Patent ID: 6686963
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
A method for driving a solid-state image device comprising:a plurality of light-receiving portions formed in a semiconductor substrate in a matrix having a plurality of rows and columns; a plurality of vertical charge transfer regions formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to extend between the light-receiving portions along the columns thereof; a plurality of vertical transfer electrodes disposed on the semiconductor substrate so as to apply a voltage for transferring signal charges in the vertical charge transfer regions in a column direction; a plurality of charge read-out control regions formed in the semiconductor substrate between the light-receiving portions and the vertical charge transfer regions; and a plurality of read-out electrodes disposed on the semiconductor substrate so as to apply a voltage to the charge read-out control regions, for reading out signal charges accumulated in the light-receiving portions from the light-receiving portions to the vertical charge transfer regions via the charge read-out control regions, the method comprising: reading out signal charges accumulated in the light-receiving portions to the vertical charge transfer regions via the charge read-out control regions by applying a read-out voltage pulse to the read-out electrodes during a first period; and transferring the signal charges in the vertical charge transfer regions in the column direction by applying a transfer voltage pulse to the vertical transfer electrodes during a second period, wherein a negative voltage is applied to the read-out electrodes at least during the second period.