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US5118631A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Self-aligned antiblooming structure for charge-coupled devices and method of fabrication thereof

Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc
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Filing: 1989-08-03
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Granted: 1992-06-02
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Expires: 2009-08-03
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Abstract

Abstract A self-aligned element antiblooming structure for application to charge-coupled devices includes a region in the substrate in which the charge-coupled device is fabricated into which both a P and an N conductivity type impurity are introduced. By introducing impurities of different diffusivities, a sink region is created between two very narrow antiblooming barriers. Using appropriate process controls, the potential height of the antiblooming barriers may be adjusted to drain excess charge accmulating in the substrate adjacent the antiblooming barriers. In this manner the antiblooming function is accomplished using only a minimal area of the substrate. The invention is applicable to charge-coupled devices utilizing a variety of different clocking schemes, and to charge-coupled device image sensors using buried channels.

Inventors

  • 👤 Rudolph H. Dyck
  • 👤 James M. Early

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 06:27
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/60; H04N25/62; H04N25/621; H04N25/622; H04N25/70; H04N25/71; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/158

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 163 words
A method of fabricating an antiblooming barrier for a charge-coupled device comprising: in a substrate in which a first region is formed for the accumulation of electrical charge in response to ambient electromagnetic radiation, forming a protective layer over the first region but not over a selected region where the antiblooming barrier is desired, which selected region is adjacent the first region; introducing a first conductivity type impurity into the selected region to form one of a charge sink region and a barrier region; introducing opposite conductivity type impurity into the selected region to form the other of the charge sink region and the barrier region, the impurity for the barrier region having a greater diffusivity in the substrate than the impurity for the charge sink region; and heating the substrate to cause the impurity for the barrier region to diffuse outward into the substrate to be disposed between to separate the sink region and the substrate and thereby form the antiblooming barrier.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 163 words
A method of fabricating an antiblooming barrier for a charge-coupled device comprising: in a substrate in which a first region is formed for the accumulation of electrical charge in response to ambient electromagnetic radiation, forming a protective layer over the first region but not over a selected region where the antiblooming barrier is desired, which selected region is adjacent the first region; introducing a first conductivity type impurity into the selected region to form one of a charge sink region and a barrier region; introducing opposite conductivity type impurity into the selected region to form the other of the charge sink region and the barrier region, the impurity for the barrier region having a greater diffusivity in the substrate than the impurity for the charge sink region; and heating the substrate to cause the impurity for the barrier region to diffuse outward into the substrate to be disposed between to separate the sink region and the substrate and thereby form the antiblooming barrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method as in claim 1 further comprising: forming an insulating layer over at least the first region; and forming an electrically conductive gate electrode over the insulating layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the selected region comprises an opening in a masking layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the diffusivity of one of the first or opposite conductivity type impurity is at least twice the diffusivity or the other of the first or opposite conductivity type impurity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 44 words
A method as in claim 4 wherein a higher concentration of one of the first or opposite conductivity type impurity is introduced than the other of the first or opposite conductivity type impurity, the higher concentration being of the impurity having the lower diffusivity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the first conductivity type is N type and the opposite conductivity type is P.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method as in claim 6 wherein the P type impurity comprises boron, and the N type impurity comprises arsenic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method as in claim 7 wherein the step of heating the substrate comprises heating the substate to at least 1000° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method as in claim 8 wherein the substrate comprises silicon and is heated for at least 100 minutes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the steps of introducing a first conductivity type impurity and introducing an opposite conductivity type impurity are preceded by the step of defining an opening in a masking layer over the selected region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the steps of introducing a first conductivity type and introducing an opposite conductivity type comprise ion implanting the first and the opposite conductivity type impurities.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the steps of introducing the first and the opposite conductivity type impurities comprise doping the substrate from a source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein the source comprises an overlying doped layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 12 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein the source comprises a vapor.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-06-02 1995-12-02 1996-06-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-06-02 1999-12-02 2000-06-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-06-02 2003-12-02 2004-06-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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