Patent ID: 8416329
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image pickup device comprising unit cells arranged two-dimensionally, wherein each of the unit cells includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, wherein each of the photoelectric conversion elements includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, which is arranged to accumulate a signal charge, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type forming a PN junction with the first semiconductor region, and wherein a semiconductor substrate is arranged under the second semiconductor region; a plurality of floating diffusion regions of the first conductivity type; a plurality of transfer switches provided in correspondence to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, respectively; a common amplifying transistor for amplifying a signal corresponding to photocarriers transferred from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements as an input of the common amplifying transistor; and a common reset transistor, wherein the first semiconductor regions of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in a two dimensional array, wherein semiconductor regions for trapping overflowed carriers from the photoelectric conversion elements are arranged such that each semiconductor region is provided between adjacent ones of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, and wherein the semiconductor substrate traps overflowed carriers from the photoelectric conversion elements.