US4965648A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tilted channel, serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device
Assignee: Tektronix Inc
•
Filing: 1988-07-07
•
Granted: 1990-10-23
•
Expires: 2008-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A serial-parallel-serial, charged-coupled device includes an array of horizontal rows and columns of closely spaced charge storage cells. Each storage cell is formed by an electrode covering an insulation layer above a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate of each storage cell includes a channel region for conducting carriers laterally through the storage cell. The channel region of each storage cell included both in a first row of the array and in any column of the array has a tilted potential gradient providing an electric field facilitating charge carrier drift within the channel region in two lateral directions, toward a neighboring storage cell of the first row and also toward a neighboring storage cell of its column.
Inventors
- 👤 Kei-Wean C. Yang
- 👤 John E. Taggart
- 👤 Raymond Hayes
- 👤 Joseph R. Peter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:28
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/671; G; G11; G11C; G11C27/00; G11C27/04; H10D44/00; H10D44/40; H10D44/45; H10D62/00; H10D62/10; H10D62/17; H10D62/213; H10D62/335; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A charge storage cell for a serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device for storing charge carriers and for transferring stored charge carriers in two, non-parallel lateral directions toward two neighboring charge storage cells of the charge-coupled device, the charge storage cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulator layer formed above said substrate; and an electrode formed above said insulator layer, the substrate including a channel region coextensive with said electrode in the two lateral directions for storing charge carriers and for conducting charge carriers under said electrode in the two lateral directions, a substantial portion of said channel region having built-in potential gradients tilted in the two lateral directions, and the tilted built-in potential gradients providing electric fields applying forces in the two lateral directions on charge carriers within said substantial portion of said channel region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A charge storage cell for a serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device for storing charge carriers and for transferring stored charge carriers in two, non-parallel lateral directions toward two neighboring charge storage cells of the charge-coupled device, the charge storage cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulator layer formed above said substrate; and an electrode formed above said insulator layer, the substrate including a channel region coextensive with said electrode in the two lateral directions for storing charge carriers and for conducting charge carriers under said electrode in the two lateral directions, a substantial portion of said channel region having built-in potential gradients tilted in the two lateral directions, and the tilted built-in potential gradients providing electric fields applying forces in the two lateral directions on charge carriers within said substantial portion of said channel region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 1 wherein said substantial portion of said channel region has a dopant concentration graded in said two lateral directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 1 wherein said insulator layer has a vertical thickness graded in said two lateral directions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 1 wherein said electrode has a work function graded in said two lateral directions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 1 wherein said channel region is a buried channel region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
149 words
A charge storage cell for a serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device for storing charge carriers and for transferring stored charge carriers in two, non-parallel lateral directions toward two neighboring charge storage cells of the charge-coupled device, the charge storage cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulator layer formed above said substrate; and a plurality of laterally spaced electrodes formed above said insulator layer, isolated one from another and driven to differing potentials, the substrate including a channel region coextensive with said electrode in the two lateral directions for storing charge carriers and for conducting charge carriers under said electrode in the two lateral directions, said potentials differing such that a substantial portion of said channel region has potential gradients tilted in the two lateral directions, and the tilted potential gradients providing electric fields applying forces in the two lateral directions on charge carriers within said substantial portion of said channel region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
149 words
A charge storage cell for a serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device for storing charge carriers and for transferring stored charge carriers in two, non-parallel lateral directions toward two neighboring charge storage cells of the charge-coupled device, the charge storage cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulator layer formed above said substrate; and a plurality of laterally spaced electrodes formed above said insulator layer, isolated one from another and driven to differing potentials, the substrate including a channel region coextensive with said electrode in the two lateral directions for storing charge carriers and for conducting charge carriers under said electrode in the two lateral directions, said potentials differing such that a substantial portion of said channel region has potential gradients tilted in the two lateral directions, and the tilted potential gradients providing electric fields applying forces in the two lateral directions on charge carriers within said substantial portion of said channel region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
122 words
A charge storage cell for a serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device for storing charge carriers and for transferring stored charge carriers in two, non-parallel lateral directions toward two neighboring charge storage cells of the charge-coupled device, the charge storage cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulator layer formed above said substrate; and an electrode formed above said insulator layer, the substrate including a channel region coextensive with said electrode in the two lateral directions for conducting charge carriers in the two lateral directions, a substantial first portion of the channel region having a substantially constant potential gradient in at least one of said two lateral directions, and a substantial second portion of said channel region having potential gradients tilted in said two lateral directions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
A charge storage cell for a serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device for storing charge carriers and for transferring stored charge carriers in two, non-parallel lateral directions toward two neighboring charge storage cells of the charge-coupled device, the charge storage cell comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulator layer formed above said substrate; and an electrode formed above said insulator layer, the substrate including a channel region coextensive with said electrode in the two lateral directions for conducting charge carriers in the two lateral directions, a substantial first portion of the channel region having a substantially constant potential gradient in at least one of said two lateral directions, and a substantial second portion of said channel region having potential gradients tilted in said two lateral directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein the tilted potential gradients provide electric fields applying forces in said two lateral directions on the charge carriers within the second portion of the channel region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein a built-in potential difference between said first and second portions of said channel region provides an electric field accelerating charge carriers therebetween in a direction from said first portion of said channel region to said second portion of said channel region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein said second portion of said channel region has dopant concentrations graded in said two lateral directions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein a portion of said insulator layer above said second portion of said channel region is of a thickness graded in said two lateral directions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein a work function of a portion of said electrode above said second portion of said channel region is graded in said two lateral directions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The charge storage cell in accordance with claim 7 wherein said channel region is a buried channel region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
117 words
A serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device comprising: an array of intersecting horizontal rows and columns of closely spaced charge storage cells, each charge storage cell comprising an electrode covering an insulation layer above a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate of each charge storage cell including a channel region for conducting carriers laterally through the charge storage cell, and a substantial portion of the channel region of at least one charge storage cell forming an intersection of a row and a column of the array having tilted built-in potential gradients providing an electric field facilitating lateral charge carrier drift within said substantial portion of said channel region in two lateral directions defined by orientations of said row and said column.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
117 words
A serial-parallel-serial, charge-coupled device comprising: an array of intersecting horizontal rows and columns of closely spaced charge storage cells, each charge storage cell comprising an electrode covering an insulation layer above a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate of each charge storage cell including a channel region for conducting carriers laterally through the charge storage cell, and a substantial portion of the channel region of at least one charge storage cell forming an intersection of a row and a column of the array having tilted built-in potential gradients providing an electric field facilitating lateral charge carrier drift within said substantial portion of said channel region in two lateral directions defined by orientations of said row and said column.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charge-coupled device in accordance with claim 14 wherein a dopant concentration in said substantial portion of said channel region is graded in said two lateral directions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3796932A
Cited
US4092734A
Cited
US3924319A
Cited
JPS5272187A
Cited
GB2009500A
Cited
US4184896A
Cited
GB2029101A
Cited
US4364164A
Cited
US4236830A
Cited
JPS63140574A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-10-22 | 1994-04-23 | 1994-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-10-22 | 1998-04-23 | 1998-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-10-22 | 2002-04-23 | 2002-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |