Patent ID: 6310369
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: G11C,H01L

Abstract:
A charge-to-voltage converter of a floating diffusion output type for producing a signal voltage by injecting signal charge packets transferred from a charge transfer region into a floating diffusion region via an output gate, said converter comprising:a precharge drain region supplied with a reset voltage;a floating diffusion region;a plurality of diffusion regions formed between said floating diffusion region and said precharge drain region, only one of said diffusion regions being directly adjacent said floating diffusion region;first and second channel regions formed between adjacent ones of said diffusion regions;a first precharge gate electrode formed over said first channel region;a second precharge gate electrode formed over said second channel region; andthe charge-to-voltage conversion factor being selectively changed in response to gate voltages selectively applied to said first and second precharge gate electrodes and wherein said floating diffusion region is connected only to the output gate, said first precharge gate and an output terminal.