MULTIPLE AMPLIFIER SENSING CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICE
Methods and systems for readout of charged couple devices include architecture for the output stage of a sensor such as a charge-coupled device. The architecture makes use of multiple serial amplifiers configured as a register, to reduce the noise of the pixel measurement without increasing the readout time of the sensor by parallel multiple readouts of the pixel information.
1 . A system comprising:
a front end; and
a plurality of readout stages wherein each of the plurality of readout stages are connected creating a serial readout register.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of readout stages further comprises:
a first readout stage comprising:
a plurality of gates configured to provide a three-clock sequence;
a sensing node; and
a PS gate configured to remove charge from the sensing node.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of readout stages further comprises:
at least one middle readout stage.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of readout stages further comprises:
a final readout stage comprising:
a dump gate; and
a voltage drain to remove charge from a channel after measurement.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of readout stages is configured to readout charge information.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of readout stages comprises at least eight readout stages.
7 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a wafer of pixels, wherein each of the pixels is connected to the front end.
8 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one readout stage not connected to the plurality of readout stages, wherein the at least one readout stage is configured to provide a differential output.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein a final pixel value is determined according to a measurement value from each of the plurality of readout stages.
10 . A readout method for comprising:
receiving at least one photon on a detector;
measuring a charge packet in a first of a plurality of readout stages;
transferring the charge packet to a sequential readout stage among the plurality of readout stages; and
determining a pixel value associated with the charge packet.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of readout stages further comprises:
a first readout stage comprising:
a plurality of gates configured to provide a three-clock sequence;
a sensing node; and
a PS gate configured to remove charge from the sensing node;
at least one middle readout stage; and
a final readout stage comprising:
a dump gate; and
a voltage drain to remove charge from a channel after measurement.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of readout stages comprises at least eight readout stages.
13 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
connecting each pixel on a wafer of pixels, to a front end associated with the plurality of readout stages.
14 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
providing a differential output with at least one readout stage not connected to the plurality of readout stages.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:
determining a final pixel value according to a measurement value from each of the plurality of readout stages.
16 . A readout system comprising:
a plurality of readout stages comprising:
a first readout stage comprising:
a plurality of gates configured to provide a three-clock sequence;
a sensing node; and
a PS gate configured to remove charge from the sensing node;
at least one middle readout stage; and
a final readout stage comprising:
a dump gate; and
a voltage drain to remove charge from a channel after measurement.
17 . The readout system of claim 16 wherein each of the plurality of readout stages is configured to readout charge information from a charge-coupled device.
18 . The readout system of claim 16 further comprising:
a wafer of pixels, connected to a front end associated with the plurality of readout stages.
19 . The readout system of claim 16 further comprising:
at least one readout stage not connected to the plurality of readout stages, wherein the at least one readout stage is configured to provide a differential output.
20 . The readout system of claim 19 wherein a final pixel value is determined according to a measurement value from each of the plurality of readout stages.