Charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges

Claim 2

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges comprising: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type; a layer of insulating material disposed on a first surface of said semiconductor body; first means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for injecting charge carriers into said semiconductor body; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the surface of said layer of insulating material; second means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for detecting charge carriers transferred thereto; a second body made of a material selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor and a conductor, oN which said semiconductor body is disposed, and which defines a rectifying junction with said semiconductor body; third means for applying pulse voltages to said electrodes, so as to transfer said injected charge carriers along the interface between said semiconductor body and said layer of insulating material, the pulse voltages being of sufficient magnitude to form depletion regions, the edges of which come into contact with said rectifying junction, when the quantity of charge stored in said interface is less than a predetermined normalized charge, so that charge carriers are injected from said second body into a portion of said interface adjacent at least one of said electrodes, until the quantity of charge stored in said interface reaches a predetermined level.

Claim 3

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second means comprises means for providing a detection output signal only when the quantity of carriers transferred thereto exceeds a threshold value.

Claim 4

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second body includes a semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type, contacting said semiconductor body and forming a p-n junction therewith at a portion of said semiconductor body spaced apart from at least one of said electrodes.

Claim 5

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 3, wherein said semiconductor region comprises a layer of semiconductor material which extends beneath each electrode of said plurality, thereby forming a p-n junction with said semiconductor body extending beneath said plurality of electrodes.

Claim 6

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 4, wherein said semiconductor layer is grounded.

Claim 7

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 4, wherein said semiconductor layer has a portion thereof which projects into said semiconductor body beneath one of said electrodes, whereby the separation between the portion of said semiconductor body beneath said one of said electrodes and said p-n junction is less than the separation between the portion of said semiconductor body beneath other ones of said electrodes and said p-n junction.

Claim 8

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 3, wherein said semiconductor region comprises a layer of semiconductor material disposed in said semiconductor body which extends alongside each electrode of said plurality, thereby forming a p-n junction with said semiconductor body extending alongside said plurality of electrodes.

Claim 9

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 7, further including a metallic electrode contacting said layer of semiconductor material.

Claim 10

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 7, wherein said layer of semiconductor material has a portion thereof which projects toward one of said electrodes, whereby the separation between the portion of said semiconductor body beneath said one of said electrodes and said p-n junction is less than the separation between the portion of said semiconductor body beneath other ones of said electrodes and said p-n junction.

Claim 11

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 9, further including a metallic electrode contacting said layer of semiconductor material and having a projecting portion disposed over the portion of said semiconductor layer which projects toward said one electrode.

Claim 12

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 3, wherein said semiconductor region comprises at least one embedded semiconductor region disposed in said semiconductor body beneath at least one of said electrodes.

Claim 13

A charge-coupled sEmiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one embedded semiconductor region comprises a plurality of embedded regions.

Claim 14

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 3, wherein said semiconductor region comprises at least one layer of semiconductor material disposed in said first surface of said semiconductor body alongside at least one of said electrodes of said plurality.

Claim 15

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges as claimed in claim 13, further including a respective metallic electrode in ohmic contact with said at least one layer of semiconductor material.

Claim 16

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges comprising: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type; a layer of insulating material disposed on a first surface of said semiconductor body; first means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for injecting charge carriers into said semiconductor body; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the surface of said layer of insulating material; second means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for detecting charge carriers transferred thereto; third means for applying pulse voltages to said electrodes, so as to transfer said injected charge carriers along the interface between said semiconductor body and said layer of insulating material; a second body made of a material selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor and a conductor, on which said semiconductor body is disposed, and which defines a rectifying junction with said semiconductor body; fourth means, for applying a second voltage to said electrodes, the second voltage being sufficiently large to form depletion regions the edges of which come into contact with said rectifying junction, so that charge carriers are injected from said second body into a portion of said interface adjacent at least one of said electrodes and are accumulated as biasing charge carriers therein.

Claim 17

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges comprising: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type; a layer of insulating material disposed on a first surface of said semiconductor body; first means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for injecting charge carriers into said semiconductor body; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the surface of said layer of insulating material; second means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for detecting charge carriers transferred thereto; third means for applying pulse voltages to said electrodes, so as to transfer said injected charge carriers along the interface between said semiconductor body and said layer of insulating material; a second body made of a material selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor and a conductor, on which said semiconductor body is disposed, and which defines a rectifying junction with said semiconductor body; fourth means, for applying a second voltage to said electrodes, the second voltage being sufficiently large to form depletion regions the edges of which come into contact with said rectifying junction, so that charge carriers are injected from said second body into a portion of said interface adjacent at least one of said electrodes and are accumulated as biasing charge carriers therein.

Claim 18

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges comprising: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type; a layer of insulating material disposed on a first surface of said semiconductor body; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the surface of said layer of insulating material; first means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for detecting charge carriers which have been transferred beneath said plurality of electrodes; a second body made of a material which forms a rectifying junction with said semiconductor body, disposed in contact with said semiconductor body, but displaced from the portion of the first surface of said semiconductor body beneath said plurality of electrodes; second means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for injecting charge carriers into said semiconductor body; and third means for applying first and second voltages to said plurality of electrodes, said first voltage being a control voltage having a first predetermined magnitude, and said second voltage being a pulse voltage having a second predetermined magnitude sufficient to effect the transfer of injected charge carriers along the interface between said semiconductor body and said layer of insulating material, and wherein the sum of said first and second predetermined voltage magnitudes is at least sufficient to form a depletion region beneath a respective electrode to which said first and second voltages are applied, which depletion region extends to come in contact with said rectifying junction, so as to inject charge carriers from said second body into that portion of said interface adjacent said respective electrode as bias charge carriers to be added to the charge carriers injected by said second means.

Claim 19

A charge-coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges comprising: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type; a layer of insulating material disposed on a first surface of said semiconductor body; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the surface of said layer of insulating material; first means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for detecting charge carriers which have been transferred beneath said plurality of electrodes; a second body made of a material which forms a rectifying junction with said semiconductor body, disposed in contact with said semiconductor body, but displaced from the portion of the first surface of said semiconductor body beneath said plurality of electrodes; second means, coupled to said semiconductor body, for injecting charge carriers into said semiconductor body; and third means for applying first and second voltages to said plurality of electrodes, said first voltage being a control voltage having a first predetermined magnitude, and said second voltage being a pulse voltage having a second predetermined magnitude sufficient to effect the transfer of injected charge carriers along the interface between said semiconductor body and said layer of insulating material, and wherein the sum of said first and second predetermined voltage magnitudes is at least sufficient to form a depletion region beneath a respective electrode to which said first and second voltages are applied, which depletion region extends to come in contact with said rectifying junction, so as to inject charge carriers from said second body into that portion of said interface adjacent said respective electrode as bias charge carriers to be added to the charge carriers injected by said second means.

Claim 20

A charge coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges according to claim 16, wherein said third means includes means for applying a D.C. voltage aS said control voltage to all of the electrodes of said plurality, immediately prior to the injection of charge carriers by said second means, so as to store a bias charge beneath each electrode.

Claim 21

A charge coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges according to claim 16, wherein said first predetermined voltage magnitude of said control voltage is greater than said second predetermined voltage magnitude of said voltage pulses.

Claim 22

A charge coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges according to claim 16, wherein said third means includes means for applying a D.C. voltage as said control voltage to all of the electrodes of said plurality, immediately prior to the application of voltage pulses for transferring charge carriers thereby.

Claim 23

A charge coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges according to claim 16, wherein said second body comprises a semiconductor region having a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type extending beneath said plurality of electrodes.

Claim 24

A charge coupled semiconductor device provided with biasing charges according to claim 16, wherein said second body comprises a semiconductor region having a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type extending along side each electrode of said plurality, thereby forming said rectifying junction at said first surface of said semiconductor body laterally displaced from said electrodes.