Patent ID: 9494688
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: G01S

Claim Text:
1. A range sensor comprising: a light receiving region a planar shape of which is a rectangular shape having a pair of long sides opposed to each other in a first direction and a pair of short sides opposed to each other in a second direction; a plurality of signal charge collecting regions arranged as opposed to each other with the light receiving region in between in the first direction and as spatially separated from each other in the second direction, for collecting signal charge generated according to incident light; transfer electrodes each of which is arranged between the signal charge collecting region and the light receiving region and to which respective charge transfer signals of different phases are supplied; unnecessary charge collecting regions for collecting unnecessary charge generated; and unnecessary charge collecting gate electrodes arranged beside each of the long sides, as spatially separated from each other between the transfer electrodes arranged along the long side, for selectively performing blocking and opening of a flow of unnecessary charge into the unnecessary charge collecting regions, wherein each of the unnecessary charge collecting gate electrodes has a first electrode portion located between the unnecessary charge collecting region and the light receiving region, and a second electrode portion overlapping with the light receiving region and having a width in the second direction smaller than that of the first electrode portion.