JPH04255184A - Solid-state image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain exposure information corresponding to an incident luminous quantity momentarily. CONSTITUTION:An N-channel diffusion layer 2 to form a photodiode for picture element of an image pickup element and a P-channel diffusion layer 3 to separate picture elements electrically are formed to the surface of a P-channel semiconductor substrate 1 and a substrate electrode 4 provided to a rear side of the substrate 1 connects to ground via an exposure detection means 5. When a light is made incident in the solid-state image pickup element formed in this way, an electron/positive hole pair is generated, the electron is stored in the N-channel diffusion layer 2 and the positive hole flows via the substrate electrode 4 of the substrate 1 and a current IP is generated. The current IF is proportional to the generated electron/positive hole pair, then the exposure information is obtained by using the exposure detection means 5 to detect the current IP.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device equipped with exposure detection means.

0002

[Prior Art] Solid-state imaging devices have been used in various fields such as movies, electronic cameras, and AF sensors.However, in order to obtain an appropriate output for any application, it is necessary to adjust the brightness of the subject. It is necessary to control the aperture, shutter speed (light integration time), etc. accordingly. Therefore, in solid-state imaging devices used for movies and the like, exposure is controlled by feeding back the output of the previous frame. Furthermore, in electronic cameras, the exposure amount is once stored and image capturing is performed.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the method of controlling exposure by feeding back the output of the previous frame, it is difficult to follow sudden changes in brightness, and the light source fluctuates in an AC manner. There were problems such as flicker occurring when Furthermore, the method of once storing the exposure amount and then taking an image cannot cope with sudden changes in brightness, strobe photography, etc.

[0004] For this reason, a method has been proposed for interline type CCD imaging devices, such as providing a photodiode for photometry on the transfer path (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-251395). It can only be applied to imaging devices, and it also has the problem of adding new steps to the process.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in conventional solid-state imaging devices equipped with exposure detection means. An object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state imaging device equipped with an exposure detection means that can handle the following.

[0006]

Means and Effects for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a photodiode comprising a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on the back surface and a diffusion layer of a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate. Equipped with a
In a solid-state imaging device of the type in which one of the carriers consisting of a hole pair flows toward the substrate and the other carrier is accumulated in the diffusion layer, one of the carriers generated by incident light flows toward the substrate through the substrate electrode. It is provided with exposure detection means for detecting and using exposure information.

In the solid-state imaging device configured as described above, when light is incident, electron-hole pairs are generated, one of the carriers is accumulated in the diffusion layer, and the other carrier flows out through the substrate electrode. The current is detected by the exposure detection means. Since this current is proportional to electron-hole pairs generated by incident light, exposure information instantly corresponding to the amount of incident light can be obtained.

[0008]

[Example] Next, an example will be explained. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a basic embodiment of a solid-state imaging device according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a p-type semiconductor substrate, and the substrate 1 is grounded via an exposure detection means 5 connected to a substrate electrode 4. On the surface of the substrate 1, an n-type diffusion layer 2 for forming a photodiode for a pixel of an image sensor;
A p-type diffusion layer 3 is formed to electrically isolate pixels.

Next, the optical integration operation in the solid-state imaging device having such a configuration will be explained. Usually, p-type substrate 1 and n
In order to perform optical integration, the photodiode 6 composed of the type diffusion layer 2 is connected to a power source 8 via a switch 7 as shown in FIG.
is connected and ready to be reset. When the switch 7 is turned on, the anode side of the photodiode 6 is reset to a positive potential and becomes reverse biased. Next, when switch 7 is turned off, optical integration begins. As shown in FIG. 1, when light is incident, electron-hole pairs are generated. Since the n-type diffusion layer 2 is positively biased in the initial state, electrons accumulate in the n-type diffusion layer 2, and holes flow out through the substrate electrode 4 of the substrate 1, so that the current IP
occurs. This current IP is proportional to electron-hole pairs generated by light incidence. Therefore, by detecting this current IP with the exposure detection means 5, information on the average brightness of the entire light receiving surface (exposure information) can be obtained.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a specific embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a CCD type solid-state imaging device equipped with a pn junction type photodiode. In the figure, 11 is a p-type substrate, 12
13 is an n-type diffusion layer for forming a pixel photodiode, 13 is a p-type channel stop diffusion layer for separating pixels, 14 is a transfer CCD, and 15 is a control electrode of the transfer CCD 14. A light shielding film 16 is provided on the surface of the transfer CCD 14 so that light is incident only on the pn junction type photodiode section.

[0011] In such a CCD type solid-state imaging device, a substrate electrode 17 formed on the back surface of the substrate to obtain a potential of the substrate 11 is electrically connected to the chip mounting surface of the package of the imaging element. Connected to one of the package's output pins. This terminal is normally connected to a power supply or ground to provide a substrate potential, but in the present invention, it is connected to a current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 to detect a current value, and this terminal is connected to a current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 to detect a current value. The conversion amplifier 21 constitutes exposure detection means. In this current-voltage conversion amplifier 21, the substrate electrode 17 is -
The negative side terminal is given the same potential as the positive side terminal by virtual grounding. Therefore, output terminal 2
2, the output voltage VOUT shown by the following equation (1) appears. VOUT=VSUB-(IP+IOF)・RL
・・・・・・(1) Here, VSUB is the substrate voltage, I
P is a photocurrent corresponding to the amount of incident light, IOF is an offset current that flows even in the dark, and RL is a feedback resistance of the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21. As can be seen from the above equation (1), the output voltage VOUT is proportional to the photocurrent IP, and the photocurrent IP is proportional to the amount of incident light, so the output voltage VOUT represents information on the amount of incident light. When the offset current IOF is sufficiently smaller than the photocurrent IP, it can be approximated by the following equation (2). VOUT ≒ VSUB -IP ・RL ・・・・・・
(2)

[0012] Under these conditions, VSUB = 0
FIG. 4 shows the relationship between brightness and output voltage VOUT in the case of . Output voltage VO on the negative side following temporal changes in brightness
It can be seen that UT varies and this output voltage represents exposure information that follows changes in brightness.

Furthermore, instead of the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21, a current-voltage converter with a diode D inserted in the feedback circuit shown in FIG.
By using the voltage conversion amplifier 23, a logarithmically compressed output voltage VOUT can be obtained.

Next, in a still camera or the like, FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of an exposure detection means equipped with an integrating circuit necessary for performing direct light metering in which the light integrating operation is stopped when a certain exposure amount is reached while taking an image. Shown below. This exposure detection means 24 is connected to a feedback circuit of a current-voltage conversion amplifier with a capacitor C and an MO.
A parallel circuit of S transistors 25 is inserted, and by replacing this with the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 shown in FIG. 3, an integration operation is performed. In other words, return M
When the gate application pulse φIR of the OS transistor 25 is set to H level, the MOS transistor 25 is turned on and the feedback capacitance C is reset. From this state, set φIR to L.
When the level is set, the MOS transistor 25 is turned off and an integration operation is started. FIG. 7 shows temporal changes in the output voltage VOUT of the exposure detection means 24 with respect to changes in brightness. In this illustrated example, when t=0, φIR is changed from H level to L level. As can be seen from Figure 7,
This exposure detection means 24 integrates the current generated corresponding to the brightness, and determines the integration start time of each pixel of the image sensor.
If the integration start times of the exposure detection means 24 are set at the same time,
Since the average level of the integral amount of each pixel corresponds to the output voltage VOUT, appropriate exposure can be determined based on this output voltage VOUT.

The configuration example of the exposure detection means described above is for the case where the offset current IOF is negligible.
When the offset current IOF is large, the exposure detection accuracy can be improved by correcting it by the following means.

(1) First, in a system configured such that the output voltage VOUT is A/D converted and used, the output during dark time is A/D converted and the digitized data is stored in the memory. It can be corrected by performing digital arithmetic processing on the output voltage.

(2) Further, correction can be made by subtracting the same current as the offset current IOF in the dark from the photocurrent and then performing current-voltage conversion. FIG. 8 shows an exposure detection means of this type. This exposure detection means is constructed by connecting a variable current source 26 consisting of a variable resistor RC and a pair of current mirrors to the - side input terminal of a current-voltage conversion amplifier, and VOUT = 0V in the dark. The offset current IOF can be canceled by adjusting the variable resistor RC as follows.

In order to perform this adjustment electrically, there is also a method in which a current output type D/A converter is connected to a current-voltage conversion amplifier. An example is shown in FIG. This configuration example connects a 4-bit current output type D/A converter 27, but by adjusting the data of D0...D3 so that VOUT = 0V in the dark, the offset current IOF can be reduced. Can be canceled.

Furthermore, the variable current source 26 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 above
By similarly connecting the current output type D/A converter 27 to the current-voltage conversion amplifier shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the offset current IOF can be canceled and the accuracy of exposure information can be improved.

In the above embodiment, average exposure information of the entire light-receiving surface of the CCD solid-state image pickup device can be obtained.
If the light-receiving surface can be divided into several blocks and the exposure can be determined by weighting each block,
It is even more effective. This can be achieved by dividing the substrate electrode provided on the back surface of the substrate into several blocks and extracting the photocurrent.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a metal pattern of a package in which electrodes on a chip mounting surface of a solid-state imaging device for performing such exposure detection are divided into several blocks. This configuration example is a 14-pin package with 31-1, 31-2,
...31-14 represent each pin. The solid-state imaging device is mounted with its imaging surface 32 aligned with the position shown by the broken line, and pins 31-1, 31-7, 31-8,
By connecting 31-11 and 31-14 to the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 or 23 shown in FIG. 3 or 5, or the exposure detection means 24 shown in FIG. 6, the upper right, upper left, Exposure information corresponding to the lower left, center, and lower right can be obtained. However, since the light-receiving area of each block differs due to a shift in the chip mounting position, etc., it is necessary to apply average light and adjust the output gain for each block in advance. For this, adjustment using a trimmer, etc., or correction coefficients for each block for each chip can be performed using ROM.
This can be done in a variety of ways, such as writing to the data and making adjustments using that data.

The above has described a specific embodiment applied to the CCD solid-state imaging device shown in FIG. 3, but the present invention also applies to a solid-state imaging device using SIT as a pixel as shown in FIG. BASIS as shown in Figure 12
It can also be applied to a solid-state imaging device using a pixel as a pixel.Although the polarity is reversed, the photocurrent IP flowing through the substrate electrode is similarly detected by an exposure detection means consisting of a current-voltage conversion amplifier or the like. Exposure information can be obtained.

Furthermore, for a solid-state imaging device having a MOS type photodiode instead of a pn junction type photodiode, as shown in FIG. 13, the substrate 35 and the channel stop region 36 are of the same conductivity type and are electrically connected. The present invention can be applied to such a structure, and exposure control based on substrate current detection is also possible. In FIG. 13, numeral 37 indicates a SiO2 film, and numeral 38 indicates a polysilicon gate.

[0024] Next, a solid state structure in which the other carrier, which is not the pixel storage carrier among the electron-hole pairs generated by photoelectric conversion, does not flow to the substrate side, such as a CCD type solid-state imaging device with a vertical overflow drain structure. An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an imaging device will be described.

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a CCD type solid-state imaging device having a vertical overflow drain structure. Components that are the same or equivalent to those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals. The difference from the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is that the substrate 11 is of n-type, and a p-type epitaxial layer 41 is formed thereon. For this reason, the substrate 11 is biased to a positive potential and the epitaxial layer 4 is
It is necessary to set the potential of 1 to the ground potential. Therefore, a potential is applied through the channel stop diffusion region 13 with high concentration. Further, the n-type diffusion layer 12 constituting the photodiode for photoelectric conversion is biased to a positive potential at the time of reset.

When light enters in this state and electron-hole pairs are generated, the electrons are accumulated in the n-type diffusion layer 12, and the holes flow out through the channel stop diffusion region 13, generating a current IP. . By detecting this current IP with the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21, information on the average brightness of the entire light-receiving surface can be obtained, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. Furthermore, by replacing the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 with the current-voltage conversion amplifier 23 shown in FIG. 5 or the exposure detection means 24 shown in FIG. 6, it is also possible to obtain a logarithm compression output, an integral output, or the like.

In the CCD type solid-state imaging device having this configuration, some of the electrons generated by incident light flow out to the substrate, so in FIG. It is also possible to obtain exposure information by connecting a current-voltage conversion amplifier with VSUB connected to its + terminal and detecting this current. However, this current depends on the intensity of the incident light as well as
It is also affected by the potential of the n-type diffusion layer. In particular, a large current flows directly under a pixel that has reached a saturation level due to the incidence of strong light. For this reason, exposure control using this current is not based on average photometry, but rather gives greater weight to bright pixels, and this method is effective depending on the application.

Next, an embodiment will be described in which the imaging plane is divided into a plurality of blocks and the photocurrent is detected. FIG. 15 shows a configuration example of an interline type CCD solid-state imaging device. A photodiode 51 that constitutes a pixel, a vertical CCD 52 that transfers charges, a horizontal CCD 53, a transfer gate 54 that transfers the charge of the photodiode 51 to the vertical CCD 52, and a charge that detects the charge transferred by the horizontal CCD 53. It is composed of a detection amplifier 55. In order to isolate each pixel column, a channel stop diffusion region 56 is formed as shown by the broken line. By dividing into a plurality of blocks depending on the arrangement of electrodes with respect to the channel stop diffusion region 56, exposure information for each block can be obtained.

FIG. 16 shows an example of its configuration. In the figure, 61 is a row of channel stop diffusion regions, and 62 is an imaging plane. Set the imaging surface 62 to the left as shown in the figure.
It is divided into three regions, center and right, and separate electrodes are provided for the channel stop diffusion region in each region. Then, connect a current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 to each electrode, and let their output voltages be V1, V2, and V3, where V1 is the output voltage corresponding to the brightness of the left area, V2 is the center area, and V3 is the output voltage corresponding to the brightness of the right area. becomes. In this way, by dividing into blocks by arranging electrodes in the channel stop diffusion regions, brightness information can be detected for each block. Arbitrary block division can be realized by using a transparent electrode or the like to establish conduction with the channel stop diffusion region near the center of the imaging surface. Also, Figure 16
By providing a current-voltage conversion amplifier 23 shown in FIG. 5 or an exposure detection means 24 shown in FIG. 6 in place of the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 in , it is also possible to obtain a logarithm compression output, an integral output, etc.

Although the above embodiment shows the application of the present invention to a CCD type solid-state imaging device having a vertical overflow drain structure, the present invention is not limited to a CCD type solid-state imaging device having this structure. For example, in a structure in which a layer is formed and a photodiode is formed in that part, the carriers that are not accumulated in the pixel among the electron-hole pairs generated by light incidence are transferred not from the substrate electrode.
The present invention can be applied to any type of solid-state imaging device that flows out from an electrode such as a channel stop diffusion region.

As an example, FIG. 17 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a solid-state imaging device having a vertical overflow drain structure in which MOS photodiodes are used as pixels. In this embodiment, a p-type epitaxial layer is formed on an n-type substrate 71 to form a p-type well 72. This p-type well 72 is configured to be biased through a p + -type channel stop diffusion region 73 . Note that 74 is S.
It is an iO2 film, and 75 is a polysilicon gate. In a solid-state imaging device having such a structure, when light is incident with the gate voltage VG applied to the polysilicon gate 75 raised to a positive potential, electron-hole pairs are generated, and the electrons are transferred to the inversion layer directly under the gate. The holes are accumulated and flow out through the channel stop diffusion region 73. By detecting this current with the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21, it is possible to obtain an output according to the brightness as in each of the above embodiments.

As yet another embodiment of this type, CM
D (Charge Modulation Device
FIG. 18 shows an application of e) to a solid-state imaging device using pixels. CMD includes a source region 83 and a drain region 84 made of n+ diffusion layers formed in a low concentration n-type epitaxial layer 82 stacked on a p-type substrate 81, and a ring-shaped polysilicon gate 85 formed on an oxide film. Consists of. A substrate voltage VSUB is applied to the p-type substrate 81 via a substrate electrode 86. Further, the drain region 84 is fixed at a drain voltage VD, and the source region 83 is connected to a vertical signal line and given a ground potential.

In this state, the gate potential VG is controlled to perform a reset operation, an accumulation operation, and a read operation. Among these operations, the storage operation will be described. During the storage operation, the gate potential VG is biased to a negative potential, and an inversion layer is formed directly under the gate. When light enters in this state and electron-hole pairs are generated, the holes are accumulated in the inversion layer directly under the gate, and the electrons flow out from the source region 83 or drain region 84 from those electrodes from the point where they are generated. . By detecting the current flowing out from the electrode through the drain region 84 with the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21, information on the brightness of the light receiving surface of the imaging device can be obtained.

In this embodiment, unlike the previous embodiments, carriers opposite to those accumulated in a pixel are divided into two regions, a source region and a drain region, and flow out, but they are uniform in a small region of each pixel. If it is exposed to light, even if the brightness changes, the ratio of carriers flowing out from the source region and the drain region will be constant, and the brightness can be detected in the same way as in the previous embodiments. Furthermore, by replacing the current-voltage conversion amplifier 21 in this embodiment with the current-voltage conversion amplifier 23 shown in FIG. 5 or the exposure detection means 24 shown in FIG. 6, a logarithm compression output or an integral output can be obtained. Needless to say.

In the solid-state imaging device using this CMD, among the electron-hole pairs generated when light enters, the holes generated in the light receiving section near the gate are accumulated directly under the gate; In addition, for example, holes generated in the source region and drain region have a component that flows out to the substrate side. The substrate current generated by the holes that are not accumulated directly under the gate also corresponds to the amount of incident light. Therefore, even if this substrate current is detected by a current-to-voltage conversion amplifier as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3, exposure information can be obtained in the same way. That is, in FIG. 18, the drain voltage VD is applied to the drain region 84.
is applied to the substrate electrode 86, and a current-to-voltage conversion amplifier whose + terminal is connected to VSUB is connected to detect the substrate current and obtain exposure information.

In each of the above embodiments, it has been explained that the photocurrent due to carriers other than those accumulated in the photodiode in the solid-state imaging device is used as exposure information, but the photocurrent depending on the amount of light is used as exposure information. Needless to say, it can be used as other information.

[0037]

[Effect of the invention] As explained above based on the embodiments,
According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a solid-state imaging device that can instantly obtain exposure information corresponding to the amount of incident light by providing a simple exposure detection means without adding any new process changes or the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a basic embodiment of a solid-state imaging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an equivalent circuit for driving the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a CCD type solid-state imaging device equipped with a photodiode.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between brightness and output voltage of an exposure detection means in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram showing another example of the configuration of exposure detection means.

FIG. 6 is a circuit configuration diagram showing still another example of the configuration of the exposure detection means.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between brightness and detection output voltage when the exposure detection means shown in FIG. 6 is used.

FIG. 8 is a circuit configuration diagram showing exposure detection means that corrects offset current.

FIG. 9 is a circuit configuration diagram showing another configuration example of an exposure detection means that corrects offset current.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a metal pattern of a package used in a solid-state imaging device for performing exposure detection for each block.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a solid-state imaging device using SIT as a pixel.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a solid-state imaging device using BASIS as pixels.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a solid-state imaging device having a MOS photodiode.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a CCD solid-state imaging device with a vertical overflow drain structure.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an interline type CCD solid-state imaging device.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration when obtaining exposure information in blocks in the apparatus shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a solid-state imaging device with a vertical overflow drain structure in which MOS photodiodes are used as pixels.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a solid-state imaging device using a CCD as a pixel.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 p-type semiconductor substrate 2 n-type diffusion layer 3 p-type diffusion layer 4 substrate electrode 5 exposure detection means 11 p-type substrate 12 n-type diffusion layer 13 p-type channel stop diffusion layer 14 transfer C
CD 15 Control electrode 16 Light shielding film 21 Current-voltage conversion amplifier

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A photodiode comprising a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on the back surface and a diffusion layer of a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate; In a solid-state imaging device of the type in which carriers flow toward the substrate and the other carrier is accumulated in the diffusion layer, exposure detection detects one carrier generated by incident light flowing toward the substrate through the substrate electrode and provides exposure information. A solid-state imaging device characterized by comprising means. 2. The substrate electrode is formed by dividing it into a plurality of blocks, and the exposure detection means is connected to each divided substrate electrode to detect exposure information for each block. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1. 3. A plurality of photodiodes formed of a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on its back surface, an epitaxial layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate, and a diffusion layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of the epitaxial layer; A plurality of channel stop diffusion regions of the same conductivity type as the epitaxial layer formed between the plurality of photodiodes are provided, and one of carriers consisting of an electron/hole pair generated by light incidence is accumulated in the photodiode. The solid-state imaging device is of a type in which the other carrier flows into the channel stop diffusion region, and is characterized by comprising exposure detection means for detecting the other carrier flowing into the channel stop diffusion region as a current and providing exposure information. A solid-state imaging device. 4. The plurality of channel stop diffusion regions are divided into a plurality of blocks, and the exposure detection means is provided for each block to detect exposure information for each block. The solid-state imaging device according to item 3. 5. A plurality of photodiodes formed of an epitaxial layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate formed on a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on the back surface, and a diffusion layer having a conductivity type opposite to the epitaxial layer; A plurality of channel stop diffusion regions of the same conductivity type as the epitaxial layer formed between the plurality of photodiodes are provided, and one of carriers consisting of an electron/hole pair generated by light incidence is accumulated in the photodiode. In a solid-state imaging device of the type in which a portion of the carriers flows to the substrate while the other carriers flow to the channel stop diffusion region, one carrier that is not accumulated in the photodiode but flows to the substrate is detected as a current and exposure information is obtained. A solid-state imaging device comprising an exposure detection means. 6. The substrate electrode is formed by dividing it into a plurality of blocks, and the exposure detection means is connected to each divided substrate electrode to detect exposure information for each block. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 5. 7. A plurality of MOS photodiodes formed on a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on the back surface, and
A channel stop diffusion region of the same conductivity type as the semiconductor substrate is formed between the S-type photodiodes, and one of carriers consisting of an electron-hole pair generated by light incidence is directly under the gate of the MOS-type photodiode. A solid-state imaging device of a type in which the carriers are accumulated and the other one flows into the substrate or the channel stop diffusion region, comprising exposure detection means for detecting the other carrier flowing out to the substrate or the channel stop diffusion region as a current and providing exposure information. A solid-state imaging device characterized by: 8. The substrate electrode or channel stop diffusion region is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the exposure detection means is provided for each block to detect exposure information for each block. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7. 9. An epitaxial layer formed on a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on the back surface and having a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate, a plurality of MOS photodiodes formed on the epitaxial layer, and a space between the MOS photodiodes. A channel stop diffusion region of the same conductivity type as the epitaxial layer formed in
In a solid-state imaging device of the type in which one of the carriers consisting of a hole pair is accumulated directly under the gate of the MOS photodiode and the other carrier flows into the channel stop diffusion region, the other carrier flows into the channel stop diffusion region. A solid-state imaging device characterized by comprising exposure detection means for detecting carriers as current and obtaining exposure information. 10. The plurality of channel stop diffusion regions are divided into a plurality of blocks, and the exposure detection means is provided for each block to detect exposure information for each block. 9. The solid-state imaging device according to item 9. 11. An epitaxial layer formed on a semiconductor substrate having a substrate electrode on the back surface and having a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate, a plurality of MOS photodiodes formed on the epitaxial layer, and a space between the MOS photodiodes. A channel of the same conductivity type as the epitaxial layer formed in
One of the carriers consisting of an electron-hole pair generated by light incidence is accumulated directly under the gate of the MOS type photodiode, and a part of the carrier flows to the substrate, and the other carrier is provided with a stop diffusion region. - A solid-state imaging device of a type in which a flow flows through a stop diffusion region, characterized in that the solid-state imaging device includes an exposure detection means that detects one carrier that is not accumulated in the photodiode but flows to the substrate as a current and uses it as exposure information. 12. The substrate electrode is formed by dividing it into a plurality of blocks, and the exposure detection means is connected to each divided electrode to detect exposure information for each block. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 11.