Patent ID: 7465910
Filing Date: 2008-12-16
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid state imaging device comprising: a semiconductor substrate defining a two-dimensional surface; a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements disposed in a light receiving area of said semiconductor substrate in a plurality of rows and columns; color filters in a plurality of colors, each color filter being arranged in correspondence with each photoelectric conversion element, such that said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements comprise: a vertical electric charge transfer device that vertically transfers signal electric charges generated by the photoelectric conversion elements; a horizontal electric charge transfer device that horizontally transfers the signal electric charges transferred by the vertical electric charge transfer device; and an output device that outputs the signal electric charges transferred by the horizontal electric charge transfer device, wherein signal electric charges from at least two of said photoelectric conversion elements in said first, second and third rows which are adjacent in a horizontal direction are added, and wherein centers of gravity of said photoelectric conversion elements having added signal electric charges in said first row have a spatial phase that is shifted from a spatial phase of said photoelectric conversion elements having added signal electric charges in said second row and centers of gravity of said photoelectric conversion elements having added signal electric charges in said third row have a spatial phase that is shifted from a spatial phase of said photoelectric conversion elements having added signal electric charges in said first and second rows.