Patent · US Expired

Direct coupled charge injection readout circuit and readout method for an IR sensing charge injection device

US4652766A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
3References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 16, 1985
Grant dateMar 24, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 16, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10F39/154

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved readout circuit and readout method for an IR sensing array. The invention, given a limited time interval for reading out the signal from a sensor element in an array of sensor elements, permits a longer time to be devoted to the injection of charges into the substrate, thereby reducing device "lag" (the retention of uninjected charges). The readout is carried out by a two step, direct coupled, injection process. The first step involves independent, but simultaneous resetting of the sensor elements and the preamplifier input (at a node having sufficient capacity to supply the charges required for injection). The voltages are suitable for IR induced charge storage in the sensor elements, and for subsequent injection by the nodal capacity. A first sample is taken by a correlated double sampling circuit from the preamplifier output during the first step as the resetting stabilizes. In the second step, the selected sensor element is connected to the preamplifier input to cause the charge injection. At the same time the preamplifier is responding to the charge transfer. The second sample is taken from the preamplifier output at the end of injection. T…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.