Patent ID: 9641782
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: H01L,H04N

Claim:
1. A method of varying gain of an amplifying photoelectric conversion device, an amplifying photoelectric conversion cell or an amplifying photoelectric conversion array which includes: an amplifying photoelectric conversion part including a photoelectric conversion element and one or a plurality of transistor(s) each having a collector, a base and an emitter, the photoelectric conversion element being connected to a base of a transistor selected from the one or plurality of transistor(s), the photoelectric conversion element being an element which performs photoelectric conversion of optical information input including light intensity or light wavelength to an electric variable including electric current, electric charge, voltage or electric resistance variation, at least one of the collector(s) of the one or plurality of transistor(s) being a first output section, one of the emitter(s) of the one or plurality of transistor(s) being a second output section, the emitter(s) of the one or plurality of transistors other than the second output section being connected to the base(s) of the other transistor(s) further excluding the selected transistor, to the base of which the photoelectric conversion element is connected, and the electric variable resulting from the photoelectric conversion being obtained from the first output section or the second output section as an electric signal in the form of an amplified electric current or electric charge, or transformed and amplified electric current or electric charge, the method comprising: a step of providing the amplifying photoelectric conversion part with at least a first field-effect transistor having a first source, a first drain and a first gate, and the first source and the first drain of the first field-effect transistor being connected between the emitter of the one or plurality of transistor(s) and the base of the one or plurality of transistor(s), a step of applying a gain control electric potential to the first gate to vary gain of the electric signal obtained from the first output section or the second output section, wherein the first gate of the first field-effect transistor is not connected with the collectors of the one or plurality of transistor(s).