Device and method for receiving light used in ccd image sensor or the like.

摘要

A light receiving device includes, in addition to a photodiode (3) and a reset element (1), a comparator formed by a first and a second MOS transistor (4,5) and a counter (6). The comparator compares an output potential (PDOUT) of the photodiode applied to a gate electrode of the first MOS transistor (4) with a threshold potential (R) externally applied to a gate electrode of the second MOS transistor (5). The counter (6) counts a time duration from a point of time when the photodiode is reset by the switching element to a point of time at which the output potential of the photodiode exceeds the threshold potential, and outputs the time duration in a numeral value corresponding to the quantity of light incident on the photodiode. The required light sensitivity can be maintained even when the quantity of light is either large or small. Also, non-destructive reading can be carried out. <IMAGE>