Patent ID: 7760261

Claim:
A solid-state imaging device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a two-dimensional array of photoelectric conversion elements, each storing a signal charge in accordance with a received amount of light; a charge transfer path that transfers the signal charge read out of the photoelectric conversion elements toward an output end of the solid-state imaging device; and a branching part having two branches, the branching part receiving the signal charge transferred along the charge transfer path and distributing the signal charge toward one of the two branches alternately, wherein the charge transfer path has an end portion narrowed in channel width and connected to the branching part, and the charge transfer path comprises: a buried channel; and a plurality of sets of a first layer electrode and a second layer electrode to which different transfer pulses are applied, and the plurality of sets of the first layer electrode and the second layer electrode in the end portion of the charge transfer path have widths perpendicular to a direction of transferring the signal charge, the widths being gradually narrowed as the branching part is neared, wherein the photoelectric conversion elements comprises: a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements that store a first signal charge in accordance with a received amount of light having a first color; a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements that store a second signal charge in accordance with a received amount of light having a second color; and a plurality of third photoelectric conversion elements that store a third signal charge in accordance with a received amount of light having a third color, wherein the first color is red of three primary colors, the second color is green of the three primary colors, and the third color is blue of the three primary colors, and wherein the end portion of the charge transfer path is narrowed in channel width from one side in a width direction of the charge transfer path, a specified one of the two branches of the branching part is located on the one side in the width direction of the charge transfer path, and the signal charge with respect to each of blue and red is distributed toward the specified one of the two branches.