Patent ID: 6967685

Claim:
A solid-state image pickup element comprising: a plurality of sensors arranged in a matrix of rows and columns for performing photoelectric conversion; a plurality of first charge transfer sections for transferring signal charges read out from said plurality of sensor sections vertically; a second charge transfer section for transferring the signal charges transferred from said first charge transfer sections horizontally; and a discharge controlling section disposed between every other first charge transfer section and electrically connected to two adjacent first charge transfer sections and which transfers the signal charges from said first charge transfer sections to the second charge transfer section, said discharge controlling section discharging instead of transferring, the signal charges of a given set of columns selectively on a column-by-column basis, and those signal charges of the remaining columns selectively on a row-by-row basis, wherein said discharge controlling section comprises a drain, a first and second transfer channel corresponding to each first charge transfer section, and a discharge gate provided between each transfer channel and said drain section for selectively discharging the signal charges from said first and second transfer channels into said drain, and wherein said discharging gate section comprises an embedded channel, formed in the same profile as said transfer channel, and a gate electrode disposed over said embedded channel.