Solid state imager arrangements

摘要

In a CCD imager, charge representative of incident radiation is clocked from an image area 2 via a store section 3 to an output register 4. The signal charge is clocked from the output register 4 to a multiplication register 5 to give charge multiplication. Excess charge developed at the multiplication register 5 is transferred into an additional register 7 which is clocked in synchronism with the multiplication register 5. The outputs of the registers are combined at 13 and applied to a charge detector 6. The provision of one or more additional registers 7 increases the dynamic range capability of the CCD imager.