Patent ID: 8102443

Claim:
An image sensor, comprising: a photodiode section; a charge storage section; a charge transfer section; a first control gate section between the photodiode section and the charge storage section to control movement of a signal charge from the photodiode section to the charge storage section; a second control gate section provided between the charge storage section and the charge transfer section to control movement of the signal charge from the charge storage section to the charge transfer section, the charge storage section storing the signal charge and including a region of a first conductivity type and a storage gate electrode that covers the region with an insulation film therebetween, a predetermined negative DC bias voltage being applied to the storage gate electrode so that the charge storage section is configured to be in a PIN-ing state, and the photodiode section, the charge storage section, the charge transfer section, the first control gate section and the second control gate section are provided in a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor body of a second conductivity type; and an additional charge storage section provided between the photodiode section and the first control gate section, the additional charge storage section has a gate electrode to which a DC voltage is applied, the gate electrode being provided over a portion of the semiconductor region in which the additional charge storage section is formed with an intervention of a gate insulation film therebetween.