Solid body - the image pickup apparatus with a photo shielding plate, which, by means of a schottky - barrier layer in contact with the photoelectric conversion field is

摘要

PURPOSE:To restrain blooming by a method wherein a light shielding metal is directly brought into contact with a photoelectric conversion region, a suitable bias voltage is applied, and excessively generated signal charge is absorbed by utilizing a Schottky barrier formed in the contact part. CONSTITUTION:A Schottky barrier is formed in the contact interface between a light shielding metal film 10 and a photoelectric conversion region 4. Its energy level is phiB higher than the Fermi level EFM of metal. Between the N-type photoelectric conversion region 4 and a P-type well layer 3, built-in potential Vb1, is formed which is determined by impurity concentration in each region. When light enters the photoelectric conversion region, signal charge generated as the result of photoelectric conversion is stored successively in a potential well formed by the Schottky barrier and the PN junction barrier. When the signal charge is gradually accumulated, said charge goes over at last the Schottky barrier formed by the light shielding metal film 10 and the photoelectric conversion region 4, and flows into the side of the light shielding metal film 10.