Charge transfer device having three pixel rows arranged adjacently to each other

A charge transfer device, comprising:

• first pixel row composed of a plurality of pixels;
• a second pixel row composed of a plurality of pixels and arranged adjacently to said first pixel row;
• a third pixel row composed of a plurality of pixels and arranged adjacently to said second pixel row on the opposite side from said first pixel row, corresponding pixels of the first, second and third rows being arranged in lines;
• a first charge coupled element including a plurality of first readout electrodes, each corresponding to a respective pixel of the first pixel row, for reading out signal charges generated in corresponding pixels of said first pixel row, and a plurality of first transfer electrodes for transferring the signal charges read out by said first readout electrodes;
• and
• a second charge coupled element including a plurality of second readout electrodes, each corresponding to a respective pixel of the second pixel row, each located between adjacent pixels of said third pixel row, for reading out signal charges generated in corresponding pixels of said second pixel row, a plurality of third readout electrodes, each corresponding to a respective pixel of the third pixel row, for reading out signal charges generated in corresponding pixels of said third pixel row, and a plurality of second transfer electrodes for transferring the signal charges read out by said second and third readout electrodes,
• wherein a readout channel of each of said second readout electrodes is dimensioned such that the width is greater at portion adjacent to said second charge coupled element row than at the portion adjacent to said second pixel row.