The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 20, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 25, 1992
Richard R. Poole, Norwalk, CT (US);
Enrique Garcia, Sandy Hook, CT (US);
Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Danbury, CT (US);
Abstract
A charge-coupled imaging device (FIG.,) is thinned to allow for backside illumination. The device is further enhanced using ion implantation techniques to establish an electrical field (,) at the back surface, which functions to drive free electrons to potential wells generated beneath a gate structure (,) on the front surface. The device structure allows for both front side and backside illumination and is useful as a imaging device in applications where it is necessary to combine images from two different optical sources. The imaging device is particularly useful in terrestrial guidance systems (FIG.,) where the imaging device is used to detect guide stars from a large guide star field. In such systems, the imaging device must be translated within an X-Y plane in order to cover the entire guide star field. In order to accurately know the position of the imaging device, optical fiducial marks are imaged onto a side of the imaging device opposite the side receiving the guide star photons. Using the two-sided imaging device allows for the elimination of optical elements necessary for combining the optical signals, particular the use of beam splitters.