Solid-state imaging device and camera

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device is formed on a silicon substrate for providing a MOS type solid-state imaging device which has a device isolation structure and causes a small amount of leak current. The solid-state imaging device includes, for each pixel, an imaging region which includes a photodiode having a charge accumulation region of a first conductivity type, a transistor and a device isolation region whose depth is less than a depth of the charge accumulation region of the first conductivity type, at which an impurity density is at maximum.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A solid-state imaging device comprising, for each pixel, an imaging region including: a photodiode having a charge accumulation region of a first conductivity type; and a transistor for reading out the charge obtained by the photodiode, wherein the imaging region includes a device isolation region for isolating said transistor from a neighboring transistor that is placed outside said imaging region, and a depth of the device isolation region is less than a depth of the dark-current suppression layer, the depth of said layer being a depth at which impurity density of said layer is at maximum.  
   
   
       13 . The solid-state imaging device according to  claim 12 , wherein the depth of the device isolation region ranges from 1 to 100 nm.  
   
   
       14 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A solid-state imaging device comprising, for each pixel, an imaging region including: a photodiode having a charge accumulation region of a first conductivity type and a dark-current suppression layer of a second conductivity type; and a transistor for reading out the charge obtained by the photodiode, 
 wherein the imaging region includes a device isolation region for isolating said transistor from a neighboring transistor that is placed outside said imaging region, and    a depth of the device isolation region is less than a depth of the dark-current suppression layer.    
   
   
       19 . The solid-state imaging device according to  claim 18 , wherein the depth of the device isolation region ranges from 1 to 50 nm.  
   
   
       20 . A solid-state imaging device comprising, for each pixel, an imaging region including: a photodiode having a charge accumulation region of a first conductivity type; and a transistor for reading out the charge obtained by the photodiode, 
 wherein the imaging region includes a device isolation region for isolating said transistor from a neighboring transistor that is placed outside said imaging region, and    a depth of the device isolation ranges from 1 to 200 nm.    
   
   
       21 . (canceled)