoelectric converter portion to said vertical transfer portion,    i) generates vertical transfer pulses, 
 first when the first and fourth gates of said vertical transfer portion, corresponding to photoelectric converters of odd-numbered pixels to be transferred, are turned on to store charges, for vertically transferring the charges of odd-numbered pixels on the gates in a lump and,  
 next when the second and third gates of said vertical transfer portion, corresponding to photoelectric converters of even-numbered pixels to be transferred, are turned on to store charges, for vertically transferring the charges of even-numbered pixels on the gates in a lump, or  
   ii) generates vertical transfer pulses, 
 first when the second and third gates of said vertical transfer portion, corresponding to photoelectric converters of even-numbered pixels to be transferred, are turned on to store charges, for vertically transferring the charges of even-numbered pixels on the gates in a lump and,  
 next when the first and fourth gates of said vertical transfer portion, corresponding to photoelectric converters of odd-numbered pixels to be transferred, are turned on to store charges, for vertically transferring the charges of odd-numbered pixels on the gates in a lump.  
   
     
     
         2 . A solid-state image sensing device comprising: 
 a) a photoelectric converter portion having a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in two dimensions on a semiconductor substrate;    b) a pixel portion having a vertical transfer portion for vertically transferring signal charges of said photo-electric converter portion at separate timing of first transfer and second transfer; and    a solid-state image sensor provided by one of    c) a solid-state image sensor having: 
 c1) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;  
 c2) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer; and  
 c3) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer, and  
   c′) another solid-state image sensor having: 
 c′1) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;  
 c′2) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer; and  
 c′3) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer; and  
   d) controlling means for supplying vertical transfer pulses for vertically transferring charges to each of said dummy portion, said pixel portion, said first charge memory portion, and said second charge memory portion of said solid-state image sensing device, wherein    said controlling means generates vertical transfer pulses including additional pulses corresponding to the number of pixels of said dummy portion such that undesired charges occurring in said dummy portion are transferred to said first charge memory portion at the time of first transfer, and    generates an instructing control signal to allow the undesired charges to be abandoned when the undesired charges are delivered from said solid-state image sensor.    
     
     
         3 . A solid-state image sensing device comprising: 
 a) a photoelectric converter portion having a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in two dimensions on a semiconductor substrate;    b) a pixel portion having a vertical transfer portion for vertically transferring signal charges of said photoelectric converter portion at separate timing of first transfer and second transfer; and    a solid-state image sensor provided by one of    c) a solid-state image sensor having: 
 c1) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;  
 c2) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer; and  
 c3) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer, and  
   c′) another solid-state image sensor having: 
 c′1) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;  
 c′2) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer; and  
 c′3) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer; and  
   d) controlling means for supplying vertical transfer pulses for vertically transferring charges to each of said dummy portion, said pixel portion, said first charge memory portion, and said second charge memory portion of said solid-state image sensing device, wherein    said controlling means, after charges in said first charge memory portion and second charge memory portion have been transferred, temporarily stops generation of vertical transfer pulses supplied to said first and second charge memory portions, whereupon generates vertical transfer pulses additionally to allow undesired charges corresponding to the pixels of said dummy portion to be time-compressed and transferred at high speed to gates at the starting end of said first charge memory portion and generates an instructing control signal to allow the undesired charges stored in the gates at the starting end to be abandoned when the charges are delivered.    
     
     
         4 . A solid-state image sensing device comprising: 
 a) a photoelectric converter portion having a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in two dimensions on a semiconductor substrate;    b) a pixel portion having a vertical transfer portion for vertically transferring charges of said photoelectric converter portion at separate times of first transfer and second transfer;    c) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;    a solid-state image sensor provided by one of    d) a solid-state image sensor having: 
 d1) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer;  
 d2) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer; and  
 d3) a horizontal transfer portion for horizontally transferring charges vertically transferred from said first charge memory portion and second charge memory portion sequentially, and  
   d′) another solid-state image sensor having: 
 d′1) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer;  
 d′2) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer; and  
 d′3) a horizontal transfer portion for horizontally transferring charges vertically transferred from said first charge memory portion and second charge memory portion sequentially; and  
   e) controlling means for supplying vertical transfer pulses for vertically transferring charges to each of said dummy portion, said pixel portion, said first charge memory portion, and said second charge memory portion of said solid-state imaging device and also supplying horizontal transfer pulses for horizontally transferring signal charges stored in said horizontal transfer portion, wherein    said controlling means, at the time of first transfer, generates vertical transfer pulses including additional pulses corresponding to the number of pixels of said dummy portion such that undesired charges occurring in said dummy portion are transferred to said first charge memory portion, further generates vertical transfer pulses for transferring undesired charges stored in said first and second charge memory portions to said horizontal transfer portion during predetermined periods of horizontal scanning interval, even at the time other than the time periods of high speed transfer of charges for sweeping out undesired charges, and then generates an instructing control signal to allow the undesired charge signals to be abandoned when the undesired charge signals are delivered from said solid-state image sensor.    
     
     
         5 . A solid-state image sensing device comprising: 
 a) a photoelectric converter portion having a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in two dimensions on a semiconductor substrate;    b) a pixel portion having a vertical transfer portion for vertically transferring charges of said photo-electric converter portion at separate timing of first transfer and second transfer; and    a solid-state image sensor provided by one of    c) a solid-state image sensor having: 
 c1) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;  
 c2) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer; and  
 c3) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer, and  
   c′) another solid-state image sensor having: 
 c′1) a dummy portion disposed adjacent to said pixel portion in a photo-shielded state and having photoelectric converters which are similar to those in said photoelectric converter portion;  
 c′2) a first charge memory portion for storing charges of even-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of first transfer; and  
 c′3) a second charge memory portion for storing charges of odd-numbered pixels vertically transferred from said pixel portion at the time of second transfer; and  
   d) controlling means for supplying vertical transfer pulses for vertically transferring charges to each of said pixel portion, said first charge memory portion, and said second charge memory portion of said solid-state image sensing device, wherein said first and second charge memory portions are configured such that odd-numbered gates constituting each of the charge memory portions are formed of first poly-silicon gates and even-numbered gates constituting each of the charge memory portions are formed of second poly-silicon gates being different in shape from said first poly-silicon gate, and    said controlling means delivers a control signal such that charges are stored in the poly-silicon gates which produce smaller dark currents.    
     
     
         6 . The solid-state image sensing device according to    claim 5   , wherein said controlling means generates a control signal which controls to select poly-silicon gate to be used between said first poly-silicon gates and said second poly-silicon gates.