Charge-coupled device
Also known as: CCD · CCD image sensor
- 1Composed of an array of linked capacitors.
- 2Transfers electric charge between neighboring cells.
- 3Functions as a core technology for digital imaging.
- 4Operates under the control of an external circuit.
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors.
Connections1
Invented by researchers at the laboratory
Willard Boyle and George E. Smith invented the CCD at Bell Labs in 1969, which revolutionized digital imaging and astronomy.
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an advanced integrated circuit designed for digital imaging. It consists of an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors that work in unison to process light information.
The charge packets (electrons, blue) are collected in potential wells (yellow) created by applying positive voltage at the gate electrodes (G). Applying positive voltage to the gate electrode in the correct sequence transfers the charge packets.Wikimedia Commons: File:CCD_charge_transfer_animation.gif2009 Nobel Prize in Physics laureates George E. Smith and Willard Boyle, 2009, photographed on a Nikon D80, which uses a CCD sensorWikimedia Commons: File:Nobel_Prize_2009-Press_Conference_KVA-19.jpgA specially developed CCD in a wire-bonded package used for ultraviolet imagingWikimedia Commons: File:Delta-Doped_Charged_Coupled_Devices_(CCD)_for_Ultra-Violet_and_Visible_Detection.jpg Under the precise control of an external circuit, each capacitor within the array is capable of transferring its stored electric charge to a neighboring capacitor. This mechanism allows the device to capture and move image data efficiently, making it a foundational technology in the field of digital imaging.