Richard L Poole

US Patent:

61914045, Feb 20, 2001

Filed:

Feb 25, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/841132

Inventors:

Richard R. Poole - Norwalk CT
Enrique Garcia - Sandy Hook CT

Assignee:

Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc. - Danbury CT

International Classification:

B22D 712

US Classification:

2502062

Abstract:

A charge-coupled imaging device (FIG. 3) is thinned to allow for backside illumination. The device is further enhanced using ion implantation techniques to establish an electrical field (44) at the back surface, which functions to drive free electrons to potential wells generated beneath a gate structure (40) 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. 5) 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.

US Patent:

51622513, Nov 10, 1992

Filed:

Mar 18, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/670841

Inventors:

Richard R. Poole - Norwalk CT
Enrique Garcia - Sandy Hook CT

Assignee:

Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc. - Danbury CT

International Classification:

H01L 2158
H01L 21339

US Classification:

437 53

Abstract:

A standard thick silicon charge-coupled device (FIG. 1A) has its pixel face mounted to a transparent, optically flat glass substrate using a thin layer of thermoset epoxy. The backside silicon of the charge-coupled device is thinned to 10. +-. 5 um using a two-step chemi-mechanical process. The bulk silicon is thinned to 75 um with a 700 micro-grit aluminium oxide abrasive and is then thinned and polished to 10 um using 80 nm grit colloidal silica. Access from the backside to the aluminum bonding pads (36 of FIG. 5) of the device is achieved by photolithographic patterning and reactive ion etching of the silicon above the bonding pads. The charge-coupled device is then packaged and wire-bonded in a structure which offers support for the silicon membrane and allows for unobstructed backside illumination.

US Patent:

51342740, Jul 28, 1992

Filed:

Mar 18, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/670840

Inventors:

Richard R. Poole - Norwalk CT
Enrique Garcia - Sandy Hook CT

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

H01J 4014

US Classification:

2502081

Abstract:

A charge-coupled imaging device (FIG. 3) is thinned to allow for backside illumination. The device is further enhanced using ion implantation techniques to establish an electrical field (44) at the back surface, which functions to drive free electrons to potential wells generated beneath a gate structure (40) on the front surface. The device structure allows for both front side and backside illumination and is useful as an 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. 5) 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.