SOLID STATE IMAGING APPARATUS

Abstract

An array of charge storage devices each including a pair of closely coupled conductor-insulator-semiconductor capacitors or cells, one a row line connected cell and the other a column line connected cell, is provided on a common semiconductor substrate. The charge stored in a row of devices is read out by transferring charge from a column cell to a row cell and then back again to the column cell by reducing and then increasing the absolute value of the voltage on column cell of each of the devices of the row in sequence. The resultant change in voltage produced on the row line is sensed and an electrical signal is obtained representing the charge stored at each of the devices of the row. During the readout operation the voltage on each of the column cells is reduced to below threshold voltage of the cells to allow the fixed amount of charge trapped in the surface states of each of the column cells to recombine with majority carriers in the substrate thereby reducing the charge stored in each of the devices of the array by this fixed amount of charge.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1GERALD J. MICHON