METHOD FOR DRIVING SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS

摘要

A method for driving a solid state image pickup device and an image pickup apparatus are provided to reduce dark current mixed with information charges accumulated in a CCD(Charge Coupled Device) shift register of an image pickup unit during an exposure period to improve a signal-to-noise ratio of an image. Information charges generated according to exposure are accumulated in a potential well. A transfer clock signal is applied to a CCD shift register to drive the CCD shift register in order to read the information charges from an image pickup unit. The potential well is formed by applying an on-voltage to an accumulation electrode corresponding to the position at which the information charges are accumulated among transfer electrodes of the CCD shift register. Prior to the formation of the potential well, an off-voltage lower than an off-voltage of the transfer clock signal is applied to the accumulation electrode.