Charge-Coupled Device

Discovered by: Willard Boyle and George E. Smith in the late 1960s.

What is it? A device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, such as conversion into a digital value.

Why is it important? CCD is a major technology for digital imaging. In a CCD image sensor, pixels are represented by p-doped metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitors. [Image - U.S. Patent 3,792,322]