Method and apparatus for sensing radiation and providing electrical readout
A plurality of radiation sensing and storage sites are provided on a substrate of semiconductor material arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. Each site includes a row oriented plate and a column oriented plate to form a pair of closely coupled capacitive cells with the substrate. A pluraliiy of row conductor lines are provided, each connected to the row oriented plates of a respective row. A plurality of column conductor lines are also provided, each connected to the column oriented plates of a respective column. In operation, application of appropriate voltages to the capacitive cells forms depletion regions therein with charge permitted to flow between closely coupled cells depending on the voltage on the plates thereof. Selective read out of charge stored in a row of sites is accomplished by changing the potential on the row line to cause charge stored in the row-oriented cells to flow into the column- oriented storage cells thereof. The read out of charge stored in the column- oriented cells is accomplished by changing the potential on each of the column lines in turn to cause injection of carriers stored therein into the substrate and sensed across an integrating capacitor. Reestablishment of depletion producing potentials on the column-oriented plates causes previously injected carriers which have not had time to recombine or diffuse sufficientiy far away to be recollected. Such recollected charge is periodically injected at the end of a row of scan, when the depletion regions of the row oriented plates have been collapsed, by collapsing the depletion regions underlying all of the column oriented plates for a time sufficient to assure complete disappearance of injected carriers from the regions of storage thereof. (Official Gazette)
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-026890
- Assignee:
- to General Electric Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3795806
- OSTI ID:
- 4339229
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 1973 Mar 01; Other Information: H01j39/12. Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Apparatus for sensing radiation and providing electrical readout
Apparatus for sensing radiation and providing electrical read out