Patent ID: 8045032

Claim:
A solid-state imaging device comprising: pixels arranged in a matrix and each of which outputs signals corresponding to intensity of incident light; vertical signal lines which are respectively provided to columns of the pixels and each of which transmits the signals from said pixels in a column direction; and column amplifier circuits that amplify the signals from the pixels and column Correlated Double Sampling CDS circuits, which are respectively connected to the vertical signal lines; wherein each of said column amplifier circuits includes a voltage clipping circuit which limits a maximum output voltage of said column amplifier circuit, and an amplifier transistor whose drain is connected to an output terminal of the column amplifier circuit and whose source is grounded, and the voltage clipping circuit includes a clipping transistor whose source is connected to the output terminal of the column amplifier circuit, whose drain is connected to a gate of the amplifier transistor, and whose gate is connected to a reference potential.