JPH0677450A - Solid-state image pickup element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the size and improve the picture element density and, further, avoid the degradation of the sensitivity and decrease of a charge quantity by a method wherein the positions of the photodetectors of respective vertical photodetector rows which are adjacent to each other are shifted against each other vertically. CONSTITUTION:The plan shape of the aperture of a photodetector 1 is approximately square. Each side of the square has an angle approximately 45 deg. against a vertical direction. The positions of the photodetectors 1 of respective vertical rows of the photodetectors 1 whose respective sides are inclined by 45 deg. are shifted against each other vertically by a length of a half of the vertical arrangement pitch. Channel stoppers 2 which separate picture elements from each other horizontally are extended vertically along the sides of the photodetectors 1 so as to form zig-zag routes corresponding to the respective vertical photodetector rows. With this constitution, even if a distance between the vertical photodetector rows adjacent to each other is small, the adjacent vertical photodetector rows can be arranged and the size can be reduced without reducing the aperture of the photodetector.

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 in particular, a plurality of light-receiving element vertical rows in which a plurality of light-receiving elements are arranged in a vertical direction at a fixed arrangement pitch, and signal charges from the respective light-receiving elements are arranged in the vertical direction. A plurality of vertical transfer electrodes extending in the horizontal direction for vertically transferring the signal charges to the respective vertical transfer registers by arranging the vertical transfer registers for transfer to the respective photodetector vertical columns through the gate insulating film. The present invention relates to a solid-state image sensor formed so as to avoid the opening.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a solid-state image pickup element, a plurality of vertical rows of light receiving elements, each of which has a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a vertical direction at a fixed arrangement pitch, are arranged in a horizontal direction, and a signal charge from each light receiving element is vertically transferred. A transfer register is arranged between adjacent vertical columns of light receiving elements, and a plurality of vertical transfer electrodes extending in the horizontal direction for vertically transferring the signal charges to the vertical transfer registers are provided to each of the light receiving elements via a gate insulating film. There is a solid-state image sensor formed so as to avoid an opening.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a conventional light receiving element, a vertical transfer register, a channel stopper and a vertical transfer electrode of such a solid-state image pickup device. In the drawing, 1,
1, ... Are light-receiving elements, the planar shape of the opening is substantially square, and the direction of each side is vertical or horizontal. The light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Are arranged in a matrix, that is, vertically and horizontally. Channel stoppers for separating pixels in the horizontal direction are formed so as to extend in the vertical direction corresponding to the vertical rows of the light receiving elements. Are vertical transfer registers for vertically transferring the signal charges from the respective light receiving elements 1, 1, ..., and are formed so as to extend straight in the vertical direction corresponding to the vertical columns of the respective light receiving elements. .

Are vertical transfer electrodes made of polysilicon of the first layer, 5, 5, ... Are vertical transfer electrodes made of polysilicon of the second layer, both of which are shown on the semiconductor substrate in the drawing. Light receiving elements 1, 1, through the gate insulating film that does not appear
It is formed so as to extend in the horizontal direction so as to avoid the opening. The vertical transfer electrodes 4, 4, ... 5, 5, ...
Receives the vertical transfer clock, the vertical transfer registers 3, 3,
... to transfer the signal charge in the vertical direction.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a conventional microlens of a solid-state image pickup device. 6, 6 ... are microlenses. With the recent trend toward miniaturization, it is becoming difficult to increase the aperture ratio of the solid-state imaging device, but there is a problem that shot noise is large when the aperture ratio is low.
A technique has been developed in which a microlens is formed on each light receiving element to increase the light utilization rate and improve the sensitivity in the light receiving portion.

According to such a technique, the aperture ratio of the light receiving element can be substantially increased by the light condensing effect of the microlens element, so it can be said that it is effective in reducing shot noise. By the way, in the conventional solid-state imaging device, the pixel array is an array arranged in order in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 7, and therefore the array of microlenses formed on each light receiving element (pixel) is also inevitable. As shown in FIG. 8, the array is regularly arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0007]

The CCD solid-state image pickup device is required to have a smaller size and a higher resolution (higher number of pixels), and in order to meet the demand, in the past, in the conventional case, the horizontal direction of each light receiving element is inevitably inevitable. It becomes necessary to shorten the length, and the aperture ratio decreases. Therefore, the sensitivity becomes lower and S /
I was forced to reduce N. In addition, as the CCD solid-state image sensor becomes smaller and has more pixels, the width of the vertical transfer register becomes narrower.
Since the length is shortened, the amount of charges handled by the vertical transfer register is reduced, and the saturation signal amount and the S / N are inevitably reduced.

Further, the microlenses 6, 6, ... Are also formed on the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, they are arranged in an orderly arrangement in the vertical and horizontal directions (vertical direction, horizontal direction). Therefore, there is also a problem that there is a limit to increasing the light collection efficiency. This is because the microlens has a higher light-collecting rate when the shape seen from above is circular or closer to a circle than a square, but even if the microlens is circular as shown in FIG. If the arrangement is arranged vertically and horizontally, a dead space (non-light-condensing region) 7 shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 8 is formed, so that there is a limit to the substantial improvement of the aperture ratio.

The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and it is possible to reduce the size and the number of pixels of a solid-state image pickup device without lowering the sensitivity and reducing the amount of charges handled by the vertical transfer register. The present invention aims to improve the vertical resolution in the case where the all-pixel reading method is adopted, and further to further improve the substantial aperture ratio by the microlens.

[0010]

A solid-state image pickup device according to a first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the positions of the light-receiving elements in the vertical rows of light-receiving elements adjacent to each other are vertically shifted. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 2 is characterized in that a shift amount in the vertical direction of the light receiving elements corresponding to each other in the light receiving element vertical rows adjacent to each other is set to ½ of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the light receiving element vertical rows. And

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the solid-state image pickup device is characterized in that the planar shape of the aperture of each light receiving element is a polygon including four sides inclined by about 45 degrees from the vertical direction. The solid-state imaging device according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that the planar shape of the opening of each light receiving element is a rhombus. According to a fifth aspect of the solid-state imaging device, the vertical transfer register is formed so as to meander and extend in the vertical direction. According to a sixth aspect of the solid-state imaging device, the vertical transfer electrodes are formed to meander and extend in the horizontal direction.

A solid-state image pickup device according to a seventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that a microlens is provided on each of the light receiving elements. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 8 is characterized in that the shape of each microlens viewed from above is a hexagon. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 9 is characterized in that the shape of each microlens viewed from above is circular.

[0013]

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the first aspect, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, the other light receiving element should be placed close to one light receiving element in the vertical row of light receiving elements. Therefore, the aperture ratio can be increased. This also means that the solid-state image sensor can be downsized without reducing the aperture ratio. Further, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, it is possible to improve the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the second aspect, the positions of the light-receiving elements in each adjacent light-receiving element vertical column are shifted in the vertical direction by a half of the arrangement pitch of the light-receiving elements in the vertical direction.
The other light receiving element can be made closer to each other between the one light receiving elements in the vertical row of the light receiving elements, and thus the aperture ratio can be increased. This also means that the solid-state image sensor can be downsized without reducing the aperture ratio. Further, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of the light receiving elements are shifted by ½ arrangement pitch in the vertical direction, it is possible to improve the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the third aspect, the positions of the light receiving elements of the adjacent light receiving element vertical column are shifted in the vertical direction, for example, by one half of the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction, and each main side of the opening of the light receiving element. Was made diagonal with respect to the vertical direction,
The other light receiving element can be made closer to each other between the one light receiving elements in the vertical row of the light receiving elements, and thus the aperture ratio can be increased. This also means that the solid-state image sensor can be downsized without reducing the aperture ratio. Further, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, it is possible to improve the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

According to the solid-state imaging device of the fourth aspect, since the planar shape of the aperture of the light receiving element is a rhombus, an on-chip lens can be formed on each light receiving element so as to have a high light collection rate. According to the solid-state imaging device of claim 5, even if the light receiving elements of one of the vertical rows of the light receiving element are arranged so that the other light receiving element is in close proximity, the vertical transfer register is meandered so that each adjacent light receiving element vertical row. It can be placed without any hindrance. According to the solid-state imaging device of claim 6, even if the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical column of the light receiving elements are vertically shifted, the light receiving elements are avoided by making the vertical transfer electrodes extending in the horizontal direction meander. You can place it without any trouble.

According to the seventh aspect of the solid-state image pickup device, the microlenses are arranged on the respective light receiving elements which are vertically shifted between adjacent light receiving element vertical rows by, for example, ½ of the vertical row arrangement pitch. Since the microlenses are arranged, the arrangement positions of the microlenses inevitably shift between the adjacent microlens vertical rows in the vertical direction, for example, by ½ of the vertical row arrangement pitch. As a result, the dead space (non-light-condensing region) becomes narrower, and consequently the substantial aperture ratio can be further increased, and higher sensitivity can be achieved.

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the eighth aspect, the shape of the microlens viewed from above is a hexagon, which is closer to a circle than the case of a rectangular shape which has been often used in the past, and collects light at a corner other than the aperture. The amount of light is reduced, the light collection efficiency is increased, and the aperture ratio can be substantially increased. According to the solid-state imaging device of claim 9, since the shape seen from above the microlens is circular, most of the light incident on the microlens can be condensed in the opening of the light receiving element.
The light-collecting efficiency is further increased, and the aperture ratio can be substantially increased.

[0019]

The solid-state image pickup device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the solid-state image sensor of the present invention. In the drawing, 1, 1,
Is a light receiving element, and the planar shape of the opening is substantially square, and the direction of each side is at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the vertical direction.

In each adjacent vertical row of the light receiving elements 1, 1, ..., whose sides are inclined at 45 °, the light receiving elements are arranged in the vertical direction with a shift of ½ of the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction. , Thereby further reducing the spacing between each adjacent vertical column. This is to further increase the aperture ratio.
In other words, it can be said that the size of the solid-state image sensor is reduced without lowering the aperture ratio. It also leads to weakening restrictions on widening the vertical transfer register.

Further, since the arrangement position of the light receiving elements in each vertical column of the adjacent light receiving elements is shifted in the vertical direction by a half of the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction, when the reading method of the solid-state image pickup element is all pixel reading The vertical resolution in can be increased. Denoted by 2, 2, ... are channel stoppers for separating pixels in the horizontal direction, so as to extend in the vertical direction in a zigzag manner along the sides of the light receiving elements 1, 1 ,. Has been formed.

Are vertical transfer registers for vertically transferring the signal charges from the respective light receiving elements 1, 1, ..., and are formed in the vertical direction corresponding to the vertical columns of the respective light receiving elements.
More specifically, it is formed so as to extend in the vertical direction in a zigzag manner along the sides of the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... In this way, the channel stoppers 2, 2, ... And the vertical transfer registers 3, 3, .. are formed in a zigzag manner in the vertical direction by arranging the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements in the vertical direction. This is because the light receiving elements can be arranged between the adjacent light receiving element vertical rows even if the distance between the adjacent light receiving element vertical rows is made as small as possible by shifting the pitch by half the pitch. Can be realized without any decrease in

Further, since the vertical transfer registers 3, 3, ... Are formed in such a meandering manner, the effective length of the vertical transfer registers 3, 3 ,. The amount increases. Therefore, the miniaturization of the solid-state imaging device can be realized without reducing the amount of charges handled by the vertical transfer register.

Are vertical transfer electrodes made of polysilicon of the first layer, 5, 5, ... Vertical transfer electrodes made of polysilicon of the second layer, both of which are shown on the semiconductor substrate in the drawing. Light receiving elements 1, 1, through the gate insulating film that does not appear
It is formed so as to extend in the horizontal direction so as to avoid the opening. The vertical transfer electrodes 4, 4, ... 5, 5, ...
Receives the vertical transfer clock, the vertical transfer registers 3, 3,
... to transfer the signal charge in the vertical direction.

The vertical transfer electrodes 4, 4, ..., the vertical transfer electrodes 5, 5, ... meander in a zigzag shape and extend in the horizontal direction. In this way, the vertical transfer electrodes 4, 4, ...
The meandering of .. avoids the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... In which the arrangement positions in the adjacent vertical rows are vertically shifted by ½ arrangement pitch, and the plane shape of the opening is square and each side is formed obliquely. This is to allow it to pass (bypass).

According to such a solid-state image pickup element, as described above, the planar shape 1, 1, ... Of each opening is substantially square, and the orientation of each side of the opening is approximately 45 ° with respect to the vertical direction. Since the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... In each adjacent vertical row are shifted by half the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction to make the interval between the adjacent vertical rows as narrow as possible, the aperture ratio is increased. can do. This means that if the aperture ratio is the same, the solid-state image pickup device can be downsized, or the width of the vertical transfer register 3 can be widened. Further, the fact that the width of each vertical transfer register 3 can be widened leads to the increase in the amount of charges handled by the vertical transfer registers 3, 3 ,.

Further, since the planar shape of the openings of the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Is square, when the on-chip lens is formed on each of the light receiving elements 1, 1 ,. can do. By the way, if the planar shape of the opening is rectangular, the light collection rate of the on-chip lens becomes lower as the shape becomes elongated. An example in which an on-chip lens is formed will be described later again. The arrangement position of the light receiving elements in each adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements is ½ of the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction.
Since they are deviated, the vertical resolution can be increased when the readout method of the solid-state imaging device is all-pixel readout.

It is not always necessary that the planar shape of the openings of the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Is square.
As shown in FIG. 2A, each corner of a square may be chamfered, or as shown in FIG. 2B, a rhombus that is not a square may be used. The corners and the planar shape of the opening of each light receiving element may be a polygon including four sides inclined by about 45 degrees from the vertical direction.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing another embodiment of the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention, and shows only the positional relationship on the plane between the light receiving elements 1, 1 ,. In the present solid-state imaging device, the planar shape of the openings of the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Is substantially square, each side is arranged in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the light receiving elements 1 in each adjacent light receiving element vertical row are arranged. The positions of 1, ... Are shifted in the vertical direction by half the arrangement pitch. According to such a solid-state imaging device, it is possible to increase the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing still another embodiment of the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention in which a microlens is formed on each light receiving element. In this embodiment, the microlenses 6, 6, ... (2) are provided on the respective light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Of the embodiment shown in FIG.
(Indicated by a dotted chain line).

As described above, the adjacent light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Adjacent vertical columns are inevitably arranged because the light receiving elements are arranged in the vertical direction by ½ of the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction. The microlenses 6, 6, ... Formed on the light receiving elements 1, 1, ... Have the same arrangement as the light receiving elements 1, 1 ,.
Therefore, the adjacent vertical columns of the respective microlenses 6, 6, ... Are displaced from each other by ½ of the arrangement pitch of the microlenses in the vertical direction. Therefore,
As compared to the conventional case (see FIG. 8), the circular microlenses 6, 6, ... As seen from above are arranged vertically and horizontally in an orderly manner, and the microlenses 6, 6 ,.
The dead space that occurs in the can be extremely narrowed.

As a result, the effect of improving the substantial aperture ratio by providing the microlenses 6, 6, ... Can be further strengthened and high sensitivity can be achieved. In addition, the micro lens 6,
Since 6 ... has a circular shape when viewed from above, it is possible to increase the light collection rate to the aperture as compared with the case of a square shape, which also contributes to higher sensitivity.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a modification of the solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. This solid-state image sensor is different from the solid-state image sensor shown in FIG. 4 only in that the patterns of the light receiving elements and the vertical transfer electrodes are slightly different, and basically there is no difference.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another modification of the solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. 4. The difference between this solid-state image pickup device and the solid-state image pickup device shown in FIG. The pattern is slightly different, and the microlenses 6, 6, ...
The shape seen from above is simply a hexagon. In this way, by making the shape viewed from above the microlenses 6, 6, ...
The dead space formed between 6 and so on can be made extremely small, which can contribute to higher sensitivity.

[0035]

According to the solid-state image pickup device of the first aspect of the invention, the positions of the light-receiving elements in the light-receiving element vertical columns adjacent to each other are vertically shifted. Therefore, according to the solid-state imaging device of the first aspect, the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of the light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction. It is possible to increase the aperture ratio. This also means that the solid-state image sensor can be downsized without reducing the aperture ratio. Further, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, it is possible to improve the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

According to another aspect of the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention, the shift amount in the vertical direction of the corresponding light receiving elements of the light receiving element vertical rows adjacent to each other is ½ of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements of the light receiving element vertical row. It is characterized by that. Therefore, according to the solid-state imaging device of the second aspect, the position of the light receiving element in each adjacent light receiving element vertical row is shifted in the vertical direction by one half of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the vertical direction. It is possible to bring the other light receiving element closer to each other between the one light receiving element, to narrow the interval between the light receiving element vertical columns, and to increase the aperture ratio. This also means that the solid-state image sensor can be downsized without reducing the aperture ratio. Further, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, it is possible to improve the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

The solid-state image pickup device according to the third aspect is characterized in that the planar shape of the aperture of each light receiving element is a polygon including four sides inclined by about 45 degrees from the vertical direction. Therefore, according to the solid-state imaging device of the third aspect, the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of the light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, for example, by one half of the arrangement pitch in the vertical direction, and the main sides of the openings of the light receiving elements are arranged. Since the light receiving elements are arranged obliquely with respect to the vertical direction, the other light receiving element can be made closer to each other between the one light receiving elements in the vertical row of the light receiving elements, and thus the aperture ratio can be increased. This also means that the solid-state image sensor can be downsized without reducing the aperture ratio. Further, since the positions of the light receiving elements in the adjacent vertical row of light receiving elements are shifted in the vertical direction, it is possible to improve the vertical resolution when the all-pixel reading method is adopted.

The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 4 is characterized in that the planar shape of the opening of each light-receiving element is a rhombus. Therefore, according to the solid-state imaging device of the fourth aspect, since the planar shape of the aperture of the light receiving element is a rhombus, the on-chip lens can be formed on each light receiving element so as to have a high light collection rate.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the solid-state image pickup device is characterized in that the vertical transfer register is formed so as to meander and extend in the vertical direction. Therefore, according to the solid-state imaging device of the fifth aspect, even if the other light receiving element is arranged between one light receiving element in the vertical row of the light receiving elements, the vertical transfer register is meandered so that each adjacent light receiving element is moved. Can be placed between vertical rows without any problems.

According to a sixth aspect of the solid-state image pickup device, the vertical transfer electrodes are formed so as to meander and extend in the horizontal direction. Therefore, according to the solid-state image pickup device of claim 6, even if the light receiving elements in the vertical columns of the adjacent light receiving elements are vertically displaced, the vertical transfer electrodes extending in the horizontal direction are meandered to make each light receiving element. Can be placed without any hindrance.

A solid-state image pickup device according to a seventh aspect is characterized in that a microlens is provided on each of the light receiving elements. Therefore, according to the solid-state image pickup device of claim 7, microlenses are provided on the respective light receiving elements arranged in the vertical direction between the light receiving element vertical rows adjacent to each other so as to be shifted by, for example, ½ of the vertical row arrangement pitch. Since the microlenses are arranged, the arrangement positions of the microlenses inevitably deviate in the vertical direction between adjacent microlens vertical rows, for example, by half of the vertical row arrangement pitch. Then, the dead space (non-light-collecting area) becomes narrower, which in turn increases the effective aperture ratio,
Higher sensitivity can be achieved.

The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 8 is characterized in that the shape of each microlens viewed from above is a hexagon. Therefore, according to the solid-state imaging device of claim 8, the shape of the microlens viewed from above is a hexagon,
The shape is closer to a circle than in the case of a rectangle, which has been common in the past, and the amount of light collected at a corner other than the opening is small, so that the light collection efficiency is high and the aperture ratio can be substantially increased.

The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 9 is characterized in that the shape of each microlens viewed from above is circular. Therefore, according to the solid-state image sensor of claim 9,
Since the shape of the microlens viewed from above is circular, most of the light incident on the microlens can be condensed inside the aperture of the light receiving element, resulting in higher light condensing efficiency, and eventually, substantially. The aperture ratio can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a solid-state image sensor of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are plan views showing different modifications of the planar shape of the opening of the light receiving element.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the solid-state image sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing one embodiment in which a microlens of the solid-state image sensor of the present invention is formed.

5 is a plan view showing one modified example of the solid-state imaging device shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another modification of the solid-state image sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a light receiving element, a register, and the like of a conventional example of a solid-state image sensor.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a microlens of a conventional example of a solid-state image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Light receiving element 3 Vertical transfer register 4, 5 Vertical transfer electrode 6 Micro lens

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of light receiving element vertical columns in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in a vertical direction at a fixed arrangement pitch are arranged in parallel, and a vertical transfer register for vertically transferring a signal charge from each light receiving element is provided in each light receiving element vertical. A solid-state imaging device arranged between columns and formed with a plurality of horizontally extending vertical transfer electrodes for vertically transferring signal charges to the respective vertical transfer registers via a gate insulating film so as to avoid openings of the respective light receiving elements. In the solid-state image pickup device, the positions of the light receiving elements in the vertical rows of the light receiving elements adjacent to each other are vertically shifted. 2. The shift amount in the vertical direction of the light receiving elements in the light receiving element vertical rows adjacent to each other is set to ½ of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the light receiving element vertical row. Solid-state image sensor 3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the planar shape of the opening of each light receiving element is a polygon including four sides inclined by about 45 degrees from the vertical direction. 4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the planar shape of the opening of each light receiving element is a rhombus. 5. The vertical transfer register is formed so as to meander and extend in the vertical direction.
3 or 4 solid-state imaging device 6. The vertical transfer electrode is formed so as to meander and extend in the horizontal direction.
3, 4 or 5 solid-state image sensor 7. A microlens is provided on each of the light receiving elements, respectively.
5. The solid-state image sensor according to 5 or 6 8. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the shape of each microlens viewed from above is a hexagon. 9. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 7, wherein each microlens has a circular shape when viewed from above.