History

President Dr Richard Bredthauer has been

Involved in the design and fabrication of a large variety of scientific imaging CCDs over the last 26 years. He previously managed CCD Development at: Lockheed Martin, Loral, Ford Aerospace, Rockwell. He designed the original 9k x 9k Imager while at Lockheed Martin. STA specializes in providing custom CCD design, fabrication, packaging and characterization. For a brief look at our technology history you can see we have been pioneers in Large Area Imager Development , continue to advance Charge Coupled Device Technology , and have been instrumental in Fully Intergrated CCDs.

How it started

STA began in 1999 as a pet project in the back room of Dr. Bredthauer’s home, and has grown into what is now a well established provider of the industries highest quality charge coupled devices (CCD)

Large Area Imaging Devices

The STA engineering team has been on the Forefront of CCD Technology
-1st 2Kx4K imager in 1987 and 1st 4Kx4K imager in 1989
-Highest resolution CCD ever made; 9216x9216 imager in 1997

Variety of Applications
-High End Digital Cameras Back
-70mm Movie Camera Replacement
-Dental X-ray Imagery
-Large Format X-ray imagery
-Astronomy
-Surveillance

Design Approach
-Three levels of Polysilicon
-Multiple metal
-1.5 micron design rules
-Manufacturability
- 6" wafer foundry
- Edge - buttable
- Pixel sizes from 1 to 100 microns
- 2, 3, & 4 phase CCD

Charge Coupled Device Technology

Custom Design and Process Modifications
-Spectral Performance
-Backside Thinned
-Thin polysilicon
-Signal charge capacity
-Design modifications for speed >40Mhz output

Tailored to meet Specific System Requirements
Process changes to meet optimum optical performance
Close foundry relationship
CMOS is forced to change to processes used by CCDs for years
N-channel and P-channel (for increased radiation hardness)
Notch and super-notch implants

Integrated Charge Coupled Devices

High Resolution TDI Array
- 7 chips butted end to end
- 15,232 x 64 Pixels ( 11 µm )
- On chip decode drive circuitry
- Correlated Double Sampling
- Fabricated 1989

2.9mm Diameter Endoscope Imager
-190x165 Pixels ( 8x10 µm )
-Integrated Drivers 4 pins
-Fabricated in 1987