JP3481782B2 - Solid-state imaging device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device, and more particularly to a solid-state image pickup device used for an optical device for displaying a subject image picked up through a lens on a monitor, in which a microlens is provided for each pixel. The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Although solid-state image pickup devices have been applied in various fields, some of optical devices using the solid-state image pickup devices use a solid-state image pickup device in which a microlens is arranged for each pixel. There is.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an optical device using a solid-state image pickup device. The arrow indicated by reference numeral 31 indicates a subject, and the subject 31 is imaged on the imaging surface 33 by the lens 32. An image pickup device 34 is arranged on the image pickup surface 33, and an output from the image pickup device 34 is monitored by a monitor 35.
Input to the subject 31 on the display of the monitor 35.
You can observe the subject image.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of an image pickup surface and an image pickup element of an optical device using a conventional solid-state image pickup device.
Reference numeral 42 indicates a lens, and reference numeral 44 indicates an image sensor, which correspond to the lens 32 and the image sensor 34 in FIG. 3, respectively. In addition, the micro lens 40 (40
Indicates all of 40a, 40b, 40c. ) Is the plane including the respective vertices, the image pickup surface 33 in FIG.
It corresponds to.

In the image pickup device 44, pixels 47 (47 are all 47a, 47b, 47c), which are usually photodiodes, are arranged in a device forming region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate 46 at regular intervals. A light-shielding film 48 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 46 other than the portion where the pixels 47 are provided, and the light-shielding film 48 is formed. A dyeing pattern layer 49 (a dyeing pattern is not shown) is formed on 48. Further, the microlens 4 is provided on the dyeing pattern 49.
0 is arranged such that the apex of the microlens 40 is located on the line segment connecting the central portion 41 of the lens 42 and the central point of each pixel 47. The above is the configuration of the image sensor 44. For simplification of the drawing, the incident light from the lens 42 is only the incident light from the central portion 41 having the maximum light amount.

From the lens center portion 41 to the micro lens 40
The line segment that passes through the apex of each of the pixels and is drawn to the center point of each pixel 47 indicates the traveling path of the incident light from the lens central portion 41, and the position where each microlens 40 is arranged is The apex of the lens 40 is set so as to be located on the traveling path of the incident light from the lens central portion 41. Therefore, the apex of the microlens 40a on the pixel 47a located in the center of the photosensitive area is located on the perpendicular line drawn from the lens 42 side to the center point on the pixel 47a, while the peripheral portion is located from the center. The microlens 40 disposed on the pixels 47b and 47c located at positions displaced to the side
The vertices of b and 40c are the pixels 47b and 4 from the lens 42 side.
It is not located on the perpendicular drawn to the center point on 7c,
They are located at locations where offsets of A1 and A2 are given toward the center of the photosensitive area, respectively. This offset is for making light incident on each pixel uniformly,
Hereinafter referred to as "lens scaling".

When the microlenses 40 are arranged at equal intervals so that their vertices correspond to the central positions of the pixels 47, the amount of incident light varies depending on the position of each pixel 47.
Shading occurs in which the sensitivity decreases as it approaches the peripheral edge of the photosensitive area. As a measure against this shading,
Lens scaling is performed to make the amount of light incident on each pixel 47 uniform.

[0008]

However, the optical device using the conventional solid-state image pickup device has the following problems.

FIG. 5 is an image pickup surface sampling point of the solid-state image pickup device in the optical device using the conventional solid-state image pickup device (position of each vertex of the microlens 40 in FIG. 4).
51 (51 indicates 51a, 51b, 51c) and a subject image 52 (52 indicates 52a, 52b,
All of 52c shall be pointed out. ] Is an explanatory view schematically showing the relationship with. The plane including the sampling points 51 corresponds to the imaging surface 33 in FIG. 3, and the subject image 52 corresponds to the subject image on the display unit of the monitor 5 in FIG.

As described above, the image pickup surface sampling points 51 are not evenly spaced because they are arranged with lens scaling, while the image pickup surface sampling points 51 are formed on the monitor forming the subject image 52. Pixels are arranged at equal intervals corresponding to each pixel 47 in FIG. That is,
In order to form a subject image by the output to each pixel on the monitor arranged at equal intervals, based on the input from each imaging surface sampling point 51 that is given a larger lens scaling toward the peripheral portion of the photosensitive area, The subject image formed on the display unit of the monitor has a problem that a larger image distortion occurs as it approaches the peripheral portion of the display unit of the monitor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to be used in an optical device for displaying a subject image picked up through a lens on a monitor, and a microlens is provided for each pixel. It is another object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging device in which the amount of light incident on each pixel is the same and image distortion does not occur in the subject image displayed on the monitor.

[0012]

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention, a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of pixels respectively arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A light-shielding film formed on a portion of the photosensitive region including a portion where a plurality of pixels are arranged on the semiconductor substrate, other than a portion where the plurality of pixels are arranged, and a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, a charge transfer register disposed below the light shielding film, a pixel and a dyeing pattern layer formed on the light shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at equal intervals on the dyeing pattern, The predetermined pixel arrangement position where the pixels are arranged is such that the object image of the object is formed on the image pickup surface including the vertices of the plurality of microlenses Pixel on the extension of the incident path of light The central portion is set so that the incident light is incident to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel while arranging the microlenses corresponding to each pixel at equal intervals. Since the arrangement position of each pixel is set according to the route, it is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device that does not cause image distortion and shading when used in an optical device that displays a subject image captured through a lens on a monitor. You can

A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element forming region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a portion on the semiconductor substrate where a plurality of pixels are arranged are included. A light-shielding film formed in a portion including a portion other than a portion in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a charge transfer register arranged under a plurality of pixels or the light-shielding film in a semiconductor substrate. And a dyeing pattern layer formed on the pixel and the light-shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at equal intervals on the dyeing pattern, the predetermined pixel placement position where the pixel is placed, The central part of the pixel is located on the extension of the incident path of the incident light from the central part of the object image forming lens that forms the object image of the object on the imaging surface including the apexes of multiple microlenses. Is set to In order to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel while arranging the microlenses corresponding to each pixel at equal intervals, the arrangement position of each pixel is set according to the incident path of the incident light. Therefore, it is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device in which image distortion and shading do not occur when used in an optical device that displays a subject image captured through a lens on a monitor.

The arrangement interval of the plurality of pixels becomes larger from the central portion of the photosensitive area toward the peripheral portion, and in order to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel, each pixel is arranged according to the incident path of the incident light. Since the arrangement position is set, it is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device that does not cause image distortion and shading when used in an optical device that displays a subject image captured through a lens on a monitor.

A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a portion on the semiconductor substrate where a plurality of pixels are arranged are included. A light-shielding film formed in a portion of the photosensitive region other than the portion in which the plurality of pixels are arranged, a plurality of pixels in the semiconductor substrate or a charge transfer register arranged under the light-shielding film, and a pixel And a predetermined lens array having a plurality of microlenses, the dyeing pattern layer formed on the light-shielding film and a plurality of microlenses arranged at predetermined lens arrangement positions on the dyeing pattern. The installation position is set corresponding to the arrangement position of the plurality of video display pixels in the display unit of the display device which displays an image based on the charge signals generated in the plurality of pixels. The predetermined pixel arrangement position is The central part of the pixel is located on the extension of the incident path of the incident light from the central part of the object image forming lens that forms the object image of the object on the imaging surface including the apexes of several microlenses. In the case where the video display pixels in the display unit of the display device are not evenly spaced,
In order to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel, the placement position of each microlens is set according to the placement position of the image display pixel in the display section, and the position of each pixel is adjusted according to the incident path of the incident light. Since the arrangement position is set, it is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device that does not cause image distortion and shading when used in an optical device that displays a subject image captured through a lens on a monitor.

A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element forming region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a portion on the semiconductor substrate where a plurality of pixels are arranged are included. A light-shielding film formed in a portion including a portion other than a portion in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a charge transfer register arranged under a plurality of pixels or the light-shielding film in a semiconductor substrate. And a dye pattern layer formed on the pixels and the light-shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at predetermined lens arrangement positions on the dye pattern. The lens disposition position is set corresponding to the disposition position of the plurality of video display pixels in the display unit of the display device that displays an image based on the charge signals generated in the plurality of pixels. Arranged pixel arrangement The position is the center of the pixel on the extension of the incident path of the incident light from the center of the subject image forming lens that forms the subject image of the subject on the imaging surface including the vertices of multiple microlenses. In order to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel even when the image display pixels in the display unit of the display device are not evenly spaced,
Since the arrangement position of each microlens is set according to the arrangement position of the image display pixel in the display unit, and the arrangement position of each pixel is set according to the incident path of the incident light, it is possible to use the lens. It is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device in which image distortion and shading do not occur when used in an optical device that displays a captured subject image on a monitor.

Since the arrangement position of the charge transfer register is set according to the predetermined pixel arrangement position of the plurality of pixels, the charge transfer efficiency can be improved.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The feature of the solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention is that microlenses corresponding to respective pixels are arranged at equal intervals,
The arrangement position of each pixel is set according to the incident path of the incident light in order to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel.

With this configuration, it is possible to provide a solid-state image pickup device in which image distortion and shading do not occur when used in an optical device for displaying a subject image picked up through a lens on a monitor.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention, and shows the structure of an image pickup surface and an image pickup element in FIG. 3 when used in the optical device shown in FIG. ing. Reference numeral 12 denotes a lens, and reference numeral 14 denotes a solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention, which correspond to the lens 32 and the image pickup element 34 in FIG. 3, respectively.
In addition, the micro lens 10 (10 is 10a, 10b, 1
0c means all. A plane including each vertex of) corresponds to the imaging surface 33 in FIG.

In the solid-state image pickup device 14, pixels 17 (17 are all 17a, 17b, 17c), which are usually photodiodes, are formed in the element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate 16 as follows. The semiconductor substrate 16 has a photosensitive region disposed at each predetermined position.
A light shielding film 18 is formed on a portion other than a portion where the pixels 17 are arranged in the photosensitive area on the surface, and a dyeing pattern layer 19 (a dyeing pattern is not shown) is formed on the pixels 17 and the light shielding film 18. .) Has been formed. A charge transfer register is usually arranged below the pixel 17 or the light shielding film 18 in the semiconductor substrate 16. Further, the microlenses 10 are arranged on the dyeing pattern 19 at equal intervals, and the pixels 17 are arranged at the lens center portion 1 of the lens 12.
It is set so that the apex of the microlens 10 is located on the line segment connecting 1 and the center point of each pixel 17. That is,
In the solid-state imaging device according to the present invention, the microlenses 10 are arranged at equal intervals, and in order to make the amount of light incident on each pixel 17 uniform under these conditions, the lens central portion 11 of the lens 12 is arranged. Each pixel 17 is arranged such that the center of the pixel 17 is located on an extension of a line segment that connects the apex of each of the microlenses 10. Therefore, a larger offset is given to the arrangement position of each pixel 17 in the direction from the central portion of the photosensitive region toward the peripheral portion as it approaches the peripheral portion of the photosensitive region. For simplification of the drawing, the incident light from the lens 12 has a central portion 11 having the maximum light amount.
Only the incident light from is shown.

With this configuration, the amount of light incident on each pixel 17 is constant, and the sampling points and the pixels on the monitor are equally spaced, so that the subject image captured through the lens is displayed on the monitor. When used in an optical device, image distortion and shading can be prevented.

The arrangement position of each pixel 17 is to be offset according to the incident path of incident light, and does not necessarily have to be aligned with the opening of the light shielding film 18. Further, an offset may be similarly given to the arrangement position of the charge transfer register arranged below the pixel 17 or the light shielding film 18.

FIG. 2 shows an imaging surface sampling point (position of each vertex of the microlens 40 in FIG. 1) 21 of the solid-state imaging device in the optical device using the solid-state imaging device according to the present invention 21 (21 is 21a, 21b, 21c). And the subject image 22 (22 is 22a, 2).
It refers to all of 2b and 22c. ] Is an explanatory view schematically showing the relationship with. Sampling point 2
The plane including 1 is on the imaging surface 33 in FIG.
2 corresponds to the subject image on the display section of the monitor 5 in FIG.

The microlenses of the solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention, that is, the image pickup surface sampling points 21 are arranged at equal intervals, while the pixels on the monitor of the optical device using the solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention are the same. It is arranged at intervals. Therefore, the incident light from the subject through the lens enters from the imaging surface sampling points 21 at equal intervals, so that the image of the subject formed on the display portion of the monitor is not distorted.

On the extension line between the lens center portion of the lens in the optical device and the imaging surface sampling point 21,
That is, since each pixel 17 is arranged on the incident path of incident light with a larger offset in the direction from the central portion of the photosensitive region toward the peripheral portion as it approaches the peripheral portion of the photosensitive region, the solid-state imaging Sensitivity does not decrease at the peripheral edge of the photosensitive area of the device, and shading does not occur.

The configuration of the solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention described above is based on the assumption that the pixels on the monitor of the optical device in which the solid-state image pickup device is used are arranged at equal intervals. . Therefore, when the pixels on the monitor are not arranged at equal intervals, the microlens arrangement of the solid-state imaging device is set according to the arrangement of the pixels on the monitor, and the lens central portion of the lens in the optical device is set. Similarly, by setting the pixel arrangement of the solid-state image pickup device so that the center of each pixel is located on the extension line of the apex of the microlens for which the arrangement is set, similarly, it is possible to prevent image distortion and shading. An imaging device can be configured.

[0029]

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention, the microlenses corresponding to the respective pixels are arranged at equal intervals, and the predetermined light distribution of each pixel is arranged in order to equalize the incident light amount to each pixel. The installation position is such that each pixel is located on the extension of the incident path of the incident light from the center of the subject image forming lens that forms the subject image of the subject on the imaging surface including the apex of each microlens. Since the central portion is set to be positioned, it is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device that does not cause image distortion and shading when used in an optical device that displays a subject image captured through a lens on a monitor. You can

The arrangement interval of the plurality of pixels is set to increase from the central portion of the photosensitive area toward the peripheral portion, and in order to equalize the amount of incident light to each pixel, each pixel is arranged according to the incident path of the incident light. Since the arrangement position is set, it is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device that does not cause image distortion and shading when used in an optical device that displays a subject image captured through a lens on a monitor.

Even when the image display pixels in the display section of the display device are not equidistant, each micro pixel is arranged in accordance with the arrangement position of the image display pixels in the display section in order to equalize the amount of light incident on each pixel. Since the arrangement position of the lens is set and the arrangement position of each pixel is set according to the incident path of the incident light, when the subject image captured through the lens is used for the optical device to be displayed on the monitor. It is possible to provide a solid-state imaging device in which image distortion and shading do not occur.

Since the arrangement position of the charge transfer register is set according to the predetermined pixel arrangement position of the plurality of pixels, the charge transfer efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a relationship between an image pickup surface sampling point of a solid-state imaging device and an object image in an optical device using the solid-state imaging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical device using a solid-state imaging device.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an image pickup surface and an image pickup element of an optical device using a conventional solid-state image pickup device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view schematically showing a relationship between an image pickup surface sampling point of a solid-state imaging device and an object image in an optical device using the conventional solid-state imaging device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 40 Microlens 11, 41 Lens central part 12, 32, 42 Lens 14, 34, 44 Solid-state imaging device (imaging element) 16, 46 Semiconductor substrate 17, 47 Pixel 18, 48 Light shielding film 19, 49 Dyeing pattern layer 21, 51 Imaging plane sampling points (vertices of microlenses) 22, 52 Subject image 31 Subject 33 Imaging plane 35 Monitor

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/335 H01L 27/14

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of pixels arranged on the semiconductor substrate. A light-shielding film formed in a portion other than a portion in which the plurality of pixels are disposed in a photosensitive region including a light-shielding portion, and a light-shielding film disposed below the plurality of pixels or the light-shielding film in the semiconductor substrate. A charge transfer register provided, a dyeing pattern layer formed on the pixel and the light shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at equal intervals on the dyeing pattern, wherein the pixel is provided. The predetermined pixel arrangement position is the incident light from the central portion of the subject image forming lens that forms the subject image of the subject on the imaging surface including the apexes of the plurality of microlenses to the apex of each microlens. Incident path extension A solid-state imaging device according to claim central portion of the pixel to be one that is set so as to be positioned. 2. A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels respectively disposed at predetermined pixel disposition positions in an element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor substrate. A light-shielding film formed in a portion including a portion other than a portion in which the plurality of pixels are arranged, in a photosensitive region including a plurality of pixels, and the plurality of pixels or the light-shielding film in the semiconductor substrate. A charge transfer register arranged below, a dyeing pattern layer formed on the pixel and the light shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at equal intervals on the dyeing pattern, the pixel The predetermined pixel disposition position where is disposed is from the central portion of the subject image forming lens that forms a subject image of the subject on the imaging surface including the apexes of the plurality of microlenses to the apex of each microlens. Incident light incident The solid-state imaging device, wherein the central portion of the pixel on the extension of the road is one that is set to be positioned. 3. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein an arrangement interval of the plurality of pixels is increased from a central portion of the photosensitive region toward a peripheral portion thereof. A characteristic solid-state imaging device. 4. A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels respectively arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor substrate. A light-shielding film formed in a portion other than a portion in which the plurality of pixels are disposed in a photosensitive region including a light-shielding portion, and a light-shielding film disposed below the plurality of pixels or the light-shielding film in the semiconductor substrate. A charge transfer register provided, a dyeing pattern layer formed on the pixel and the light shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at predetermined lens placement positions on the dyeing pattern, The predetermined lens disposition position where a plurality of microlenses are disposed is located at a disposition position of a plurality of image display pixels in a display unit of a display device that displays an image based on a charge signal generated in the plurality of pixels. Correspondingly set The predetermined pixel arrangement position where the pixels are arranged is a central portion of a subject image forming lens for forming a subject image of a subject on an image pickup surface including apexes of the plurality of microlenses. To the apex of each of the microlenses, the solid-state image pickup device is arranged such that the central portion of the pixel is located on the extension of the incident path of the incident light. 5. A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels respectively arranged at predetermined pixel arrangement positions in an element formation region near the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor substrate. A light-shielding film formed in a portion including a portion other than a portion in which the plurality of pixels are arranged, in a photosensitive region including a plurality of pixels, and the plurality of pixels or the light-shielding film in the semiconductor substrate. A charge transfer register arranged below, a dyeing pattern layer formed on the pixel and the light shielding film, and a plurality of microlenses arranged at predetermined lens arrangement positions on the dyeing pattern. The predetermined lens disposition position where the plurality of microlenses are disposed is arranged at a plurality of image display pixels in a display unit of a display device which displays an image based on a charge signal generated in the plurality of pixels. To the installation position The predetermined pixel arrangement position where the pixels are arranged is a subject image forming lens for forming a subject image of a subject on an image pickup surface including apexes of the plurality of microlenses. The solid-state imaging device is arranged such that the central portion of the pixel is located on an extension of an incident path of incident light from the central portion of the pixel to the apex of each microlens. 6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the charge transfer register is arranged at a position.
A solid-state imaging device, wherein the solid-state imaging device is set according to the predetermined pixel arrangement positions of the plurality of pixels.