Reduced blooming device having enhanced quantum efficiency
AssigneeRCA Corporation
InventorWilliam M. Kramer
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Abstract
An imaging device such as silicon vidicon has a wafer of single crystal semiconductor material having an input sensing region and a charge storage region. A potential barrier is included for controlling the blooming within the sensing region, and a passivation layer is provided for stabilizing the blooming characteristics. A coating, preferably zirconium oxide, is deposited on the passivation layer to combine with the passivation layer to form an anti-reflection region for enhancing the quantum efficiency of the device. The anti-reflection region has an optical thickness substantially equal to an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength of light incident on the device.
Claims7
In an imaging device of the type having a wafer of single crystal semiconductor material, the wafer having a first surface with an input sensing region and a second surface with a charge storage region, a potential barrier in the sensing region for controlling the blooming within said sensing surface region and a passivation layer for stabilizing the atomic energy level along the first surface, the improvement comprising a coating on said passivation layer for reducing reflection and increasing absorption of light incident upon said device, said coating and said passivation layer in combination forming an anti-reflecting region having an optical thickness substantially equal to an odd multiple of a quarter of the wavelength of the light incident upon said device.
In a charge storage device of the type having a single sensing element with an input signal sensing surface region and a charge storage region, and reading means for selectively contracting portions of said charge storage region, said sensing element including (a) a single crystal semiconductor wafer having a (1) plurality of discrete storage regions along a second surface, (2) a bulk region in said wafer, and (3) means for controlling blooming within said signal sensing surface region, and (b) a passivation layer for stabilizing the atomic energy level along a first surface of said wafer, the improvement comprising a coating on said passivation layer for improving the quantum efficiency of said device, said coating and said passivation layer in combination forming an anti-reflecting region having an optical thickness substantially equal to an odd multiple of a quarter of the wavelength of the light incident upon said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.