Patent ID: 6316760
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising:photodiodes having a photoelectric conversion function arranged on a substrate in one of a one-dimensional manner and a two-dimensional manner;a charge transfer section for transferring a charge generated by photoelectric conversion in each of the photodiodes;a charge accumulation section in a potential-floating state for accumulating the charges transferred from the charge transfer section;a reset transistor having one terminal connected to the charge accumulation section and another terminal being applied with a discharge potential, for outputting the transferred charges; anda voltage generation circuit including a transistor having a same device structure as the reset transistor and fabricated on a same substrate as the reset transistor, a gate of the transistor constituting the voltage generation circuit being commonly connected with a gate of the reset transistor, the voltage generation circuit generating the discharge potential to be applied to the reset transistor,wherein the voltage generation circuit includes a holding circuit for holding a potential at a source of the transistor constituting the voltage generation circuit in a level higher than a channel potential below the gate of the transistor constituting the voltage generation circuit.