Floating gate amplifier method of operation for noise minimization in charge coupled devices

In a charge-coupled device having a floating gate electrode, control gate electrodes partially overlapping said floating gate electrode, and first and second sets of phase electrodes, a method of operating the charge-coupled device by transferring charge packets to obtain readout therefrom, said method comprising:

• simultaneously imparting potentials to the control gate electrodes disposed on opposite sides of the floating gate electrode which are substantially equal voltages below and above a magnitude V.sub.T, and at the same time, simultaneously imparting potentials to the first and second phase electrodes which are above and substantially equal to the magnitude V.sub.T respectively;
• transferring charge packets through one transfer sequence by simultaneously changing the potentials of the control gate electrodes to be substantially equal to the magnitude V.sub.T, and at the same time, simultaneously reversing the potentials imparted to the first and second phase electrodes such that the potentials are substantially equal to and above the magnitude V.sub.T respectively;
• repeating the sequence of altering potentials imparted to the control gate electrodes and the first and second phase electrodes to successively advance such charge packets along the charge-coupled device;
• and
• successively reading the respective charge packets as they are disposed beneath the floating gate electrode.