SEMICONDUCTOR DISTANCE-MEASURING ELEMENT AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING ELEMENT

摘要

Provided are a semiconductor distance-measuring element and a solid-state imaging element having excellent low-noise performance by reducing dark current and removing a reset noise. The semiconductor distance-measuring element includes: an n-type charge generation embedded region (22) embedded on a p-type semiconductor layer (20); charge transfer embedded regions (27b, 27a); charge read embedded region (26b, 26a); an insulation film (31) covering them; transfer gate electrodes (16b, 16a) arranged on the insulation film (31) and transferring a signal charge into the charge transfer embedded regions (27b, 27a); and read-out gate electrodes (14b, 14a) arranged on the insulation film (31) and transferring the signal charge into the charge read-out embedded regions (26b, 26a). The charge generation embedded region (22) receives a pulse light and the semiconductor layer (20) immediately below the charge generation embedded region (22) converts the optical signal into a signal charge, thereby measuring a distance up to an object based on a distribution ratio of charges accumulated charge transfer embedded regions (27b, 27a).