Abstract: A detector for determining the location of a pulsed laser spot reflected from a scene, which comprises a CCD sensor for imaging the scene comprising an array of pixels arranged in rows (R1, R2, R3) and columns (C1, C2, C3), a serial read-out register arrangement (not shown), and charge transfer electrodes (Ø1H, Ø1V, Ø2) capable of transferring signal charge in at least two adjacent pixels to read-out register arrangement locations representative of the row location of at least one of the adjacent pixels and the column location of at least one other of the adjacent pixels. The charge transfer electrodes are two phase, but three or more phase arrangements are also possible.

Abstract: A detector for determining the location of a pulsed laser spot reflected from a scene, which comprises a CCD sensor for imaging the scene comprising an array of pixels arranged in rows (R1, R2, R3) and columns (C1, C2, C3), a serial read-out register arrangement (not shown), and charge transfer electrodes (Ø1H, Ø1V, Ø2) capable of transferring signal charge in at least two adjacent pixels to read-out register arrangement locations representative of the row location of at least one of the adjacent pixels and the column location of at least one other of the adjacent pixels. The charge transfer electrodes are two phase, but three or more phase arrangements are also possible.

Abstract: A back-illuminated CCD includes a two-dimensional array of charge collection sites arranged in rows and columns. Each row is associated with a plurality of electrodes at the front face extending in the direction of the row and corresponding to respective phase voltages. A plurality of conducting strips is provided with each strip having repeatedly reversing inclined portions. Each portion is in electrical contact with the electrodes of a corresponding phase voltage of two or more rows. Each portion is inclined relative to the rows in the opposite direction to that in which the preceding portion is inclined.

Abstract: A sensor device of the type for sensing incident radiation by charge generation, has a substrate within which charge may be generated by incident radiation. A plurality of electrodes are arranged to cover an image area of the substrate and are selectively connectable to supplied DC voltages such that an electric field is created across the image area to sweep charge across multiple electrodes from the image area to an output. The voltage applied to one of the electrodes may be a voltage of a level so as to present a barrier to charge within the image area. The sensor thus has a variable sample area defined by the barrier voltage level.

Abstract: A multiplication register for use in solid state imaging apparatus, such as a CCD, is described. The multiplication register has a gain element 22 comprising a plurality of register electrodes 30, 32, 34, and 36, for transferring charge along a change transfer channel, and for amplifying the charge. Channel edge defining electrodes 24 and 26 are disposed either side of the channel 28, in place of channel stops, removing the effects of spurious charges generated in the channel in the regions of amplification. The provision of the channel edge defining electrodes 24 and 26 allows the resulting structure of the channel electrodes to be made simpler, and means that a structure can be provided for clocking and amplifying charge in either direction along the channel.

Abstract: A sensor device of the type for sensing incident radiation by charge generation, has a substrate within which charge may be generated by incident radiation. A plurality of electrodes are arranged to cover an image area of the substrate and are selectively connectable to supplied DC voltages such that an electric field is created across the image area to sweep charge across multiple electrodes from the image area to an output. The voltage applied to one of the electrodes may be a voltage of a level so as to present a barrier to charge within the image area. The sensor thus has a variable sample area defined by the barrier voltage level.

Abstract: A multiplication register for use in solid state imaging apparatus, such as a CCD, is described. The multiplication register has a gain element 22 comprising a plurality of register electrodes 30, 32, 34, and 36, for transferring charge along a change transfer channel, and for amplifying the charge. Channel edge defining electrodes 24 and 26 are disposed either side of the channel 28, in place of channel stops, removing the effects of spurious charges generated in the channel in the regions of amplification. The provision of the channel edge defining electrodes 24 and 26 allows the resulting structure of the channel electrodes to be made simpler, and means that a structure can be provided for clocking and amplifying charge in either direction along the channel.