Solid-state imaging device and solid-state imaging device designing method

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device includes light receiving sections which are arranged in an image area on a semiconductor substrate at the same pitch and which light exiting from an imaging optical system enters, condensing lenses respectively arranged above the light receiving sections, and light shielding sections each of which is provided at one end of each of the light receiving sections. The condensing lenses are arranged in a peripheral portion in a first direction in the image area at a first pitch, and arranged in a peripheral portion in a second direction opposite the first direction at a second pitch which is smaller than the first pitch.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:
 a plurality of photoelectric converting sections arranged in an image area; and 
 a plurality of condensing lenses arranged above the photoelectric converting sections, 
 wherein the condensing lenses include a plurality of first condensing lenses and a plurality of second condensing lenses, the first condensing lenses are arranged in a peripheral portion of the image area in a first direction in from a center of the image area at a first pitch, and the second condensing lenses are arranged in a peripheral portion of the image area in a second direction opposite the first direction with respect to a the center of the image area at a second pitch, and 
 wherein the second pitch is smaller than the first pitch. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photoelectric converting sections are arranged at a third pitch. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the third pitch is larger than the first pitch. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of light shielding sections provided adjacent to each of the photoelectric converting sections. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein a side of the shielding sections in the first direction overlap with at least a part of the photoelectric converting sections. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the light shielding sections are electrodes or wirings. 
     
     
       7. A solid-state imaging device comprising:
 a first photoelectric converting section arranged in a peripheral portion of an image area; 
 a first condensing lens arranged above the first photoelectric converting section; and 
 a first light shielding section provided adjacent to the first photoelectric converting section in a side of a center direction of the image area, the first light shielding section overlapping with at least a part of the first photoelectric converting section; 
 a second photoelectric converting section arranged in a peripheral portion of the image area; 
 a second condensing lens arranged above the second photoelectric converting section; and 
 a second light shielding section provided adjacent to the second photoelectric converting section in a side of a peripheral direction of the image area, the second light shielding section overlapping with at least a part of the second photoelectric converting section, 
 wherein the first condensing lens includes a first shift from a center of the first photoelectric converting section to a center direction of the image area 
 wherein the second condensing lens includes a second shift from the center of the first photoelectric converting section to the center direction of the image area, and 
 wherein the first shift is smaller than the second shift. 
 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the first photoelectric converting section and the second photoelectric converting section are displaced at a first distance from the center of the image area. 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a third light shielding section provided adjacent to the first photoelectric converting section in the side of the center direction of the image area, the third light shielding section not overlapping with at least a part of the first photoelectric converting section. 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising a fourth light shielding section provided adjacent to the second photoelectric converting section in the side of the peripheral direction of the image area, the fourth light shielding section not overlapping with at least a part of the second photoelectric converting section. 
     
     
       11. A solid state imaging device comprising:
 an image area having a center;   a plurality of photoelectric converting sections arranged in the image area; and   a plurality of condensing lenses arranged above the photoelectric converting sections, wherein   the photoelectric converting sections include at least a first photoelectric converting section and a second photoelectric converting section,   the condensing lenses include at least a first condensing lens and a second condensing lens,   the first condensing lens is located in a first direction with respect to the center of the image area and has a first shift with respect to the first photoelectric converting section,   the second condensing lens is located in a second direction opposite the first direction with respect to the center of the image area and has a second shift with respect to the second photoelectric converting section, the second shift is smaller than the first shift,   the first photoelectric converting section is located a first distance from the center of the image area,   the second photoelectric converting section is located a second distance from the center of the image area, and   the first distance and the second distance are the same.   
     
     
       12. The solid state imaging device according to claim 11, wherein the first condensing lens corresponds to the first photoelectric converting section, and the second condensing lens corresponds to the second photoelectric converting section. 
     
     
       13. The solid state imaging device according to claim 11, wherein:
 the photoelectric converting sections include a third photoelectric converting section and a fourth photoelectric converting section,   the condensing lenses include a third condensing lens and a fourth condensing lens,   the third condensing lens is located in a third direction which is perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the center of the image area and has a third shift with respect to the center of the third photoelectric converting section, and the fourth condensing lens is located in a fourth direction perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the center of the image area and has a fourth shift with respect to the center of the fourth photoelectric converting section,   wherein the third shift is same as the fourth shift, and the third photoelectric converting section is at a third distance from the center of the image area, and the fourth photoelectric converting section is at a fourth distance from the center of the image area, and the third distance and the fourth distance are the same.   
     
     
       14. The solid state imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the third condensing lens corresponds to the third photoelectric converting section, and the fourth condensing lens corresponds to the fourth photoelectric converting section. 
     
     
       15. The solid state imaging device according to claim 11, wherein
 the plurality of condensing lenses are arranged at a first pitch along the first direction in the image area and arranged at a second pitch along the second direction in the image area, and   the plurality of photoelectric converting sections are arranged at a third pitch.   
     
     
       16. The solid state imaging device according to claim 15, wherein the second pitch is larger than the first pitch. 
     
     
       17. The solid state imaging device according to claim 16 wherein the third pitch is larger than the second pitch. 
     
     
       18. The solid state imaging device according to claim 11, wherein the condensing lenses are microlenses. 
     
     
       19. A solid state imaging device comprising:
 a plurality of photoelectric converting sections arranged in an image area, the image area having a center; and   a plurality of condensing lenses arranged above the photoelectric converting sections,   wherein the plurality of photoelectric converting sections includes a first photoelectric converting section and a second photoelectric converting section,   wherein the plurality of condensing lenses includes a first condensing lens and a second condensing lens,   wherein the first condensing lens corresponds to the first photoelectric converting section, and the second condensing lens corresponds to the second photoelectric converting section,   wherein the first condensing lens is positioned in a first direction in the image area at a first distance from a center of the image area, and the second condensing lens is positioned in a second direction opposite the first direction, with respect to the center of the image area, at a second distance from the center of the image area,   wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance, and   wherein the first photoelectric converting section and the second photoelectric converting section are a same distance from the center of the image area.   
     
     
       20. The solid state imaging device according to claim 19,
 wherein the plurality of photoelectric converting sections includes a third photoelectric converting section and a fourth photoelectric converting section,   wherein the plurality of condensing lenses includes a third condensing lens and a fourth condensing lens,   wherein the third condensing lens corresponds to the third photoelectric converting section, and the fourth condensing lens corresponds to the fourth photoelectric converting section,   wherein the third condensing lens is positioned in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction respect to the center of the image area at a third distance from the center of the image area,   wherein the fourth condensing lens is positioned in a fourth direction perpendicular to the first direction respect to the center of the image area at a fourth distance from the center of the image area, and the third distance and the fourth distance are the same.   
     
     
       21. The solid state imaging device according to claim 19, wherein:
 the plurality of condensing lenses is arranged at a first pitch along the first direction in the image area and arranged at a second pitch along the second direction in the image area, and   the plurality of photoelectric converting sections is arranged at a third pitch.   
     
     
       22. The solid state imaging device according to claim 21, wherein the second pitch is larger than the first pitch. 
     
     
       23. The solid state imaging device according to claim 22 wherein the third pitch is larger than the second pitch. 
     
     
       24. The solid state imaging device according to claim 19, wherein the condensing lenses are microlenses. 
     
     
       25. A solid state imaging device comprising;
 an image region having a central portion;   a plurality of light receiving sections disposed in the image region, the light receiving sections uniformly spaced apart in the image region in a first direction and uniformly spaced apart in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and   a plurality of condensing lenses, each of the plurality of condensing lenses associated with a single one of the light receiving sections, and disposed over the individual light receiving sections on the light incident side of the light receiving sections; wherein   the condensing lenses are spaced apart in the first direction and the second direction at a spacing different than the spacing of the light receiving elements in the first direction and the second direction, and the spacing between the condensing lenses in the first direction located on a first side of the central portion of the image region having a first spacing therebetween which is smaller than the spacing between adjacent light receiving sections and the spacing between the condensing lenses in the first direction located on a second side of the central portion of the image region, opposed to the first side of the central portion, having a second spacing therebetween which is smaller than the spacing between adjacent light receiving sections and smaller than the first spacing between the condensing lenses on the first side of the central portion.   
     
     
       26. The solid state imaging device of claim 25, further comprising a translucent material located between the plurality of condensing lenses and the plurality of light receiving sections. 
     
     
       27. The solid state imaging device of claim 25, further comprising a light shielding layer disposed between adjacent light receiving sections. 
     
     
       28. The solid state imaging device of claim 27, wherein a portion of the light shielding layer located between adjacent light receiving sections also extends partially between one of the adjacent light receiving sections and a condensing lens associated therewith. 
     
     
       29. The solid state imaging device according to claim 27, wherein the condensing lens is a microlens. 
     
     
       30. The solid state imaging device of claim 25, wherein:
 each light receiving section has a chief ray angle associated therewith, and   light receiving sections adjacent to each other in the first direction have different chief ray angles.   
     
     
       31. The solid state imaging device of claim 25, wherein the condensing lenses in the second direction located on a third side of the central portion of the image region have a third spacing therebetween which is smaller than the spacing between adjacent light receiving sections and the spacing between the condensing lenses in the second direction located on a fourth side of the central portion of the image region, opposed to the third side of the central portion, have a fourth spacing therebetween which is the same as the third spacing between the condensing lenses on the third side of the central portion.