Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080251816 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device is composed of a field effect transistor using the interface between a ferroelectric film and a semiconductor film as the channel and including a gate electrode to which a voltage for controlling the polarization state of the ferroelectric film is applied and source/drain electrodes provided on both ends of the channel to detect a current flowing in the channel in accordance with the polarization state. The semiconductor film is made of a material having a spontaneous polarization and the direction of the spontaneous polarization is parallel with the interface between the ferroelectric film and the semiconductor film. | 10-16-2008 |
20090055576 | MEMORY CONTROLLER, NONVOLATILE STORAGE DEVICE, NONVOLATILE STORAGE SYSTEM, AND DATA WRITING METHOD - A nonvolatile storage device is provided with a nonvolatile main storage memory ( | 02-26-2009 |
20090059047 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - Provided is a solid-state imaging device having pixel units that are two-dimensionally arranged, and including: a photodiode that generates an optical signal charge corresponding to an intensity and an exposure time of light; a MOS transistor that transfers the optical signal charge; an accumulating unit that generates a voltage corresponding to the signal charge through the MOS transistor; a storing unit that stores a voltage corresponding to an optical signal charge in the accumulating unit; and a voltage setting unit that sets a value of a voltage in the accumulating unit to a value corresponding to the voltage in the storing unit. | 03-05-2009 |
20090079857 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, RECEIVED-LIGHT INTENSITY MEASURING DEVICE, AND RECEIVED-LIGHT INTENSITY MEASURING METHOD - The received-light intensity measuring device includes: a pixel circuit | 03-26-2009 |
20090152607 | FERROELECTRIC STACKED-LAYER STRUCTURE, FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR, AND FERROELECTRIC CAPACITOR AND FABRICATION METHODS THEREOF - A ferroelectric stacked-layer structure is fabricated by forming a first polycrystalline ferroelectric film on a polycrystalline or amorphous substrate, and after planarizing a surface of the first ferroelectric film, laminating on the first ferroelectric film a second thin ferroelectric film having the same crystalline structure as the first ferroelectric film. A field effect transistor or a ferroelectric capacitor includes the ferroelectric stacked-layer structure as a gate insulating film or a capacitor film. | 06-18-2009 |
20090173978 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY CELL AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY ARRAY USING THE SAME - A memory element including a first FET, and a selection switch including a second FET are connected in series, and a semiconductor film and a dielectric film stacked over a substrate form a common channel and a common gate insulating film in the first and second FETs. A first gate electrode of the first FET and a second gate electrode of the second FET are formed on the dielectric film, and a drain electrode and a source electrode are formed on the semiconductor film. Under the semiconductor film, a back-gate electrode is formed with a ferroelectric film interposed therebetween, and the ends of the semiconductor film that forms the channel are located inwardly of the ends of the back-gate electrode. | 07-09-2009 |
20090212985 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD - A solid-state imaging device includes: pixel circuits arranged in a matrix which perform photoelectric conversion on received light; and an AD conversion unit converting the resultant signal voltage of the photoelectric conversion. The AD conversion unit includes: a reference voltage generation unit generating plural reference voltages which are different from each other within a possible range for a signal voltage; a most significant bit conversion unit that identifies a voltage section including the signal voltage from among the voltage sections each having a corresponding one of the reference voltages as a base point and determines the identified result as the value of the most significant bit of the digital signal; and a least significant bit conversion unit that converts, into the least significant bit of the digital signal, the difference voltage between the signal voltage and the reference voltage as the base point of the identified voltage section. | 08-27-2009 |
20090290404 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A memory cell includes a memory element including a MFSFET having a gate insulating film made of a ferroelectric film, and a selection switching element including a MISFET having a gate insulating film made of a paraelectric film. A load element for a read operation is connected in series to the memory cell. The ferroelectric film and the paraelectric film are stacked with a semiconductor film being interposed therebetween. The semiconductor film forms a common channel shared by the MFSFET and the MISFET. The load element includes a MISFET having a channel made of the semiconductor film or a resistance element having a resistor made of the semiconductor film. | 11-26-2009 |
20110121162 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DIFFERENTIAL CIRCUIT - A solid-state imaging device that is configurable into a small size appropriate for expanding dynamic range includes: a photodiode which is a photoelectric conversion unit that generates charge by incident light; a MOS transistor which is connected to the photodiode and transfers the charge; a floating diffusion region which is a first accumulation unit which accumulates the charge via the MOS transistor; a MOS transistor which is a second transfer unit connected to the floating diffusion region and connected in series to the MOS transistor; and a MOS transistor which is an output unit which outputs, via the MOS transistor, a signal voltage in accordance with an amount of the charge. | 05-26-2011 |
20110285886 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR, CAMERA SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR - The solid-state image sensor of the present invention includes: multiple different types of pixel groups, which exhibit mutually different sensitivity properties that vary from one group to another according to wavelengths of incoming light, wherein each pixel has a photoelectric converter for outputting a pixel signal that changes with the intensity of the light received, and a reading circuit, which reads the pixel signal from each of the multiple types of pixel groups and which outputs an image signal representing an image that is associated with the type of a pixel group. The reading circuit outputs the image signal with the frame frequency changed according to the type of the pixel group. | 11-24-2011 |
20110299318 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY CELL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICES - A semiconductor memory cell includes: a memory element formed by a first field effect transistor having a gate insulating film made of a ferroelectric film; and a select switching element formed by a second field effect transistor having a gate insulating film made of a paraelectric film. The ferroelectric film and the paraelectric film are stacked together with a semiconductor film of a compound semiconductor interposed therebetween. A first gate electrode of the first field effect transistor is formed on a side of the ferroelectric film, and a second gate electrode of the second field effect transistor is formed on a side of the paraelectric film so as to face the first gate electrode. The semiconductor film forms a common channel layer of the first and second field effect transistors. | 12-08-2011 |
20120033117 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD - A plurality of pixel circuits arranged in rows and columns, and each of which outputs an electric signal according to an amount of received light; a first column signal line provided for each of the columns, and for sequentially transferring the electric signals from said pixel circuits in a corresponding column; and a holding circuit provided for each of the pixel circuits in each column, and which holds the electric signal transferred through the column signal line in the corresponding column are provided. A holding circuit includes a first capacitor which holds a first electric signal of the corresponding pixel circuit in a reset state; and a second capacitor which holds a second electric signal after the corresponding pixel circuit receives light. A difference circuit calculates a difference between two electric signals held by the first capacitor and the second capacitor in a same holding circuit. | 02-09-2012 |
20120211851 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photoelectric conversion sections of n-type that are formed at an upper part of semiconductor substrate and arranged in a matrix; output circuit that is formed on a charge detection surface that is one surface of semiconductor substrate and detects charges stored in photoelectric conversion sections; a plurality of isolating diffusion layers of a p-type that are formed under output circuit and include high concentration p-type layers adjacent to respective photoelectric conversion sections; and color filters formed on a light incident surface that is the other surface opposing the one surface of semiconductor substrate and transmit light with different wavelengths. Shapes of respective photoelectric conversion sections correspond to color filters and differ depending on the high concentration p-type layer configuring isolating diffusion layer. | 08-23-2012 |
20120217494 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - Solid-state imaging device of the present invention is a backside-illumination-type solid-state imaging device including wiring layer formed on first surface side of semiconductor substrate; and light receiving section that photoelectrically converts light incident from second surface side that is opposite from first surface side, wherein spontaneous polarization film formed of a material having spontaneous polarization is formed on a light receiving surface of light receiving section. Accordingly, a hole accumulation layer can be formed on the light receiving surface of light receiving section, and a dark current can be suppressed. | 08-30-2012 |
20130002882 | IMAGE-CAPTURING DEVICE - The image-capturing device according to the present invention includes a solid-state imaging element, an infrared LED which emits infrared light, a light-emission controlling unit which causes the infrared LED to emit infrared pulsed light on a per frame time basis, and a signal processing unit which extracts, from the solid-state imaging element, a color visible-light image signal in synchronization with a non-emitting period and an infrared image signal in synchronization with an emitting period of the infrared LED. The solid-state imaging element includes an image-capturing region in which unit-arrays are two-dimensionally arranged, and each of the unit-arrays has a pixel for receiving green visible light and infrared light, a pixel for receiving red visible light and infrared light, a pixel for receiving blue visible light and infrared light, and a pixel for receiving infrared light. | 01-03-2013 |
20130075591 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes pixels which are arranged two-dimensionally and each of which includes: a light absorbing layer that converts light into signal charges; a signal read circuit to read out the signal charges, the signal read circuit being formed on a side opposite to a light incident plane side of the light absorbing layer; a metal layer that is formed on the light incident plane side of the light absorbing layer, the metal layer having an aperture to transmit, into the light absorbing layer, light of a wavelength range depending on a shape of the aperture, a driving circuit that applies a voltage to the metal layer to generate, in the light absorbing layer, a potential gradient to collect the signal charges. | 03-28-2013 |
20130083227 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING ELEMENT - A solid-state image capturing element includes: a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of which outputs an electric signal corresponding to an amount of received light; a plurality of column signal lines each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of columns of the pixels and sequentially transfers the electric signal provided from the corresponding one of the columns of the pixels; and a plurality of holding circuits each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of the column signal lines and holds the electric signal transferred via the corresponding one of the column signal lines. Each of the holding circuits includes a circuit element including an input capacitance, and holds the electric signal in the input capacitance. | 04-04-2013 |
20130093929 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CALCULATING COLOR TEMPERATURE - A control unit calculates the color temperature using at least a first visible light signal and a near-infrared signal when the amount of the near-infrared signal is larger than a predetermined amount. The first visible light signal is a signal generated by photoelectrically converting visible light. The near-infrared signal is a signal generated by photoelectrically converting near-infrared light. | 04-18-2013 |
20130148000 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - The MOS solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arrayed two-dimensionally; first column signal lines; first holding circuit units each of which corresponds to one of the first column signal lines and holds electrical signals that are transmitted from the pixels through one of the first column signal lines; and first difference circuit units that each output a difference between one of the electrical signals in the reset state and one of the electrical signals in the light-received state that are held by one of the first holding circuit units, in which the first holding circuit units each include pixel-wise holding circuits, the number of which is identical to the number of the pixels provided for the corresponding one of the first column signal lines, the pixel-wise holding circuits being able to hold electrical signals in the reset state of the pixels and electrical signals in the light-received state of the pixels. | 06-13-2013 |
20130341491 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes: a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a matrix above the substrate, and electrically isolated from each other; an insulator layer covering the first electrodes, having a planarized upper surface, and comprising an insulator; a photoelectric conversion film which is formed above the insulator layer, and converts light into signal charges; a second electrode formed above the photoelectric conversion film; and a signal readout circuit which is formed on the substrate, and generates a readout signal by detecting an amount of current change or voltage change caused by the signal charges at each of the first electrodes, in which the insulator layer allows conduction of at least electrons or holes by quantum mechanical tunneling. | 12-26-2013 |
20140027619 | METHOD FOR DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A method for driving a solid-state imaging device, which includes pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array of m columns in a horizontal scanning direction and n rows in a vertical scanning direction (n is an integer no less than 2 and m is a natural number), includes ending a reset operation on pixels in an i-th row among the pixels when a reset operation on pixels in an (i+1)-th row among the pixels is in progress, or time elapsed from when the reset operation on the pixels in the (i+1)-th row is ended is less than one-frame capturing time, where i is an integer no less than 1 and no greater than (n−1). | 01-30-2014 |
20140054737 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - A solid-state imaging device includes: a substrate; an insulator layer formed on the substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on the insulator layer; and a silicon layer formed on the semiconductor layer. The silicon layer includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric converter configured to convert light into signal charge, and a circuit configured to read the signal charge, and a refractive index of the insulator layer is lower than a refractive index of the semiconductor layer. | 02-27-2014 |
20140246706 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix, a semiconductor substrate; a first electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate for each of the pixels; a photoelectric conversion film formed on the first electrode, for photoelectric conversion of light into signal charge; a charge accumulation region formed in the semiconductor substrate for accumulating the signal charge generated through the photoelectric conversion in the photoelectric conversion film; a contact plug for electrically connecting the first electrode and the charge accumulation region in a corresponding pixel; a high-concentration impurity region formed on a surface of the charge accumulation region, in a region in contact with the contact plug; a surface impurity region formed on the surface of the charge accumulation region, in a region not in contact with the contact plug; and a low-concentration impurity region formed between the high-concentration impurity region and the surface impurity region. | 09-04-2014 |
20150021731 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - The solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate including an imaging region and a peripheral circuit region, a wiring layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix on the wiring layer above the imaging region, a photoelectric conversion film formed on the wiring layer and the plurality of pixel electrodes above the imaging region, and an upper electrode formed on the photoelectric conversion film. The photoelectric conversion film has a laminated structure in which a plurality of well layers and a plurality of barrier layers are alternately laminated, the well layers made of a first semiconductor having a fundamental absorption edge in a wavelength region longer than a near-infrared light wavelength, and the barrier layers made of an insulator or a second semiconductor having a band gap wider than that of the first semiconductor. | 01-22-2015 |