Radiation-tolerant imaging device
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Pleasanton, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 870691
- Patent Number(s):
- 5576561
- Assignee:
- United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- radiation-tolerant; imaging; device; barrier; uniform; depth; entire; wafer; produce; devices; susceptible; noise; pulses; produced; passage; ionizing; radiation; prevents; charge; created; bulk; silicon; ccd; detector; semiconductor; logic; memory; entering; collection; volume; pixel; physical; potential; combination; formed; sio; insulator; increasing; concentration; majority; carriers; holes; combine; electron; generated; manufacturer; merely; changing; type; fed; process; stream; standard; possessing; beneath; surface; introducing; added; cost; production; effective; layer; pulses produced; memory device; physical barrier; imaging devices; imaging device; process stream; ionizing radiation; bulk silicon; charge created; effective barrier; uniform depth; produce radiation; production cost; majority carriers; /257/
Citation Formats
Colella, Nicholas J, and Kimbrough, Joseph R. Radiation-tolerant imaging device. United States: N. p., 1996.
Web.
Colella, Nicholas J, & Kimbrough, Joseph R. Radiation-tolerant imaging device. United States.
Colella, Nicholas J, and Kimbrough, Joseph R. Mon .
"Radiation-tolerant imaging device". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870691.
@article{osti_870691,
title = {Radiation-tolerant imaging device},
author = {Colella, Nicholas J and Kimbrough, Joseph R},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}