A large area 1.3-megapixel full-frame CCD image sensor with a lateral-overflow drain and a transparent gate electrode

A large-area, 1.3 million pixel, full-frame CCD (charge coupled device) image sensor has been developed that incorporates both a lateral-overflow drain (LOD) for antiblooming control and a transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO) gate electrode for increased photosensitivity. The LOD offers high responsivity, extremely linear photoresponse, and ultrahigh optical overload protection. The replacement of one polysilicon phase with ITO increases the quantum efficiency at 400 nm to 15.8% from the 1.5% for the standard double polysilicon gate electrode process. The LOD design allows for antiblooming suppression in excess of 43000 times the saturation signal while maintaining better than 1% nonlinearity.<>