Ccd storage module

Abstract

A CCD storage module has storage positions which are arranged in cascade and which are formed with the aid of electrodes arranged in insulated fashion above a semiconductor substrate. In respect of each storage position, an item of information, incoming as a binary number comprising n bits, is stored in that a quantity of charge composed of small i unit charges is stored in respect of each storage position, where i corresponds to the value of the binary number of the information. For analysis of the quantity of charge eminating from the last storage position of the cascade of storage positions, in a cascade with the last storage position (2.sup.n -1) additional electrodes are arranged in insulated fashion above the semiconductor substrate, the surface of these additional electrodes and the voltage connected thereto are such that each additional electrode stores one connected thereto are such that each additional electrode stores one unit charge, so that with an incoming quantity of charge of i unit charges, the i additional electrodes which follow the last storage position each store one unit charge. All of the additional electrodes are joined by a common surrender electrode which is driven by a surrender pulse train and the surrender electrode is joined by (2.sup.n -1) diffusion zones which are isolated from one another in the semiconductor substrate and to which the unit charges stored by the additional electrodes can be transmitted. The additional diffusion zones are connected to an analysis circuit which establishes whether and into which additional diffusion zones a unit charge has been transmitted, and which emits a binary number at its output in accordance with the number of unit charges.