Abstract: Accordingly, the present invention is directed to providing methods and apparatus for detecting light energy in real-time while minimizing the effects of background charge accrual on the charge-coupled device. Exemplary embodiments provide relatively fast electronic shuttering and exposure control to minimize accrual of unwanted background illumination. Further, exemplary embodiments can be operated at relatively high speeds without increasing the complexity of electronics used to drive the charge-coupled device or process information produced by the charge-coupled device.

Abstract: A CCD shift register includes a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode disposed adjacent to and longitudinally spaced from the first gate electrode, and a buried layer having a first dopant impurity concentration. The first gate electrode is disposed over the buried layer so as to define a first buried layer area. The second gate electrode is disposed over the buried layer so as to define a second buried layer area greater than the first buried layer area. In the buried layer, a trench region is formed so as to have a second dopant impurity concentration greater than the first dopant impurity concentration. The first gate electrode is disposed over the trench region so as to define a first trench area. The second gate electrode being disposed over the trench region so as to define a second trench area less than the first trench area.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for accurately detecting light energy of a signal of interest (e.g., a laser pulse) even when the signal-to-noise ratio is relatively low. The present invention is further directed to accurate detection of a signal of interest even when either or both the signal of interest and background illumination vary across plural pixels of an imaging an array. For example, a signal of interest can be accurately detected even in the presence of pixel response non-uniformity and fixed pattern noise, or when the incident signal of interest is not confined laterally to a single pixel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a charge-coupled device which can provide accurate signal detection while providing high speed electronic exposure control or shuttering. Exemplary embodiments can maintain charge transfer efficiency at a relatively high level even if a pixel array of the charge-coupled device is clocked rapidly (i.e., exposure control or shuttering speed is increased) for a given pixel pitch.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a detector device, such as a thinned bulk silicon blocked impurity transducer infrared detector, by thinning a semiconductor substrate (10) and processing the thinned region (30) on two sides to form the detector device. The semiconductor substrate (10) is thinned to form a cavity (26) in the substrate (10). Further processing on both sides of the thinned region (30) is performed while the thinned region is still connected to the thicker substrate. The thinned region (30) is then separated from the substrate (10) upon completion of the given processing steps. The device is then mounted to a readout device (58).