Monolithic IR detector arrays with direct injection charge coupled device readout

Claim 2

In an imager the combination comprising: A. An array of infrared detectors, each operable to generate an electrical signal in response to infrared radiation; and B. means for processing said signals, said means including:

Claim 3

A charge-coupled signal collecting device comprised of: a. a storage medium, b. a dielectric layer disposed over a major surface of said medium, c. a plurality of electrodes disposed over said dielectric layer for creating in response to voltages applied thereto a succession of potential wells in said storage medium and for passing an electric charge from given ones of said wells to succeeding ones of them, d. means d.c. coupled to said detectors for injecting directly into said storage medium next to successive ones of said potential wells, a charge in response to the output of respective ones of said detectors, 2. means for applying voltages to said electrodes so as to step said injected charges through the potential wells of said charge-coupled device, and 3. means coupled to said signal collecting device for reading out said stepped charges.

Claim 4

A charge-coupled signal collecting device comprised of: a. a storage medium, b. a dielectric layer disposed over a major surface of said medium, c. a plurality of electrodes disposed over said dielectric layer for creating in response to voltages applied thereto a succession of potential wells in said storage medium and for passing an electric charge from given ones of said wells to succeeding ones of them, d. means d.c. coupled to said detectors for injecting directly into said storage medium next to successive ones of said potential wells, a charge in response to the output of respective ones of said detectors, 2. means for applying voltages to said electrodes so as to step said injected charges through the potential wells of said charge-coupled device, and 3. means coupled to said signal collecting device for reading out said stepped charges.

Claim 5

means for applying voltages to said electrodes so as to step said injected charges through the potential wells of said charge-coupled device, and

Claim 6

means for applying voltages to said electrodes so as to step said injected charges through the potential wells of said charge-coupled device, and

Claim 7

a dielectric layer disposed over a major surface of said medium,

Claim 8

a dielectric layer disposed over a major surface of said medium,

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 characterized further in that said array includes a plurality of columns and rows of detectors and in that there is a separate said signal collecting device for each column of detectors.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 1 characterized further in that successive ones of said potential wells are progressively larger so as to accommodate a progressively larger stored charge so that in response to an image swept over successive ones of said detectors in synchronism with the stepping of said charges, the charge read out of said signal collecting device after the application of said voltages thereto is the sum of said injected charges.

Claim 11

a plurality of electrodes disposed over said dielectric layer for creating in response to voltages applied thereto a succession of potential wells in said storage medium and for passing an electric charge from given ones of said wells to succeeding ones of them,

Claim 12

a plurality of electrodes disposed over said dielectric layer for creating in response to voltages applied thereto a succession of potential wells in said storage medium and for passing an electric charge from given ones of said wells to succeeding ones of them,

Claim 13

means coupled to said signal collecting device for reading out said stepped charges.

Claim 14

means coupled to said signal collecting device for reading out said stepped charges.

Claim 15

means d.c. coupled to respective ones of said signal collecting devices for injecting directly into the storage medium of said read-out device next to successive ones of its storage wells the charges previously stepped through respective ones of said signal collecting devices; and b. means for applying voltages to the electrodes of said read-out device so as to step the charges which have been injected into it through its potential wells at a rate higher than the rate at which charges are stepped through the potential wells of said signal collecting devices.

Claim 16

means d.c. coupled to respective ones of said signal collecting devices for injecting directly into the storage medium of said read-out device next to successive ones of its storage wells the charges previously stepped through respective ones of said signal collecting devices; and b. means for applying voltages to the electrodes of said read-out device so as to step the charges which have been injected into it through its potential wells at a rate higher than the rate at which charges are stepped through the potential wells of said signal collecting devices.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 2 characterized further in that said means for reading out charges includes: a. charge-coupled read-out device comprised of:

Claim 18

In an imager the combination comprising: a. an array of coplanar IR detectors arranged in columns and rows, each detector operable to generate an electrical signal in response to infrared radiation; b. a plurality coplanar multistage charge-coupled devices, each associated with a respective column of said detectors, successive stages of each charge-coupled device having means d.c. coupled to said detectors for directly injecting a charge in response to the signal produced by respective detectors in its associated column of detectors; c. means for scanning an image across said array of detectors so that respective portions of said image are progressively sensed by successive detectors in respective columns of said array; d. means for shifting said injected charges along said charge-coupled devices in synchronism With the scanning of said image; and e. means for periodically reading out the shifted charges from said charge-coupled devices.

Claim 19

In an imager the combination comprising: a. an array of coplanar IR detectors arranged in columns and rows, each detector operable to generate an electrical signal in response to infrared radiation; b. a plurality coplanar multistage charge-coupled devices, each associated with a respective column of said detectors, successive stages of each charge-coupled device having means d.c. coupled to said detectors for directly injecting a charge in response to the signal produced by respective detectors in its associated column of detectors; c. means for scanning an image across said array of detectors so that respective portions of said image are progressively sensed by successive detectors in respective columns of said array; d. means for shifting said injected charges along said charge-coupled devices in synchronism With the scanning of said image; and e. means for periodically reading out the shifted charges from said charge-coupled devices.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 5 characterized further in that: a. each charge-coupled device is constructed to have a series of potential wells of progressively increasing size; and b. respective image portions are swept fully across said detector array and charges generated in response thereto are stepped fully through said charge-coupled devices prior to each reading out of said charge-coupled devices.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 5 characterized further in that said means for reading out the shifted charges from said charge-coupled devices comprises a multistage charge-coupled device, successive stages of said charge-coupled device having means for directly injecting charges from respective ones of said coplanar charge-coupled devices.

Claim 22

A solid state imaging module comprising in combination: a. a planar array of infrared detectors arranged in columns and rows, each detector being operable to generate an electrical signal in response to infrared radiation; b. a set of multistage charge-coupled devices formed on a single semiconducting substrate, each charge-coupled device being associated with, and located next to, a respective column of said detectors, successive stages of each charge-coupled device having means d.c. coupled to said detectors for directly injecting a charge in response to the signal produced by a respective detector in its associated column of detectors; c. means for shifting charges injected into said charge-coupled devices a long successive stages thereof at a first rate; and d. means for reading charges out of said charge-coupled devices at a rate which is in integral multiple of said first rate.

Claim 23

A solid state imaging module comprising in combination: a. a planar array of infrared detectors arranged in columns and rows, each detector being operable to generate an electrical signal in response to infrared radiation; b. a set of multistage charge-coupled devices formed on a single semiconducting substrate, each charge-coupled device being associated with, and located next to, a respective column of said detectors, successive stages of each charge-coupled device having means d.c. coupled to said detectors for directly injecting a charge in response to the signal produced by a respective detector in its associated column of detectors; c. means for shifting charges injected into said charge-coupled devices a long successive stages thereof at a first rate; and d. means for reading charges out of said charge-coupled devices at a rate which is in integral multiple of said first rate.

Claim 24

In an imager the combination comprising: a. an array of IR detectors arranged in at least a single column; b. multistage charge coupled device associated with each said column, successive stages of each CCD having means d.c. coupled to said detectors for directly injecting a charge in response to the signal produced by respective detectors in its associated column of detectors; c. means for scanning an image across said array of detectors; and d. means for periodically reading out the charges from each said multistage charge coupled device.

Claim 25

In an imager the combination comprising: a. an array of IR detectors arranged in at least a single column; b. multistage charge coupled device associated with each said column, successive stages of each CCD having means d.c. coupled to said detectors for directly injecting a charge in response to the signal produced by respective detectors in its associated column of detectors; c. means for scanning an image across said array of detectors; and d. means for periodically reading out the charges from each said multistage charge coupled device.