Patent ID: 7187411

Claim:
A charge transfer apparatus, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; N first charge transfer channel regions of a first conductivity type formed in one surface of the semiconductor substrate; a charge transfer device including a first-conductivity-type second charge transfer channel, said second charge transfer channel being formed in said surface of the semiconductor substrate and being electrically connectable to each of said first transfer channel regions, said charge transfer device including at least N transfer electrodes formed on said second charge transfer channel with an electrically insulating layer therebetween, said at least N transfer electrodes respectively corresponding to said first charge transfer channel regions in a correspondence in which at least one said transfer electrode is disposed for each said first charge transfer channel region, said at least N transfer electrodes being classified into a plurality of groups of which each includes m successive transfer electrodes, m being a positive integer equal to or more than three, said m successive transfer electrodes of a group of the plurality of groups being connected to respectively different a voltage supply lines, corresponding transfer electrodes of the plurality of groups of m successive transfer electrodes being respectively connected to identical voltage supply lines; and a discharge drain including a first-conductivity-type drain region formed in said surface of the semiconductor substrate along said second charge transfer channel, said drain region being electrically connectable to said second charge transfer channel.