Solid state photonic detector with charge transfer reader and image-forming target using such a detector

Claim 1

A solid state photon detector with a charge transfer readout device, a signal from the detector being injected in the form of charges into the readout device through a first MOS transistor, said MOS transistor having a source connected to the detector, a control gate and an electrode forming a drain; transfer charges created in the readout device being of the opposite sign to those of the signal; comprising means for generating a current formed of charges having the same sign as the transfer charges, and means for injecting this current into said transistor, wherein the means for generating a current being formed on the same substrate as the readout device and comprising a second MOS transistor conveniently biased and located side by side with the first MOS transistor, wherein the second MOS transistor is formed by a first P doped zone in the substrate to which the detector is connected and which constitutes the source of the first transistor, a second P doped zone formed in this substrate and a first gate disposed between two said zones, and means for biasing, during operation, said second transistor alternately under linear and disabled operating conditions, and a second gate on the substrate, and means for applying, during operation, to said second gate a ramp voltage at least once during a time interval which separates two successive transfers of the signal, from a transition of signal to the readout device.