Single-phase charge-coupled semiconductor device

Claim 2

A charge-coupled semiconductOr device for transmitting information in the form of minority charges which comprises, a semiconductor body having a major surface and containing therein a specified concentration of impurity dopants of a given conductivity type, injecting means coupled to said body for injecting minority charges in said body, output means coupled to said body for detecting minority charges in said body, a single region of the same conductivity type as said body located in said surface between said injecting means and said output means, said region being elongated in the direction between said injecting means and said output means and containing in the direction of said elongation a monotonically graded impurity concentration a single insulated electrode over said region, and means for impressing a given voltage on said electrode to create in said body beneath said region a directionality of flow of the injected minority charges.

Claim 3

The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said elongated region contains impurities ranging from 1018 impurities per cubic centimeter at one end thereof to 1016 impurities per cubic centimeter at the other end thereof.

Claim 4

A semiconductor device comprising, a semiconductor body, having a major surface and containing therein impurities of given conductivity type, injecting means for injecting charges coupled to the body, output means for detecting charges coupled to the body, a single region of the same conductivity type as said body located in said surface, said region being elongated along a direction of said major surface of the body between said injecting means and said output means and containing in the direction of elongation a monotonically varying impurity concentration gradient, an insulated electrode system over said region, said electrode system comprising a series of commonly connected spaced conductive points, means for impressing a given steady state voltage on said electrode system to create a graded depletion region in the body to transfer said injected charges through the body to the output means.

Claim 5

A semiconductor device comprising, a semiconductor body, having a major surface and containing therein impurities of given conductivity type, injecting means for injecting charges coupled to the body, output means for detecting charges coupled to the body, a single region of the same conductivity type as said body located in said surface, said region being elongated along a direction of said major surface of the body between said injecting means and said output means and containing in the direction of elongation a monotonically varying impurity concentration gradient, an insulated electrode system over said region, said electrode system comprising a series of commonly connected spaced conductive points, means for impressing a given steady state voltage on said electrode system to create a graded depletion region in the body to transfer said injected charges through the body to the output means.

Claim 6

The device of claim 3 and further comprising means for impressing a single time varying voltage pulse to the electrode system for creating pulsed changes in said depletion region.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 wherein said time varying voltage is an intermittent d.c. pulse.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5 wherein said semiconductor body is N-type, said steady state voltage is positive, and said d.c. pulse is negative.

Claim 9

The device of claim 5 wherein said d.c. pulse is positive, said steady state voltage is negative, and said semiconductor body is P-type.

Claim 10

A semiconductor device which utilizes the generation and mobility of charges in depletion regions created beneath the surface of a semiconductor body to transfer information as collected charges comprising, a semiconductor body having a major surface, injecting means for injecting charge coupled to said body, output means for detecting said charges coupled to said body, a region of the same conductivity type as said body located in said surface, between said injecting means and said output means, said region being elongated in the direction between said injecting means and said output means and having a monotonically varying impurity concentration gradient in said direction, a uniform insulating layer over the surface of said region, a multiplicity of electrodes disposed over said layer and over said region, means for biasing said injecting means to inject packets of minority charges representing bits of information into said body near said elongated region, means for applying a steady state voltage to said body and said electrodes to induce in said body, adjacent said elongated region, a depletion region having a field gradient therein, said gradient being in the direction of said elongated region to cause said injected packets of charges To flow through the depletion region, and means for impressing a series of voltage pulses on said electrodes to alternately extend and diminish in said depletion region a series of potential wells to cause said injected packets of charges flowing through said depletion region to substantially maintain their initial distribution in their passage through said depletion region.

Claim 11

A semiconductor device which utilizes the generation and mobility of charges in depletion regions created beneath the surface of a semiconductor body to transfer information as collected charges comprising, a semiconductor body having a major surface, injecting means for injecting charge coupled to said body, output means for detecting said charges coupled to said body, a region of the same conductivity type as said body located in said surface, between said injecting means and said output means, said region being elongated in the direction between said injecting means and said output means and having a monotonically varying impurity concentration gradient in said direction, a uniform insulating layer over the surface of said region, a multiplicity of electrodes disposed over said layer and over said region, means for biasing said injecting means to inject packets of minority charges representing bits of information into said body near said elongated region, means for applying a steady state voltage to said body and said electrodes to induce in said body, adjacent said elongated region, a depletion region having a field gradient therein, said gradient being in the direction of said elongated region to cause said injected packets of charges To flow through the depletion region, and means for impressing a series of voltage pulses on said electrodes to alternately extend and diminish in said depletion region a series of potential wells to cause said injected packets of charges flowing through said depletion region to substantially maintain their initial distribution in their passage through said depletion region.

Claim 12

A semiconductor device which utilizes the mobility of minority charges created in a semiconductor body to transmit information which comprises, a semiconductor body of a single type conductivity, injecting means for injecting charge coupled to said body, output means for detecting charge coupled to said body, an insulated electrode array deposited on a surface of the body with the electrodes of the array being electrically common, a region of the same conductivity type as said body in said surface between said injecting means and said output means and beneath said electrode array, said region being elongated in the direction between said injecting means and said output means, said elongated region being ion implanted and having a continuous unidirectional monotonically varying impurity concentration gradient of impurity dopants in said direction, means for applying a steady state voltage across the body, the elongated region, and the electrode array to create in the body a depletion region adjacent said elongated region, and means for applying a time varying electrical signal to the electrode array to create in said depletion region a multiplicity of potential wells.

Claim 13

A semiconductor device which utilizes the mobility of minority charges created in a semiconductor body to transmit information which comprises, a semiconductor body of a single type conductivity, injecting means for injecting charge coupled to said body, output means for detecting charge coupled to said body, an insulated electrode array deposited on a surface of the body with the electrodes of the array being electrically common, a region of the same conductivity type as said body in said surface between said injecting means and said output means and beneath said electrode array, said region being elongated in the direction between said injecting means and said output means, said elongated region being ion implanted and having a continuous unidirectional monotonically varying impurity concentration gradient of impurity dopants in said direction, means for applying a steady state voltage across the body, the elongated region, and the electrode array to create in the body a depletion region adjacent said elongated region, and means for applying a time varying electrical signal to the electrode array to create in said depletion region a multiplicity of potential wells.