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US3947863A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Charge coupled device with electrically settable shift direction

Assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1975-06-18
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Granted: 1976-03-30
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Expires: 1995-06-18
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Abstract

Abstract A monolithic two-phase charge coupled MNOS device having on a substrate an oxide layer having alternate relatively thin and thick regions thereof and a nitride layer thereon. Alternate electrodes for distributing, respectively, first and second phase clock signals are provided on the nitride layer. Each electrode overlays both a thin region and an adjacent thick region in the oxide layer. The MNOS devices formed by an electrode, the nitride layer, a thin oxide region in the oxide layer, and the substrate have electrically alterable threshold voltages, which permits electrical alteration of the surface potential pattern, so that the direction of transfer of a charge packet during the shifting operation may be electrically predetermined.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael W. Powell

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 17:26
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/681; H10D64/685; H10D44/00; H10D44/40; H10D44/45; H10D44/472; H10D44/474; H10D64/693

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 272 words
A monolithic charge coupled device for storing and sequentially transferring information in a predetermined direction comprising: a semiconductor body having a major surface; a first dielectric layer on said major surface, said first dielectric layer including a plurality of first regions of a first thickness and a plurality of second regions of a second thickness, said second thickness being substantially less in magnitude than said first thickness, said first and second regions being alternately positioned along said major surface; a second dielectric layer on said first dielectric layer; a plurality of spaced first conductive electrodes on said second dielectric layer; a plurality of spaced second conductive electrodes on said second dielectric layer, said first and second conductive electrodes being, respectively, alternately positioned on said second dielectric layer, each of said first and second conductive electrodes disposed above a portion of one of said first regions and one of said second regions, said portion including the boundary of the regions and adjacent edges of said first and second electrodes overlying like thicknesses of said first dielectric layer; input means on said semiconductive body for transferring information into said charge coupled device; receiving means on said semiconductive body for receiving said transferred information; clocking means connected to said first and second conductive electrodes for sequentially biasing said first and second conductive electrodes to produce an asymmetrical potential well configuration in said semiconductive body beneath said major surface to establish the direction of transfer of said information; and said predetermined direction being electrically alterable by electrically altering the charge at interface regions between said dielectric layer and said second region of said first dielectric layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 272 words
A monolithic charge coupled device for storing and sequentially transferring information in a predetermined direction comprising: a semiconductor body having a major surface; a first dielectric layer on said major surface, said first dielectric layer including a plurality of first regions of a first thickness and a plurality of second regions of a second thickness, said second thickness being substantially less in magnitude than said first thickness, said first and second regions being alternately positioned along said major surface; a second dielectric layer on said first dielectric layer; a plurality of spaced first conductive electrodes on said second dielectric layer; a plurality of spaced second conductive electrodes on said second dielectric layer, said first and second conductive electrodes being, respectively, alternately positioned on said second dielectric layer, each of said first and second conductive electrodes disposed above a portion of one of said first regions and one of said second regions, said portion including the boundary of the regions and adjacent edges of said first and second electrodes overlying like thicknesses of said first dielectric layer; input means on said semiconductive body for transferring information into said charge coupled device; receiving means on said semiconductive body for receiving said transferred information; clocking means connected to said first and second conductive electrodes for sequentially biasing said first and second conductive electrodes to produce an asymmetrical potential well configuration in said semiconductive body beneath said major surface to establish the direction of transfer of said information; and said predetermined direction being electrically alterable by electrically altering the charge at interface regions between said dielectric layer and said second region of said first dielectric layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The monolithic charge coupled device as recited in claim 1 wherein said first dielectric layer is silicon dioxide and said second dielectric layer is silicon nitride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
The monolithic charge coupled device as recited in claim 1 wherein first thickness is greater than 200 Angstrom units, and said second thickness is in the range from 15 to 200 Angstrom units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The monolithic charge coupled device as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second conductive electrodes are aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
The monolithic charge coupled device as recited in claim 1 wherein the thickness of said second dielectric layer is from 200 to 1000 Angstrom units.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The monolithic charge coupled device as recited in claim 1 wherein said second dielectric is silicon nitride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 297 words
A monolithic MNOS charge coupled device for storing sequentially transferring information in an electrically predetermined direction comprising: a semiconductive body having a major surface; a silicon dioxide layer on said major surface, said silicon dioxide layer including a plurality of first regions of a first thickness and a plurality of second regions of a second thickness, said first region being in the range from 15 to 200 Angstrom units and said second thickness being greater than 200 Angstrom units, said first and second regions being alternately positioned along said major surface; a silicon nitride layer on said silicon dioxide layer, said silicon nitride layer being approximately 200 to 1000 Angstrom units thick; a plurality of spaced first metal electrodes on said silicon nitride layer; a plurality of spaced second metal electrodes on said silicon nitride layer, said first and second metal electrodes being, respectively, alternately positioned on said silicon nitride layer, each of said first and second metal electrodes disposed above a portion of one of said first regions and one of said second regions, said portion including the boundary of the regions and adjacent edges of said first and second electrodes overlying like thicknesses of said first dielectric layer; input means on said semiconductive body for transferring information into said charge coupled device; receiving means on said semiconductive body for receiving said transferred information; clocking means connected to said first and second metal electrodes for sequentially biasing said first and second conductive electrodes to produce an asymmetrical potential well configuration in said semiconductive body beneath said major surface to establish the direction of transfer of said information; and said predetermined direction being electrically alterable by electrically altering the charge at interface regions between said silicon nitride layer and said first region of said silicon dioxide layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 297 words
A monolithic MNOS charge coupled device for storing sequentially transferring information in an electrically predetermined direction comprising: a semiconductive body having a major surface; a silicon dioxide layer on said major surface, said silicon dioxide layer including a plurality of first regions of a first thickness and a plurality of second regions of a second thickness, said first region being in the range from 15 to 200 Angstrom units and said second thickness being greater than 200 Angstrom units, said first and second regions being alternately positioned along said major surface; a silicon nitride layer on said silicon dioxide layer, said silicon nitride layer being approximately 200 to 1000 Angstrom units thick; a plurality of spaced first metal electrodes on said silicon nitride layer; a plurality of spaced second metal electrodes on said silicon nitride layer, said first and second metal electrodes being, respectively, alternately positioned on said silicon nitride layer, each of said first and second metal electrodes disposed above a portion of one of said first regions and one of said second regions, said portion including the boundary of the regions and adjacent edges of said first and second electrodes overlying like thicknesses of said first dielectric layer; input means on said semiconductive body for transferring information into said charge coupled device; receiving means on said semiconductive body for receiving said transferred information; clocking means connected to said first and second metal electrodes for sequentially biasing said first and second conductive electrodes to produce an asymmetrical potential well configuration in said semiconductive body beneath said major surface to establish the direction of transfer of said information; and said predetermined direction being electrically alterable by electrically altering the charge at interface regions between said silicon nitride layer and said first region of said silicon dioxide layer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3719866A Cited
US3767983A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-03-30 1979-09-29 1980-03-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-03-30 1983-09-29 1984-03-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-03-30 1987-09-29 1988-03-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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