Patent ID: 10469783

Abstract:
To transfer all charges retained in a charge retention region. The photoelectric converter generates a charge corresponding to the exposure amount during a predetermined exposure period. The generated-charge retention portion and the output charge retention portion retain the charge. The generated-charge transfer portion transfers the charge from the photoelectric converter to the generated-charge retention portion to perform the generated-charge transfer after the elapse of the exposure period. The retained-charge transfer portion transfers the charge retained in the generated-charge retention portion to the output charge retention portion to perform the retained-charge transfer. The generated-charge retention gate portion applies a control voltage that is a voltage for controlling potential of the generated-charge retention portion to the generated-charge retention portion during a period of the generated-charge transfer and the retained-charge transfer, applies a bias voltage that is a voltage having a polarity different from the control voltage to the generated-charge retention portion during a period different from the period of the generated-charge transfer and the retained-charge transfer, and applies the bias voltage to the generated-charge retention portion after applying an approximately intermediate voltage between the control voltage and the bias voltage to the generated-charge retention portion at the end of the period of the retained-charge transfer.