Reticulated gate CCD pixel with diagonal strapping

Abstract

A sensor includes an array of pixels organized in rows and columns and a plurality of metal busses overlaying the array of pixels. A first column of pixels includes a proximal set of first pixels and a distal set of first pixels separated by a first jog region. A second column of pixels includes a proximal set of second pixels and a distal set of second pixels separated by a second jog region. The first jog region is displaced in a column direction and in a lateral direction transverse to the column direction from the second jog region. A first metal bus is insulatively disposed over both the first and second jog regions.

1 . A sensor comprising an array of pixels organized in rows and columns and a plurality of metal busses overlaying the array of pixels, wherein: 
 a first column of pixels includes a proximal set of first pixels and a distal set of first pixels separated by a first jog region;    a second column of pixels includes a proximal set of second pixels and a distal set of second pixels separated by a second jog region;    the first jog region is displaced in a column direction and in a lateral direction transverse to the column direction from the second jog region; and    a first metal bus is insulatively disposed over both the first and second jog regions.    
   
   
       2 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the proximal set of first pixels is disposed along a first proximal line parallel to the column direction;    the distal set of first pixels is disposed along a first distal line parallel to the column direction;    the first proximal and distal lines are displaced by a fraction of a pixel pitch in the lateral direction;    the proximal set of second pixels is disposed along a second proximal line parallel to the column direction;    the distal set of second pixels are disposed along a second distal line parallel to the column direction; and    the second proximal and distal lines are displaced by the fraction of the pixel pitch in the lateral direction.    
   
   
       3 . The sensor of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 each pixel includes a first region of high quantum efficiency and a second region of low quantum efficiency;    a maximum extent of the first region of a first pixel in the proximal set of first pixels defines a first reference extent;    a maximum extent of the second region of a first pixel in the proximal set of first pixels defines a first displaced extent;    a sum of the first reference extent and the first displaced extent is substantially equal to one pixel pitch.    
   
   
       4 . The sensor of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 a maximum extent of the first region of a first pixel in the distal set of first pixels defines a second reference extent;    the second reference extent projects in the column direction to substantially overlap the first displaced extent.    
   
   
       5 . The sensor of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 each pixel includes a first region of high quantum efficiency and a second region of low quantum efficiency;    a maximum extent of the first region of a first pixel in the distal set of first pixels defines a first reference extent;    a maximum extent of the second region of a first pixel in the proximal set of first pixels defines a first displaced extent; and    the first reference extent projects in the column direction to substantially overlap the first displaced extent.    
   
   
       6 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each pixel includes a first region of high quantum efficiency and a second region of low quantum efficiency;    the first region constitutes one of a photodiode and a pinned photodiode; and    the second region constitutes a photo gate.    
   
   
       7 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each pixel of the first column includes a first region of high quantum efficiency and a second region of low quantum efficiency;    the second region of each pixel of the first column includes a respective channel segment;    the channel segments of all pixels of the first column are linked end to end to form a first channel;    the first regions of each pixel of the proximal set of first pixels are disposed on one side of the first channel; and    the first regions of each pixel of the distal set of first pixels are disposed on another side of the first channel.    
   
   
       8 . The sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of additional columns of pixels, wherein: 
 each addition column of pixels includes a corresponding jog region;    the first metal bus is further insulatively disposed over the corresponding jog regions of the plurality of additional columns of pixels.    
   
   
       9 . The sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the first metal bus is disposed at a first predetermined angle with respect to the column direction.  
   
   
       10 . The sensor of  claim 9 , wherein the first predetermined angle is substantially 45 degrees.  
   
   
       11 . The sensor of  claim 8 , wherein the first jog region, the second jog region and the corresponding jog regions of the plurality of additional columns of pixels align in a line disposed at a second predetermined angle with respect to the column direction.  
   
   
       12 . The sensor of  claim 11 , wherein the second predetermined angle is substantially 45 degrees.  
   
   
       13 . A method comprising steps of: 
 positioning jog regions in columns of an array of reticulated gate TDI CCD pixels so that the jog regions in adjacent columns are offset horizontally and vertically;    positioning metal busses over the array so that the metal busses are disposed diagonally and overlay the jog regions; and    positioning the metal busses to repeat with one metal bus every N pixels horizontally and vertically where N is a predetermined integer.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising a step of positioning jog regions in the array to be offset horizontally and vertically within one pixel pitch from each other.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising a step of disposing the jog regions along a diagonal across the array at a first angle.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising steps of: 
 orienting the metal busses along a diagonal across the array at a first angle; and    disposing the jog regions along a diagonal across the array at the first angle.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the array uses spatial offsets to average out imaging aperture functions.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spatial offsets are one of step functions and smooth functions.  
   
   
       19  A sensor comprising an array of pixels organized in rows and columns and a plurality of metal busses overlaying the array of pixels, wherein: 
 a first column of pixels includes a proximal set of first pixels and a distal set of first pixels separated by a first jog region;    a second column of pixels includes a proximal set of second pixels and a distal set of second pixels separated by a second jog region;    a first metal bus is insulatively disposed over both the first and second jog regions;    the proximal set of first pixels is disposed along a first proximal line parallel to the column direction;    the distal set of first pixels is disposed along a first distal line parallel to the column direction; and    the first proximal and distal lines are displaced by a fraction of a pixel pitch in the lateral direction.