Photoelectric conversion device, photoelectric conversion system, and mobile body

Abstract

To provide a photoelectric conversion device that can expand the dynamic range. [Solution] The photoelectric conversion device includes a photodiode that performs avalanche multiplication, a recharge circuit to which a periodic first control signal is input, at least two gating circuits, and at least one mask circuit. The output of the mask circuit is input to one of the at least two gating circuits, and the period during which the recharge circuit is turned on by the first control signal overlaps with the period during which a first-level second control signal is input to the first gating circuit and the period during which a second-level third control signal is input to the second gating circuit, while the period during which the first-level second control signal is input to the first gating circuit and the period during which the second-level third control signal is input to the second gating circuit are separated.

Claims

1. A photodiode that performs avalanche multiplication, A recharge circuit receives a periodic first control signal and controls the recharge operation of the photodiode, At least two gating circuits connected to the photodiode, which control whether or not to output the output signal of the photodiode, The device comprises an output from at least one of the at least two gating circuits and at least one mask circuit to which the first control signal is input, The output of the mask circuit is input to one of the at least two gating circuits. The aforementioned at least two gating circuits include a first gating circuit and a second gating circuit. The period during which the recharge circuit is turned on by the first control signal overlaps with the period during which a first-level second control signal is input to the first gating circuit and the period during which a second-level third control signal is input to the second gating circuit. A photoelectric converter characterized in that the period during which the first level second control signal is input to the first gating circuit is separated from the period during which the second level third control signal is input to the second gating circuit.

2. The photoelectric converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the periods of the first control signal, the second control signal, and the third control signal are the same.

3. The output from the mask circuit is input to the second gating circuit. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, characterized in that the period during which the second level third control signal is input to the second gating circuit is longer than the period during which the first level second control signal is input to the first gating circuit.

4. The photoelectric converter according to claim 3, characterized in that the number of times the recharge circuit is turned on by the first control signal in one cycle is less than the number of the at least two gating circuits.

5. The photoelectric converter according to claim 4, characterized in that the number of at least two gating circuits is M (where M is a natural number of 2 or more), the number of mask circuits is N (where N is a natural number and N < M), and the number of times the recharge circuit is turned on by the first control signal in one period is O (where O is a natural number and O < M).

6. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 3, characterized in that the value based on the signal output from the second gating circuit may be smaller than the value based on the signal output from the first gating circuit.

7. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mask circuit is composed of a circuit including an SR latch.

8. The photoelectric converter according to claim 1, further comprising a first memory into which the output of the first gating circuit is input, and a second memory into which the output of the second gating circuit is input.

9. The photoelectric converter according to claim 8, characterized in that it has a first memory, a second memory, and a selection circuit connected to an output line.

10. The photoelectric converter according to claim 8, characterized in that a counting circuit for counting the output from the first memory is connected between the first memory and the output line.

11. In response to the incidence of photons into the photodiode, the output of the photodiode transitions from the third level to the fourth level. The photoelectric converter according to claim 1, characterized in that the output of the first gating circuit transitions from a fifth-level signal to a sixth-level signal when a fourth-level signal is input to the first gating circuit from the photodiode and a second control signal of the first level is input to the first gating circuit.

12. A photoelectric conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, A photoelectric conversion system characterized by having a signal processing unit that generates an image using the signal output by the aforementioned photoelectric conversion device.

13. A mobile body comprising a photoelectric converter according to any one of claims 1 to 11, A mobile body characterized by having a control unit that controls the movement of the mobile body using a signal output by the photoelectric converter.

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