EP0405401A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus for transferring electric charges
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1990-06-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-06-25
Abstract
Abstract A charge transferring apparatus comprising, e. g., a buried type charge coupled device in which a pair of transfer electrodes (7, 8) located at the most downstream point of a charge transfer direction is driven by a drive pulse (H₀) other than that (H₁,H₂) for any other pair of transfer electrodes and a potential well formed at the pair of the transfer electrodes located at the most downstream point is made shallower than that at any other pair of transfer electrodes allowing the output dynamic range of a charge transfer device to be increased for improving the output quality.
Inventors
- 👤 Tetsuro Kumesawa
- 👤 Hiromichi Matsui
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D44/00; H10D44/40; H10D44/45; H10D44/454; G; G11; G11C; G11C19/00; G11C19/28; G11C19/282; G11C19/285; H10D44/462; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for transferring electric charges through a transfer channel formed therein, comprising: a) a plurality of pairs of charge transfer electrodes (7, 8), each pair of transfer electrodes constituting one transfer electrode together with a mutually adjoining transfer electrode and being aligned in a transfer direction; b) a charge detecting portion (10, 13); and c) first means for driving each pair of transfer electrodes with a drive pulse (H₀) such that a first pair of transfer electrodes located adjacent to the charge detecting portion (10, 13) is driven with a first drive pulse (H₀) different from the other pairs of transfer electrodes, so that a potential well formed at the first pair of transfer electrodes when a signal charge placed around the first pair of transfer electrodes is swept out toward the charge detecting portion is shallower than other potential wells formed at the other pairs of transfer electrodes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
150 words
An apparatus for transferring electric charges through a transfer channel formed therein, comprising: a) a plurality of pairs of charge transfer electrodes (7, 8), each pair of transfer electrodes constituting one transfer electrode together with a mutually adjoining transfer electrode and being aligned in a transfer direction; b) a charge detecting portion (10, 13); and c) first means for driving each pair of transfer electrodes with a drive pulse (H₀) such that a first pair of transfer electrodes located adjacent to the charge detecting portion (10, 13) is driven with a first drive pulse (H₀) different from the other pairs of transfer electrodes, so that a potential well formed at the first pair of transfer electrodes when a signal charge placed around the first pair of transfer electrodes is swept out toward the charge detecting portion is shallower than other potential wells formed at the other pairs of transfer electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each pair of transfer electrodes is constituted by a transfer electrode and a storage electrode, the transfer electrode (7) being formed on a transfer region of an n type semiconductor region (4) via an insulating layer (6), the storage electrode being formed on a storage region (5) of n⁻ type semiconductor region located between each transfer region of the n type semiconductor region, and both transfer and storage electrodes (7, 8) being electrically connected, forming one transfer electrode pair, said pairs of electrodes being alternately arranged to form the charge transfer channel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, which further includes an output gate electrode (12) formed downstream of the first pair of transfer electrodes (7, 8) and adjacent to the charge detecting portion (10, 13) and receiving a zero-volt potential.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 or 3, wherein the drive pulse (H₀) applied to the first pair of transfer electrodes (7, 8) has a high voltage of + 5 volts when corresponding to the transfer region in which the signal is stored, and a low voltage of - 4 volts when the corresponding transfer region sweeps out the signal charge.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as set forth in anyone of claims 2 to 4, wherein the drive pulse (H₀) applied to the first pair of transfer electrodes (7, 8) has the same phase as that of a second drive pulse applied to another pair of the transfer electrodes adjacent to the first pair.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as set forth in anyone of claims 2 to 5, wherein the transfer region and storage region are formed on a surface of a P type semiconductor region (2) formed on an n type semiconductor substrate (1).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the charge detecting portion (10, 13) comprises an n⁺⁺ type semiconductor region (11) located downstream of and adjacent to the output gate electrode (12) and an amplifier (10).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a multi-phase driven floating diffusion (FGA) charge transfer device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a buried channel type CCD (charge coupled device, called BCCD).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a floating gate amplifying type charge transfer device.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as set forth in anyone of claims 1 to 10, wherein the plurality of transfer electrodes are horizontally aligned in the transfer direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
143 words
An image sensing apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of electrodes aligned in a charge transfer direction icluding a plurality of first electrodes (7) storing a signal charge and a plurality of second electrodes (8) transferring the signal charge toward the charge transfer direction, each first electrode being electrically interconnected to a corresponding second electrode to form an electrode pair (7, 8), the electrode pair at the most downstream point of the transfer direction being a first electrode pair; b) a charge detecting portion (10, 13) adjacent to the first electrode pair; and c) a drive pulse generator generating a first drive pulse (H₀) for the first electrode pair (7, 8) and a second drive pulse (H₁, H₂) for other electrode pair (7, 8) so that a potential well formed at the first electrode pair is shallower than that of any other electrode pairs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
143 words
An image sensing apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of electrodes aligned in a charge transfer direction icluding a plurality of first electrodes (7) storing a signal charge and a plurality of second electrodes (8) transferring the signal charge toward the charge transfer direction, each first electrode being electrically interconnected to a corresponding second electrode to form an electrode pair (7, 8), the electrode pair at the most downstream point of the transfer direction being a first electrode pair; b) a charge detecting portion (10, 13) adjacent to the first electrode pair; and c) a drive pulse generator generating a first drive pulse (H₀) for the first electrode pair (7, 8) and a second drive pulse (H₁, H₂) for other electrode pair (7, 8) so that a potential well formed at the first electrode pair is shallower than that of any other electrode pairs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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