The 256-element Schottky-barrier IR-CCD line sensor

A 256-element platinum silicide Schottky-barrier IR-CCD line sensor and a waveform generator for operating this device were developed. The IR line sensor device was designed with dual CCD-output registers to facilitate either the moving-target indicator or background-subtraction mode of operation. The platinum silicide Schottky-barrier detectors with implanted n-type guard rings are integrated on-chip with double-polysilicon, buried-channel, 2-phase CCD output registers. At 77 K the buried-channel CCD output registers had a measured charge-transfer loss of .00005 per transfer. The Schottky-barrier detectors are designed for operation in a continuous-charge-skimming mode that results in a very low leakage current density which was measured as 1400 micro Arp/sq cm. A/sq cm at 77 K. The quantum efficiency coefficient C1 of the platinum silicide Schottky-barrier detectors was estimated to be 0.1, and detector-to-detector response uniformity of 8% maximum peak-to-peak, or about 1.2% rms, was measured.