Non-interlaced interline transfer CCD image sensing device with simplified electrode structure for each pixel

Claim 2

An interline transfer type image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a surface; a plurality of photoreceptors in the substrate at the surface and arranged in an array of at least one column; a two-phase CCD shift register in the substrate and extending along the column of photoreceptors; the shift register including first and second sets of electrodes extending thereacross with each of the electrodes of the first set alternating along the shift register with the electrodes of the second set so that one electrode of each set is disposed beside each of the photoreceptors and each photoreceptor is associated with a pair of electrodes formed by one electrode of each set; the electrodes extend over the photoreceptors and have notches therein over the photoreceptors so as to expose at least a portion of the photoreceptors directly to light emanating from the image being sensed; means electrically connecting the first set of electrodes to a first voltage clock; means electrically connecting the second set of electrodes to a second voltage clock; and transfer means for transferring charge from each photoreceptor into a region under only an electrode of one of the sets of electrodes wherein photogenerated charge in each photoreceptor can be substantially simultaneously transferred to the CCD shift register and can be transferred along the shift register from each photoreceptor.

Claim 3

The image sensor device of claim 1 further comprising a channel stop region extending around each of the photoreceptors and having a gap therein along a portion of the photoreceptor between the photoreceptor and the shift register, the gap forming the transfer means for transferring charge from the photoreceptor to the shift register.

Claim 4

The image sensor device of claim 2 in which each of the electrodes of the one set of electrodes extends over the gap in the channel stop region of its adjacent photoreceptor.

Claim 5

The image sensor device of claim 3 further comprising in the CCD shift register a vertical transfer barrier region under an edge of each electrode.

Claim 6

The image sensor device of claim 4 in which each of the photoreceptors is a photodiode.

Claim 7

An interline transfer type area image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a surface; a plurality of photoreceptors in the substrate at the surface and arranged in an array of rows and columns; a plurality of two-phase CCD shift registers in the substrate with each shift register extending along a separate column of the photoreceptors; first and second sets of electrodes extending across the shift registers with each of the electrodes of the first set alternating along the shift registers with the electrodes of the second set so that one electrode of each set is disposed besides each of the photoreceptors in a column and each photoreceptor is associated with a pair of electrodes formed by one electrode of each set; each of the electrodes extending across all of the photoreceptors in a row of the photoreceptors and having a notch therein over each photoreceptor in the row so as to expose at least a portion of each photoreceptor to light emanating from the image being sensed; means electrically connecting the first set of electrodes to a first voltage clock; means electrically connecting the second set of electrodes to a second voltage clock; and transfer means for transferring charge from each photoreceptor into a region of its adjacent shift register under only an electrode of one of the sets of electrodes wherein photogenerated charge in each photoreceptor can be transferred substantially simultaneously to the CCD shift registers and can be transferred along the shift registers while maintaining the integrity of photocharges from each photoreceptor element.

Claim 8

An interline transfer type area image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a surface; a plurality of photoreceptors in the substrate at the surface and arranged in an array of rows and columns; a plurality of two-phase CCD shift registers in the substrate with each shift register extending along a separate column of the photoreceptors; first and second sets of electrodes extending across the shift registers with each of the electrodes of the first set alternating along the shift registers with the electrodes of the second set so that one electrode of each set is disposed besides each of the photoreceptors in a column and each photoreceptor is associated with a pair of electrodes formed by one electrode of each set; each of the electrodes extending across all of the photoreceptors in a row of the photoreceptors and having a notch therein over each photoreceptor in the row so as to expose at least a portion of each photoreceptor to light emanating from the image being sensed; means electrically connecting the first set of electrodes to a first voltage clock; means electrically connecting the second set of electrodes to a second voltage clock; and transfer means for transferring charge from each photoreceptor into a region of its adjacent shift register under only an electrode of one of the sets of electrodes wherein photogenerated charge in each photoreceptor can be transferred substantially simultaneously to the CCD shift registers and can be transferred along the shift registers while maintaining the integrity of photocharges from each photoreceptor element.

Claim 9

The interline transfer type area image sensor of claim 6 further comprising a channel stop region extending around each of the photoreceptors and having a gap therein along a portion of the photoreceptor between the photoreceptor and its adjacent shift register, the gaps forming the transfer means for transferring charge from the photoreceptors to the shift registers.

Claim 10

The interline transfer type area image sensor of claim 7 in which each of the electrodes of the one set of electrodes extends over a gap in the channel stop region of the photoreceptors in a row.

Claim 11

The interline transfer type area image sensor of claim 8 further comprising in each CCD shift register a vertical transfer barrier region under an edge of each electrode.

Claim 12

The interline transfer type area image sensor of claim 9 in which each of the photoreceptors is a photodiode.