Contents Introduction
Sensitive imaging with large-format solid-state devices at high frame rates (> 1 million frames per second) is difficult. At high speeds, the time is insufficient to transfer data off-chip so the information is stored locally on-Chip and typically in the pixel [1]–[3]. The storage area consumes a portion of the pixel area, lowering the fill factor of the photosensitive detector and degrading the sensitivity. A 512*512-element, multi-frame CCD imager has been developed for collecting sequential image frames at megahertz rates with near 100 % fill factor and high quantum efficiency at short visible wavelengths. To operate at fast frame rates with high sensitivity, the imager uses the electronic shutter technology that was developed for back-illuminated CCDs [4]. Also required to achieve high speeds was metal strapping of the relatively resistive polysilicon gate electrodes in the imaging array. This paper describes the device architecture, specialized processing and operation of the multi-frame, electronically shuttered CCD imager. Experimental results are given for the burst-rate imager that demonstrates the megahertz frame rates and multi-frame capture performance of this detector scheme.
