Patent ID: 7718966

Claim:
A thermal infrared solid state imaging device comprising: a pixel area having a two-dimensional array of infrared detection pixels, the infrared detection pixel including at least one or more serially connected temperature detection devices having a heat insulation structure and an infrared absorption structure; a plurality of drive lines, each drive line connecting the anodes of the pixels in common by row; a plurality of signal lines, each signal line connecting the cathodes of the pixels in common by column and connected to a first constant current device at the end of each column; a vertical scanning circuit that sequentially selects the drive line and connects the selected drive line to a power supply; a second constant current device that is disposed to each signal line near the first constant current device, and supplies a current substantially equal to a current by the first constant current device; an integration circuit that outputs a current modulated by the difference in potential between the first constant current device and the second constant current device; a sample-and-hold circuit that samples and holds the output of the integration circuit; and a horizontal scanning circuit that selects the output of the sample-and-hold circuit by column, wherein the integration circuit includes an integrating transistor that modulates the output current based on the difference in potential between the first constant current device and the second constant current device, an integrating capacitor that stores the modulated current and is periodically reset to a reference voltage, a bias current supply transistor that has a gate connected to a holding capacitor and is connected in series to the integrating transistor, a gate connection switch that connects and disconnects a node between the bias current supply transistor and the integrating transistor with the gate of the bias current supply transistor, an output coupling capacitor that provides AC coupling between the node and the integrating capacitor, a gate bias switch that is connected to the gate of the integrating transistor and can supply a bias voltage, an input selector switch that is connected to the gate of the integrating transistor, and selects, as input to the integration circuit, either one of the potential of the first constant current device and the potential of the second constant current device, and an input coupling capacitor that provides AC coupling between the input selector switch and the gate of the integrating transistor.