Brian L. Corrie

Charge-Coupled Device Pinning Technologies

For most thinned silicon CCDs, the photosensitive volume is bounded on top and bottom by layers of silicon dioxide. The frontside oxide is grown to serve as an insulator beneath the conductive gates of the parallel array while the backside oxide forms naturally as the initially bare silicon oxidizes. This paper describes the characteristics of the interface between these oxides and the photo-sensitive silicon and indicates the extent to which CCD performance (e.g. dark current, spectral response, charge collection efficiency, charge transfer efficiency, pixel-nonuniformity read noise full well capacity blooming residual image and vulnerability to ionizing radiation damage) depend* upon these interfacial characteristics. Techniques are described to achieve optimum passivation of these interfaces and to thereby obtain superior performance in the areas just listed. Specifically an implanted structure (the Multi-Pinned-Phase, MPP) is described which provides excellent frontside passivation and several techniques (backside charging, flash gate, the biased flash gate and ion-implantation) are presented for back surface passivation.

Large Area CCD Image Sensors For Scientific Applications

This paper describes the performance of two CCD image sensors of 512x512 and 2048x2048 pixel format. These devices were designed specifically for scientific imaging applications.

Large Format, High Resolution Image Sensors

Tektronix is currently fabricating two very large area charge-coupled-device sensors intended for astronomical and other high performance scientific imaging applications, e.g., medical imaging, fluoroscopy, x-ray imaging, spectrometry, particle detectors, etc. In this paper we discuss the performance requirements for scientific-quality CCDs and then focus on the design of the two Tektronix devices and discuss the progress toward achieving the desired performance. These devices are intended for rear-illuminated applications and have 512 X512 and 2048 X2048 pixel formats. The thinned 10 to 20 pm thick Si membrane is fully supported by a unique glass ceramic substrate. Quantum efficiencies of >70% at 700 nm and >40% at wavelengths <400 nm have been measured on a test device. Dark currents as low as 6 pA/cm2 also have been measured recently.

Back-illuminated 2048 x 2048 charge-coupled device performance

This paper will discuss recent performance of the back illuminated 2048 x 2048 imaging array device. The TK2048E chargecoupled device (CCD) full frame imnager is a three phase polysilicon gate buried channel device utilizing mini channel and multi-pinned phase technology. Physical structure allows simultaneous readout of each 1024 x 1024 quadrant or read out of the entire array through any one of four identical output NOSFETs. Test results for noise gain dark current charge transfer efficiency full well dark and hot defects quantum efficiency and imaging will be reviewed. 1.

Trap Characteristics In Large Area CCD Image Sensors

Detailed measurements and characterization of trap behavior in large area CCDs have been performed. The effect of these defects is to cause a local decrease in the charge transfer efficiency in the affected pixel. Bias-temperature stressing of the device has lead to the conclusion that the source of the traps is in the dielectric. A model is proposed which can explain all the current data.

Large Area Ccd Image Sensors For Scientific Applications

This paper describes the performance of two CCD image sensors of 512x512 and 2048x2048 pixel format. These devices were designed specifically for scientific imaging applications.