Image sensor array for assembly with like arrays to form a longer array

摘要

Apparatus and method of fabricating a sensor array from a (110) silicon substrate having a row of photosites to provide a sensor array chip with uniformly smooth and angled ends designed to permit the chip to be lock butted end to end with other like chips to form a full length scanning array in which the substrate is etched for separation along the (111) planes at the desired boundaries of the chip, the etched boundaries delimiting the chip ends running between selected pairs of photosites to provide whole photosites right up to the ends of the chip so as to avoid any gap or interruption between the photosites at the junctions with other chips. In a second embodiment, the chip ends are formed with complementary irregular shapes to enhance locating and butting of the chips with one another, and in a third embodiment, grooves are etched between each of the photosites in the row to assure photosite uniformity and prevent cross talk between photosites.