초록 ▼

A method and circuit for reading out the detector signal current from an infrared focal plane array by converting the detector current into a precisely proportional charge packet which is injected into the channel of a charge-coupled device (CCD). In a preferred embodiment the circuit comprises a ca

A method and circuit for reading out the detector signal current from an infrared focal plane array by converting the detector current into a precisely proportional charge packet which is injected into the channel of a charge-coupled device (CCD). In a preferred embodiment the circuit comprises a capacitive feedback transimpedance amplifier 30 (or similar infrared detector signal encoding circuit) coupled to a precision CCD charge-injection circuit 10 formed on a semiconducting substrate 12. A surface potential well 50 underneath a reservoir gate electrode 80 is filled with charge that is initially kept in place by a channel stop 14 and a potential barrier 62. When the detector signal is applied to signal gate electrode 60, the potential barrier 62 is lowered and a precisely proportional amount of charge fills a store potential well 48 underneath a store gate electorde 85. At an appropriate time the charge in the storage potential well 48 is transferred to CCD channel 90 by means of a clock pulse applied to a transfer gate electorde 100.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of low-noise charge injection for use with a charge-coupled device in an imaging system, including the steps of: peroidically integrating the current from a photodetector during a dwell time period of said photodetector with a photodetector amplifier circuit while maintaining a substantiall

A method of low-noise charge injection for use with a charge-coupled device in an imaging system, including the steps of: peroidically integrating the current from a photodetector during a dwell time period of said photodetector with a photodetector amplifier circuit while maintaining a substantially constant bias on said photodetector; periodically filling a first potential well with a first amount of charge; periodically spilling a second amount of charge from said first potential well into a second potential well to form a charge packet which is pecisely proportional to said integrated current from said photodetector; periodically adding said precisely proportional charge packet from said second potential well to a preexisting charge in a charge-coupled device channel; and periodically resetting a first output level of said photodetector amplifier circuit to a second output level at the beginning of said photodetector dwell time period.