Metal-strapped ccd image sensors

An image sensor comprising:

• an imaging array of photosensitive regions arranged in columns;
• a plurality of vertical CCDs (VCCDs) each associated with a column of photosensitive regions;
• a horizontal CCD for receiving charge from the plurality of VCCDs;
• disposed over the plurality of VCCDs, a plurality of groups of gate conductors for controlling transfer of charge within the VCCDs, each group being responsive to a different phase-control signal, and each gate conductor having a first resistivity;
• a plurality of bus lines, each bus line conducting a different phase-control signal to a different group of gate conductors;
• disposed over the plurality of gate conductors in a first direction, a plurality of vertical strapping lines each (i) electrically connected to one of the bus lines and (ii) having a second resistivity less than the first resistivity;
• extending over the plurality of gate conductors in a second direction not parallel to the first direction, a plurality of horizontal strapping lines each (i) electrically connected to one of the bus lines and (ii) having a third resistivity less than the first resistivity;
• and
• a plurality of contacts each electrically connecting a vertical strapping line to a horizontal strapping line to form a plurality of strapping grids each (i) comprising one or more vertical strapping lines and one or more horizontal strapping lines, (ii) electrically connected to a different bus line, and (iii) electrically connected to a different group of gate conductors.