KAF−1001
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4
Figure 3. Output Schematic
Source
Follower
#1
Source
Follower
#2
HCCD
Charge
Transfer
Floating
Diffusion
V
DD
V
OUT
V
RD
V
OG
R
H2
H1
H2
H1L
V
LG
Image Acquisition
An image is acquired when incident light, in the form of
photons, falls on the array of pixels in the vertical CCD
register and creates electron-hole pairs (or simply electrons)
within the silicon substrate. This charge is collected locally
by the formation of potential wells created at each pixel site
by induced voltages on the vertical register clock lines
(fV1, fV2). These same clock lines are used to implement
the transport mechanism as well. The amount of charge
collected at each pixel is linearly dependent on light level
and exposure time and non-linearly dependent on
wavelength until the potential well capacity is exceeded. At
this point charge will ‘bloom’ into vertically adjacent pixels.
Charge Transport
Integrated charge is transported to the output in a two-step
process. Rows of charge are first shifted line by line into the
horizontal CCD. ‘Lines’ of charge are then shifted to the
output pixel by pixel. Referring to the timing diagram,
integration of charge is performed with fV1 and fV2 held
low. Transfer to horizontal CCD begins when fV1 is
brought high causing charge from the fV1 and fV2 gates
to combine under the fV1 gate.
fV1 and fV2 now reverse their polarity causing the
charge packets to ‘spill’ forward under the fV2 gate of the
next pixel. The rising edge of fV2 also transfers the first line
of charge into the horizontal CCD. A second phase transition
places the charge packets under the fV1 electrode of the
next pixel. The sequence completes when fV1 is brought
low. Clocking of the vertical register in this way is known as
accumulation mode clocking. Next, the horizontal CCD
reads out the first line of charge using traditional
complementary clocking (using fH1 and fH2 pins) as
shown. The falling edge of fH2 forces a charge packet over
the output gate (OG) onto one of the output nodes (floating
diffusion) which controls the output amplifier. The cycle
repeats until all lines are read.