Charge-coupled devices (CCDs)

MOS capacitors

A MOS capacitor (see figure opposite) is a sandwich of a metal electrode insulated by a film of silicon dioxide from a layer of P-type silicon. If a positive voltage is applied to the metal electrode, a low energy well is created close to the interface between the silicon dioxide and the silicon. Any free electrons will be attracted to this well and stored. They can then be moved on to an adjacent cell if a deeper depletion region is created there.

The ability to store a charge is fundamental to the operation of the charge-coupled device plus a method of transferring the charge.

Charge-coupled device

If a photosensor replaces the top metal electrode, and each picture element (abbreviated to pixel) ...

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