SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE

摘要

Solid state image pickup device in which signal charges obtained by a plurality of photodetectors (1') arranged in horizontal and vertical rows during a period of photodetection are read by a vertical transfer unit (2') extending along a vertical row of photodetectors (1') through a read-out gate unit, are transferred at high speed from the transfer unit (2') to a storage unit (13), and are transferred for each of one or more horizontal photodetectors from the storage unit (13) to a horizontal transfer unit (4'). The signal charges are further transferred via the horizontal transfer unit (4') to an output unit (5') to produce an image pickup output signal. The read-out gate unit operates as an overflow control gate, and the vertical transfer unit (2') operates as an overflow drain. The potential of the read-out gate can be varied substantially.