Radiation tolerant CCD structure
AssigneeE2V Technologies (UK) Limited
InventorPeter James Pool
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A CCD structure (20) tolerant to the adverse formation of traps resulting from exposure to irradiation by particles such as protons and neutrons is described. The CCD comprises an image plane (22) having a number of parallel transfer channels. Path defining structures (24), such as barrier implants, define a principal electron flow path through the channel, and define a number of secondary paths which converge on the principal path. The paths ensure that signal charge generated across the entire width of the channel is collected together into regions of smaller area so that the likelihood of interaction with traps is reduced, and charge containment is maintained near the optimum for all signal levels up to the full well.
Claims12
A CCD imager of the type having an image area in which charge is generated and clocked to an output, comprising an image area divided into a plurality of parallel channels by channel walls, at least some of the parallel channels being further divided by path defining structures to create at least a principal path and one or more secondary paths;
- the principal and one or more secondary paths being arranged such that charge overflowing from the principal path during charge transfer is retained within the one or more secondary paths before the channel walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.