Methods for producing image sensors having multi-purpose architectures
View Patent ↗A charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor includes multiple vertical charge-coupled device (VCCD) shift registers and independently-controllable gate electrodes disposed over the VCCD shift registers and arranged into physically separate and distinct sections that are non-continuous across the plurality of VCCD shift registers. The CCD image sensor can be configured to operate in two or more operating modes, including a full resolution charge multiplication mode.
1. A method for producing an image sensor comprising an array of pixels that includes vertical charge-coupled device (VCCD) shift registers that extend along a direction of charge transfer, the method comprising:
forming gate electrodes over the VCCD shift registers extending in a direction transverse to the direction of charge transfer; and
forming a physical gap in the gate electrodes physically separating and electrically isolating a first section of gate electrodes and a second section of gate electrodes, the physical gap extending along the direction of charge transfer.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the gate electrodes are substantially perpendicular to the direction of charge transfer.
3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the physical gap in the gate electrodes is substantially parallel to the VCCD shift registers.
4. The method as in claim 3 , wherein the physical gap extends across the entire array of pixels.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second sections of gate electrodes is disposed within a different portion of the image sensor.
6. A method for producing an image sensor comprising an array of pixels that includes vertical charge-coupled device (VCCD) shift registers, the method comprising:
forming gate electrodes over the VCCD shift registers; and
forming a physical gap in the gate electrodes physically separating and electrically isolating a first section of gate electrodes and a second section of gate electrodes, the physical gap extending vertically along the array between the first section of gate electrodes and the second section of gate electrodes.
7. The method as in claim 6 , wherein each VCCD shift register extends in a first direction and the gate electrodes extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
8. The method as in claim 6 , wherein each VCCD shift register extends in a first direction and the physical gap also extends in the first direction.
9. The method as in claim 6 , wherein the physical gap extends across the entire array of pixels.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second sections of gate electrodes is disposed within a different portion of the image sensor.