Patent ID: 7351972

Claim:
A pixel for use in a detector array of a focal plane array imager, the pixel comprising: a plurality of interdigitated sub-detectors, each of the sub-detectors includes a plurality of minority charge collectors and a respective one of a plurality of metal traces to which each of the collectors in the respective sub-detector is coupled, each of the minority charge collectors is included in no more than a single sub-detector, wherein each of the sub-detectors is selectively operable (i) in a selected mode to collect minority charges and (ii) in a deselected mode to act as an open circuit, wherein the sub-detectors are interdigitated in the pixel such that, if a first of the sub-detectors is deselected, the selected sub-detector or sub-detectors in the pixel collect approximately 91 percent or more of minority charges generated in the pixel resulting from absorption of optical energy in the pixel that would have been collected if each of the sub-detectors had been selected, and wherein the collectors of each of the sub-detectors and the respective metal trace coupling each of the collectors of each of the sub-detectors collectively follow a substantially spiraling configuration starting from an origin point in the pixel to provide that the sub-detectors have a spiraling symmetry and are substantially circularly-shaped.