Patent ID: 7944491
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state imaging element, comprising: unit pixels each of which includes a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer switch for transferring charge stored in said photoelectric conversion element, and a charge store part for storing charge transferred by said transfer switch, and a reset switch for resetting the charge store part; wherein negative voltage is applied to a gate of said transfer switch for a period other than the period during which a charge transfer pulse is applied to the gate of the transfer switch to transfer charge stored in said photoelectric conversion element to said charge store part and wherein the application of the negative voltage to the transfer switch suppresses a dark current and further wherein a vertical selection pulse is actively driven to a low level in order to further suppress the dark current; and further wherein said unit pixels each include an overflow path at an area to which a pixel source voltage is applied, said overflow path being used to discharge excess charges of said photoelectric conversion element and being comprised of a modified semiconductor portion selectively providing a reduced barrier to charge migration relative to regions adjacent thereto.