Radiation-tolerant imaging device

Patent · Tue Nov 19 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:403668

Colella, N J; Kimbrough, J R

A barrier at a uniform depth for an entire wafer is used to produce imaging devices less susceptible to noise pulses produced by the passage of ionizing radiation. The barrier prevents charge created in the bulk silicon of a CCD detector or a semiconductor logic or memory device from entering the collection volume of each pixel in the imaging device. The charge barrier is a physical barrier, a potential barrier, or a combination of both. The physical barrier is formed by an SiO{sub 2} insulator. The potential barrier is formed by increasing the concentration of majority carriers (holes) to combine with the electron`s generated by the ionizing radiation. A manufacturer of CCD imaging devices can produce radiation-tolerant devices by merely changing the wafer type fed into his process stream from a standard wafer to one possessing a barrier beneath its surface, thus introducing a very small added cost to his production cost. An effective barrier type is an SiO{sub 2} layer. 7 figs.

• Research Organization: University of California
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,576,561/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-291,085
• OSTI ID: 403668
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
CHARGE CARRIERS
CHARGE COLLECTION
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
DEPLETION LAYER
DESIGN
IMAGES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON OXIDES