Imaging array having higher sensitivity and a method of making the same

Claim 1

In an imaging array of the charge transfer type comprising a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type having first and second major surfaces and including a plurality of substantially parallel charge transfer channels comprising regions of a second conductivity type extending a distance into the body from the first major surface thereof and channel stops comprising regions containing an excess concentration of first type conductivity modifiers and extending a distance into said body from the first major surface between the charge transfer channels; the improvement which comprises blooming drains comprising regions of the second conductivity type extending a distance from the first major surface into at least some of the channel stops and buried barrier regions containing a greater concentration of first type conductivity modifiers than the semiconductor body and the channel stops extending a further distance into the body from the channel stops which contain a blooming drain, the concentration of conductivity modifiers in said buried barrier regions being sufficient so as to provide a potential barrier means for preventing the direct flow of photogenerated charge into a blooming drain.