Patent ID: 7928477
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state imaging apparatus having a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, and a plurality of pixels arranged in a pixel region of the semiconductor substrate, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion region and an amplifying transistor for amplifying a signal based on a signal carrier generated in the photoelectric conversion region and for outputting an amplified signal, performing a vertical over flow drain operation, wherein the pixel region includes: a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type for forming a part of the photoelectric conversion region; a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type for accumulating the carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion region; a third semiconductor region of a second conductivity type arranged under the second semiconductor region, as a potential barrier holding the accumulated carriers in the second semiconductor region; a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type extending between the first semiconductor region and the semiconductor substrate, and between the third semiconductor region and the semiconductor substrate; and a first voltage supply portion for supplying a reference voltage to the third semiconductor region, and the first voltage supply portion includes a fifth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type arranged in the pixel region, and a first electrode connected to the fifth semiconductor region.