Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an photoelectric conversion apparatus for receiving an optical signal from a subject, and an image pickup device using the photoelectric conversion apparatus. 
     2. Related Background Art 
     Some photoelectric conversion apparatus output a signal having an amplitude proportional linearly to the quantity of input light, and other photoelectric conversion apparatus output a signal having an amplitude obtained by converting the quantity of input light logarithmically. One type of the latter logarithmic compression photoelectric conversion apparatus utilizes a logarithmic amplifier (hereinafter referred to as a LOG amp). 
       FIG. 10  shows a conventional logarithmic compression photoelectric conversion apparatus using a LOG amp. In the figure, a reference numeral  501  designates a photodiode; reference numerals  502  and  503  designate an operational amplifier (hereinafter referred to as an OP amp) severally; reference numerals  504  and  505  designate a diode severally; reference numerals  506  and  507  designate a constant voltage input terminal severally; a reference numeral  508  designates a constant current source; and a reference numeral  509  designates an output terminal. 
     The voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode  501  is the voltage at the constant voltage input terminal (the reference input terminal)  507  of the OP amp  502  owing to the imaginary short of the OP amp  502 . The voltage at the constant voltage input terminal  507  is designated by a reference character Vc here. If the voltage at the anode terminal of the photodiode  501  is equal to the voltage Vc or less, the photodiode  501  is reversely biased. 
     When light enters the photodiode  501 , a photoelectric current Ip proportional to the incident light flows through the photodiode  501 . The photoelectric current Ip flows from the output terminal of the OP amp  502  to the constant voltage input terminal  506  through the diode  504  and the photodiode  501  in order. 
     In this case, supposing that the voltage at the constant voltage input terminal  507  is Vc and the voltage of the output terminal of the OP amp  502  is V 1 , the voltage V 1  can be expressed:
 
 V   1 =( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )+ Vc   Expression 1
 
where Is designates the reverse direction saturation current of the diode  504 .
 
     That is, the OP amp  502  outputs the output proportional to the logarithm of the quantity of the entered light (the photoelectric current Ip). Consequently, an input/output characteristic having a wide dynamic range can be obtained. 
     Moreover, the circuit comprising the diode  505 , the OP amp  503 , the constant current source  508  and the output terminal  509  is a circuit for compensating the dispersion of the reverse direction saturation current Is of the diode  504 . Supposing that the voltage of the output terminal  509  is designated by a reference character Vout and the current flowing to the constant current source  508  is designated by a reference character Iref, the following expression can be obtained.
 
 Vout=− ( qT/k )×ln( Iref/Is )+ V   1 
 
     By putting the expression 1 in the place of V 1 , and by supposing that the characteristics of the two diodes  504  and  505  are the same, the following expression can be obtained.
 
 Vout= ( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )−( qT/k )×ln( Iref/Is )=( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Iref )  Expression 2
 
Consequently, the output voltage Vout, which does not depend on the reverse direction saturation current of the diode  504 , can be obtained.
 
     As the diode  504  in this example, a bipolar transistor  510  connected in a diode connection is generally used as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view showing the structure of a cross section of a conventional bipolar transistor to be used in a photoelectric conversion apparatus. In the figure, a reference numeral  61  designates a p-type semiconductor substrate; a reference numeral  62  designates an n-type epitaxial layer used as a collector region; a reference numeral  63  is a p-type base diffusion layer; a reference numeral  64  designates an n-type emitter diffusion layer; a reference numeral  66  designates an n-type diffusion layer for taking out the collector region; a reference numeral  65  designates p-type diffusion layer; and a reference numeral  68  designates an n-type embedded diffusion layer. These components constitute an NPN transistor having the collector region of the n-type epitaxial layer  62 , the base region of the p-type base diffusion layer  63 , and the emitter region of the n-type emitter diffusion layer  64 . By adopting the structure described above, it becomes possible to separate electrically the bipolar transistor from the semiconductor substrate  61 . Incidentally, if such a bipolar transistor is used as a p-n junction diode simply, the bipolar transistor can be used equivalently as p-n junction diode by connecting the collector and the base of the transistor in common. 
     However, because the bipolar transistor is used as the p-n junction diode by connecting the collector and the base of the transistor in common, each terminal of the emitter, the collector and the base of the bipolar transistor is used at intermediate voltages, which are neither power supply voltages nor the ground voltage. 
     Accordingly, it is necessary to adopt a device structure in which each terminal is separated from a substrate. The structure makes the manufacturing process of such a transistor having the structure be complicated, and the costs of the manufacturing increase. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to simplify the manufacturing process of a semiconductor. 
     Another object of the invention is to improve the performances of a photoelectric conversion apparatus. 
     For attaining the objects, an aspect of the present invention provides a photoelectric conversion apparatus including: a photoelectric conversion element; and a logarithmic conversion unit which converts a signal from the photoelectric conversion element to a logarithmically compressed voltage by means of a diode characteristic of a p-n junction; wherein the p-n junction in the logarithmic conversion unit is composed of any two terminals of an emitter, a base and a collector of a bipolar transistor, and a residual terminal of the bipolar transistor is connected to a semiconductor substrate. 
     Moreover, another aspect of the present invention provides a photoelectric conversion apparatus including: a photoelectric conversion element; and a logarithmic conversion unit which converts a current from the photoelectric conversion element to a logarithmically compressed voltage, wherein the logarithmic conversion unit performs logarithmic conversion by means of a diode characteristic of a diode formed by junction of a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type with a second semiconductor region of a conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, the second semiconductor region is formed by being joined to a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type on which the logarithmic conversion unit is formed, and the photoelectric conversion element and the logarithmic compression unit are formed on the same semiconductor substrate in accordance with a CMOS process. 
     Moreover, a further aspect of the present invention provides a photoelectric conversion apparatus including: a photoelectric conversion element; a logarithmic conversion unit which converts a signal from the photoelectric conversion element to a logarithmically compressed voltage; an inversion element which inverts a polarity of an output from the logarithmic conversion unit; and a correction element which corrects a diode characteristic of a p-n junction in the photoelectric conversion element. 
     The other objects and characteristics of the present invention will be clear from the following description and the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a photoelectric conversion apparatus of a first embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  a diagram showing a photoelectric conversion apparatus of a second embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a photoelectric conversion apparatus of a third embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing another photoelectric conversion apparatus of the third embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit of a circuit which is realized by means of a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturing process; 
         FIG. 6  is a conceptual block diagram of a solid-state image pickup device for distance measurement and photometry of a fourth embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an image pickup device of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view showing the structure of a cross section of a bipolar transistor for logarithmic conversion in the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view showing the structure of a cross section of a bipolar transistor for logarithmic conversion in related art; 
         FIG. 10  is an equivalent circuit diagram using diodes in related art; and 
         FIG. 11  is an equivalent circuit diagram using bipolar transistors in related art. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by reference to the attached drawings. 
     Embodiment 1 
     In  FIG. 1 , a reference numeral  1  designates a photodiode for outputting a current proportional to a photoelectric current; a reference numeral  2  designates an operational amplifier (hereinafter referred to as an OP amp) having a CMOS structure; and a reference numeral  3  designates an NPN transistor. The collector terminal of the NPN transistor  3  is connected to a power source, and the base terminal and the emitter terminal thereof are respectively connected to the output terminal and one input terminal of the OP amp  2 . The base terminal and the emitter terminal constitute a feedback loop. In addition, reference numerals  4  and  6  designate a reference input terminal and an output terminal, respectively. 
     The collector terminal of the bipolar transistor  3  is connected to a substrate in a semiconductor substrate. Because the electric potential of the substrate is the voltage of the power source, the collector terminal of the NPN transistor is fixed to the voltage of the power source. The base terminal and the emitter terminal constitute a p-n junction. 
     The cathode terminal of the photodiode  1  is connected to a negative input terminal of the OP amp  2 . The voltage of this terminal is the voltage of the reference input terminal  4  owing to the imaginary short between the terminals. The voltage of the reference input terminal  4  is referred to hereinafter as Vc. The photodiode is reversely biased when a voltage equal to or less than the voltage Vc is applied to the anode terminal of the photodiode  1 . 
     When light enters the photodiode  1 , a photoelectric current Ip proportional to the entered light flows through the photodiode  1 . The photoelectric current Ip is supplied from the output terminal of the OP amp  2  to flow to a constant voltage input terminal  5  through the p-n junction of the bipolar transistor  3  and the photodiode  1  in order. 
     In this case, supposing that the voltage at the reference input terminal  4  is Vc and the voltage of the output terminal of the OP amp  2  is V 1 , the voltage V 1  can be expressed:
 
 V   1 =( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )+ Vc   Expression 1
 
     That is, the OP amp  2  outputs the output proportional to the logarithm of the quantity of the entered light (the photoelectric current Ip) even if the collector terminal of the NPN transistor  3  is connected to the substrate to fix the voltage of the collector to the voltage of the power supply. Consequently, an input/output characteristic having a wide dynamic range can be obtained. Here, the reference character Is designates the reverse direction saturation current of the p-n junction of the transistor  3 . 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view showing the structure of a cross section of the bipolar transistor  3  in the present embodiment. In the figure, the same components as those shown in  FIG. 9  are designated by the same reference numerals as those in  FIG. 9 , and their descriptions are omitted. 
     A reference numeral  67  designates an n-type semiconductor substrate, which is electrically connected with an n-type diffusion layer  66  for taking out the collector region. Generally, the n-type semiconductor substrate is used as a terminal of the power voltage. That is, the collector terminal of the NPN transistor, which is structured in the way shown in  FIG. 8  and has a collector region  67 , a base region  63  and an emitter region  64 , is connected with the voltage of the power supply. 
     The present embodiment is characterized in that the collector of the bipolar transistor  3  is made in common with the semiconductor substrate  67 . Thereby, the number of masks in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor can be decreased and the simplification of the process is realized. 
     According to the present embodiment, a logarithmically compressing output type photoelectric conversion apparatus capable of simplifying the manufacturing process thereof can be realized. In addition, because the photoelectric conversion apparatus has a good matching property with the CMOS manufacturing process, it is also possible to realize the integration of various peripheral circuits onto a chip. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram showing the most basic equivalent circuit of the circuit of the present embodiment provided by means of the CMOS manufacturing process. In the figure, the components same as those in  FIG. 1  are designated by the same reference numerals in  FIG. 1 , and their descriptions are omitted. Reference numerals  71 ,  72  and  78  designates an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor severally; reference numerals  73 ,  74 ,  75 ,  76  and  77  designate a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor severally; a reference numeral  79  designates a capacitor; and a reference numeral  80  designates a constant current source. The embodiment uses the NPN transistor  3  for logarithmic compression conversion, whose collector terminal is connected to the power supply, and the OP amp  2  is composed of the NMOS transistors  71 ,  72  and  78 , the PMOS transistors  73 – 77  and the capacitor  79 , all capable of being produced by means of the CMOS manufacturing process. Consequently, it is possible to simplify the manufacturing process, and it is also possible to realize the integration of various peripheral circuits onto a chip. 
     Embodiment 2 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic circuit diagram of an photoelectric conversion apparatus of a second embodiment according to the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in  FIG. 1  are designated by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. 
     The intermediate voltage V 1  can be expressed similarly to Embodiment 1.
 
 V   1 =( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )+ Vc   Expression 1
 
     The circuit composed of resistors  21  and  22  and an OP amp  24  is an inversion amplifying circuit. Supposing that the resistance values of the resistors  21  and  22  are respectively R 1  and R 2 , an intermediate voltage V 2  of the OP amp  24  is expressed as follows.
 
 V   2 =( R   1   /R   2 )×( Vc−V   1 )+ Vc 
 
Supposing that R 1 =R 2 , and by putting the Expression 1 in the place of V 1 , the following expression can be obtained.
 
 V   2 = Vc− ( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )  Expression 3
 
     Moreover, a circuit comprising an NPN transistor  26 , an OP amp  25 , a constant current source  28  and an output terminal  27  is a circuit for compensating the dispersion of the reverse direction saturation current Is of the p-n junction of the transistor  3 . Supposing that the voltage of the output terminal  27  is designated by a reference character Vout and the current flowing to the constant current source  28  is designated by a reference character Iref, the following expression can be obtained.
 
 Vout= ( qT/k )×ln( Iref/Is )+ V   2 
 
     By putting the Expression 3 in the place of V 2 , and by supposing that the characteristics of the two bipolar transistors  3  and  26  are the same, the following expression can be obtained.
 
 Vout= ( qT/k )×ln( Iref/Is )−(( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )+ Vc )= Vc− ( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Iref )  Expression 4
 
Consequently, the output voltage Vout, which does not depend on the reverse direction saturation current Is of the p-n junction of the transistor  3 , can be obtained.
 
     In the present embodiment, the polarity of the output of the photoelectric conversion section is inverted by the inverting amplifier having the gain of minus one times. After that, the reverse direction saturation current Is of the bipolar transistor  3  is compensated. Consequently, it is possible to compensate the reverse direction saturation current Is similarly in the related art even in the case of using the NPN transistor  3  having the collector terminal connected to the power supply. That is, it is possible to perform the same compensation as that in the related art even in the simplified manufacturing process. 
     Embodiment 3 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic circuit diagram of an photoelectric conversion apparatus of a third embodiment according to the present invention. In the figure, a reference numeral  14  designates a photodiode for outputting a current proportional to corresponding to incident light; a reference numeral  13  designates an operational amplifier (OP amp); and a reference numeral  11  designates a PNP transistor. The collector terminal of the PNP transistor  11  is connected with the ground. The emitter terminal and the base terminal of the PNP transistor  11  are respectively connected to a negative input terminal and the output terminal of the OP amp  13 . The base terminal and the emitter terminal constitute a feedback loop. In addition, reference numerals  15  and  16  designate a constant voltage input terminal and a reference input terminal, respectively. A reference numeral  12  designates an output terminal. 
     The collector terminal of the PNP transistor  11  is connected to a substrate in a semiconductor substrate. Because the electric potential of the substrate is the voltage of the power source, the collector terminal of the PNP transistor is fixed to the ground level. The base terminal and the collector terminal constitute an n-p junction. 
     The anode terminal of the photodiode  14  is connected to the negative input terminal of the OP amp  13 . The voltage of this terminal is the voltage of the reference input terminal  16  owing to the imaginary short between the terminals. The voltage of the reference input terminal  16  is referred to hereinafter as Vc. The photodiode is reversely biased when a voltage equal to or less than the voltage Vc is applied to the cathode terminal of the photodiode  14 . 
     When light enters the photodiode  14 , a photoelectric current Ip proportional to the entered light flows through the photodiode  14 . The photoelectric current Ip is supplied to the output terminal  12  of the OP amp  13  through the p-n junction of the PNP transistor  11 . 
     In this case, supposing that the voltage at the reference input terminal  16  is Vc and the voltage of the output terminal  12  of the OP amp  13  is V 1 , the voltage V 1  can be expressed:
 
 V   1 = Vc− ( qT/k )×ln( Ip/Is )
 
     That is, the OP amp  13  outputs the output proportional to the logarithm of the quantity of the entered light (the photoelectric current Ip) even if the collector terminal of the PNP transistor  11  is connected to the substrate to fix the voltage of the collector to the ground level. Consequently, an input/output characteristic having a wide dynamic range can be obtained. Here, the reference character Is designates the reverse direction saturation current of the p-n junction of the transistor  11 . 
     According to the present embodiment, a logarithmically compressing output type photoelectric conversion apparatus capable of simplifying the manufacturing process thereof can be realized. In addition, because the photoelectric conversion apparatus has a good matching property with the CMOS manufacturing process, it is also possible to realize the integration of various peripheral circuits onto a chip. 
     In addition, it is needless to say that an output which does not depend on the reverse direction saturation current Is of the p-n junction of the transistor  11  can be obtained also in the present embodiment as well as in the Embodiment 2 by adding an inversion amplifying circuit and a circuit for compensating the dispersion of the reverse direction saturation current Is as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Embodiment 4 
     A solid-state image pickup device for distance measurement and photometry equipped with one of the photometry circuit blocks described in connection with the Embodiments 1 to 3 will be described. 
       FIG. 6  is a conceptual block diagram of a solid-state image pickup apparatus for distance measurement and photometry equipped with one of the photometry circuit blocks described in connection with the Embodiments 1–3. 
     An automatic focusing (AF) circuit block  101  is composed of seven pairs of linear sensors for automatic focusing in which automatic focusing is performed at seven positions. The automatic focusing can be implemented in a triangular distance measuring method by the use of two linear sensors. 
     An automatic exposure (AE) circuit  103  is composed of sixteen logarithmic compression type AE sensors, an inversion amplification circuit, an Is correction circuit and a signal amplification circuit. The AE circuit  103  enables fine exposure control by dividing an image pickup area into sixteen blocks. 
     An analog block  105  is composed of an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit for controlling the accumulation time of the automatic focusing sensors, a band gap circuit for generating a reference voltage, a power supply circuit for generating intermediate voltages such as VRES, VGR and the like necessary for the sensor circuits, a signal amplification circuit for amplifying a signal to be output to the outside, and a thermometer circuit for observing the temperature of a substrate. 
     A digital block  106  is composed of a timing generation (TG) circuit for driving the sensors, an input/output (I/O) circuit for performing communication with microcomputers on the outside, and a multiplexer (MPX) for selecting each signal to output it to the outside. 
     Because the present embodiment can provide logarithmic compression type AE output constructed with NPN transistors and CMOS type OP amps, a solid-state image pickup apparatus for distance measurement having a photometric function with a high performance at low costs can be realized. Although the AF sensors are preferably CMOS sensors produced in accordance with the CMOS process, similar advantages can be also obtained by the use of BASIS&#39;s, silicon intensified targets (SIT&#39;s), AMI&#39;s, CMD&#39;s, charge coupled devices (CCD&#39;s), or the like. 
     Embodiment 5 
     An image pickup apparatus equipped with the solid-state image pickup device of the Embodiment 4 will be described.  FIG. 7  is a block diagram showing a lens shutter digital compact camera (image pickup apparatus) of an embodiment. In  FIG. 7 , a reference numeral  201  designate a barrier used as both of a protector of a lens and a main switch; a reference numeral  202  designates the lens for imaging an optical image of an object on a solid-state image pickup device; a reference numeral  203  designates an iris for varying the quantity of the light which has passed through the lens  202 ; and a reference numeral  204  designates the solid-state image pickup device for picking up an object image formed through the lens  202  as an image signal. 
     Moreover, a reference numeral  205  designates the solid-state image pickup device for photometry and distance measurement described in connection with the above-mentioned Embodiment 4. Hereupon, a reference numeral  205   a  designates an AF circuit block for performing image formation of light onto the AF circuit block; and a reference numeral  205   b  designates an AE condenser lens for condensing light onto the photometry circuit block. A reference numeral  207  designates an analog/digital (A/D) converter for performing the analog/digital conversion of an image signal, a photometry signal, a distance measurement signal output from the solid-state image pickup devices  204  and  205 ; a reference numeral  208  designates a signal processing unit for performing various data correction and compression of the image data output from the A/D converter  207 ; a reference numeral  209  designates a timing generation unit for outputting various timing signals to the solid-state image pickup device  204 , an image pickup signal processing circuit  206 , the A/D converter  207 , the signal processing unit  208 , and the like; a reference numeral  210  designates a system control and operation unit for controlling various operations and the camera system; and a reference numeral  211  designates a memory unit for storing image data temporarily. 
     Furthermore, a reference numeral  212  designates an interface unit for performing recording to or reading from a recording medium; a reference numeral  213  designates the detachable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory and the like for the use of the recording or the reading of image data; and a reference numeral  214  designates an interface unit for communicating with an external computer and the like. 
     Next, the operation of the lens shutter digital compact camera described above at the time of photographing will be described. When the barrier  201  is opened, a main power supply is turned on. Successively, the power supply of control systems and the power supply of image pickup system circuits such as the A/D converter  207  and the like are turned on in order. 
     The system control and operation unit  210  performs the calculation of the distance to the object in accordance with the triangular distance measuring method on the basis of signals output from the AF circuit block of the solid-state image pickup device  205 . After that, the feed quantity of the lens  202  is calculated, and the lens  202  is driven to a predetermined position to obtain in-focus state. 
     Next, in order to control exposure amount, a signal output from the AE sensor of the solid-state image pickup device  205  is converted by the A/D converter  207 , and then the converted signal is input into the signal processing unit  208 . Then, the system control and operation unit  210  executes the operation of exposure on the basis of the input data. 
     The system control and operation unit  210  judgers brightness on the result of the photometry, and adjust the iris  203  and a shutter speed according to the result of the judgment of brightness. 
     Subsequently, after the conditions of exposure are arranged, real exposure of the solid state image pickup device  204  begins. After the real exposure is completed, an image signal is output from the solid-state image pickup device  204 . The output image signal is converted to a digital signal by the A/D converter  207 , and then the converted digital signal is written in the memory unit  211  by the system control and operation unit  210  through the signal processing unit  208 . After that, the data stored in the memory unit  211  is recorded in the detachable recording medium  213  under the control of the system control and operation unit  210  through the recording medium control I/F unit  212 . Moreover, the data can be input into a computer or the like through the external I/F unit  214 . 
     Incidentally, the solid-state image pickup device for photometry and distance measurement  205  of the present embodiment is applicable to a film-based camera and the like as well as the digital compact camera. 
     Many widely different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification, except as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Category: 5