A Meander Channel CCD Infrared Imager With A Platinum Silicide Schottky Barrier

This paper describes a new configuration for a Schottky barrier IRCCD (SB-IRCCD). This device utilizes a Meander Channel CCD (MCCD) for both the vertical and horizontal readout registers. The MCCD has simple electrode configuration consisting of two straight gate electrodes over the meander channel without bus lines and contact holes. This simple electrode configuration increases the fill factor of SB-IRCCD and results in the improvement of its photoresponse. In addition, the versatile electrode configuration of the MCCD simplifies connection (in corner turns) between the vertical and horizontal readout registers. A 64 x 64-element monolithic Schottky barrier infrared meander channel CCD (SB-IRMCCD) with a 23 % fill factor was fabricated with a relaxed 10 μm design rule. This paper also discuss how a fill factor of 57 % will be possible by decreasing the area of the vertical MCCD register to 30 % of the present device.