Astrium Sas

Matra Marconi Space France

Didier Morancais

Michel Tulet

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Fabre

Frederic Fabre

The photosensitive device implements charge coupling and accumulation for analyzing a light signal. A sensor has an image zone M rows and N columns of photosensitive sites for receiving a light signal during successive acquisition periods, a transfer zone of P rows and N columns of non-photosensitive sites for receiving, in each site of a first row, the sum of the charges in a respective column of the image zone at the end of each successive sampling period. It also has a storage zone of P rows an N columns in which each column is adjacent to a respective column of the transfer zone and each site is arranged to receive charges contained in an adjacent site of the transfer zone and to accumulate it. The sensor is clocked for a sequence. During each of R successive observation periods, there are P successive time samplings each of duration T, each by simultaneously transferring charges into the sites of the storage zone and subsequently transferring the charges from all sites into a single column into the first row of the transfer zone after moving charges of each row from the transfer zone to the following row. After P samples have been taken, the charges of each row of the transfer zone are transferred to the adjacent site of the storage zone. After R observation periods, the storage zone is read out row by row.

Photosensitive charge-accumulating device and a lidar incorporating such a device

The CCD device is suitable for use in a lidar. It has an image zone constituted by a matrix of M lines and N columns of photosensitive sites for receiving a light signal and generating charges, a first memory zone constituted by a matrix of P lines and N columns of non-photosensitive sites, a read-out register having a single line of N sites, and a second memory zone having P lines of N sites, apt to receive in parallel charges contained in the N sites of the read-out register. The first memory zone has a first line of sites apt to receive and to sum charges generated in a respective column of the image zone at the end of each of successive acquisition periods. The second memory zone stores and transfers charges to N sites of a same line of the image zone or the first memory zone whereby accumulating, in each line of the first memory zone, charges accumulated during an observation period and resulting from a plurality of successive summations. At the end of each acquisition period, a timer transfers at high speed the charges present in all sites of all columns of the image zone along the columns to respective sites of the line which achieves summation.

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Beaupuis, France

Didier Morancais