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US4609824A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Photosensitive device for the infrared range

Assignee: Thales SA
•
Filing: 1984-11-09
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Granted: 1986-09-02
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Expires: 2004-11-09
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Abstract

Abstract A photosensitive device for the infrared range wherein each detector is connected to a first and a second MOS transistor. The second MOS transistors are addressed, column by column, by a first shift register. The first MOS transistors are connected, line by line, to a charge storage capacity and to a third charge reading MOS transistor addressed by a second shift register. The whole of the device is placed in a cryostat which only has a single output.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bernard Munier
  • 👤 Marc Arques

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 10:07
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/76; H04N23/00; H04N23/20; H04N25/779

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 319 words
A photosensitive device for the infrared range comprising: an array of N lines and M columns of infrared detectors integrated on a first semiconductor substrate and two electrode arrays, one of the arrays being assigned to the detectors of the same line and the other to the detectors of the same column; a first MOS transistor connected between each detector and an electrode of the first array; a first shift register which addresses one after the other the electrodes of the second array, the first MOS transistors and the first register being integrated on a second semiconductor substrate and placed in a cryostat with the detectors, said device further comprising, integrated in the second semiconductor substrate and placed in the cryostat: a second MOS transistor connected between a gate of each first MOS transistor and an electrode of said second array; a capacitor, connected between each electrode of the first array and a reference potential, said capacitor serving successively for storing then reading the charges due to the detectors connected to this electrode; a third MOS transistor connected between each electrode of the first array and the output of the photosensitive device and which allows the charges to be read which are stored in each capacitor; a second shift register which, when the first register addresses an electrode of the second array, addresses one after the other, the gate of the third MOS transistors connected to an electrode of the first array, as well as the gates of the second MOS transistors controlling the gates of the first MOS transistors connected to another electrode of the first array, which allows all the detectors connected to each electrode of the second array to be read successively and the charges coming from a detector connected to each of the other electrodes of the first array to be integrated when a detector connected to an electrode of the first array is read.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 319 words
A photosensitive device for the infrared range comprising: an array of N lines and M columns of infrared detectors integrated on a first semiconductor substrate and two electrode arrays, one of the arrays being assigned to the detectors of the same line and the other to the detectors of the same column; a first MOS transistor connected between each detector and an electrode of the first array; a first shift register which addresses one after the other the electrodes of the second array, the first MOS transistors and the first register being integrated on a second semiconductor substrate and placed in a cryostat with the detectors, said device further comprising, integrated in the second semiconductor substrate and placed in the cryostat: a second MOS transistor connected between a gate of each first MOS transistor and an electrode of said second array; a capacitor, connected between each electrode of the first array and a reference potential, said capacitor serving successively for storing then reading the charges due to the detectors connected to this electrode; a third MOS transistor connected between each electrode of the first array and the output of the photosensitive device and which allows the charges to be read which are stored in each capacitor; a second shift register which, when the first register addresses an electrode of the second array, addresses one after the other, the gate of the third MOS transistors connected to an electrode of the first array, as well as the gates of the second MOS transistors controlling the gates of the first MOS transistors connected to another electrode of the first array, which allows all the detectors connected to each electrode of the second array to be read successively and the charges coming from a detector connected to each of the other electrodes of the first array to be integrated when a detector connected to an electrode of the first array is read.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrared detectors are photodiodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 91 words
The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second shift registers address successively the electrodes of rank 1, 2, 3 . . . i, i+1, i+2 . . . then again 1, 2, 3, . . . ; the second shift register addresses the gate of the third MOS transistor connected to the electrode of rank i+1 of the first array and the gates of the second MOS transistors controlling the gates of the first MOS transistors connected to the electrode of rank i of the first array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 90 words
Device as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the first and second shift registers address successively the electrodes of rank 1, 2, 3 . . . i, i+1, i+2 . . . then again 1, 2, 3 . . . ; the second shift register addresses the gate of the third MOS transistor connected to the electrode of rank i+1 of the first array and the gates of the second MOS transistors controlling the gates of the first MOS transistors connected to the electrode of rank i of the first array.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4496980A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-09-01 1990-03-03 1990-09-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-09-01 1994-03-03 1994-09-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-09-01 1998-03-03 1998-09-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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