Help with array detector terminology.

[Sutherland, Scott]

Posted to CCD-world:
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Hello all:

Last week I posted a request for information on finding a
substitute array detector for a SONY ILX511.  In one 
reply I was forwarded to EG&G Reticon's web site.  I had
looked at these detectors in the past, but not recently.

In looking at the specs, I see some terminology that is
somewhat confusing and I was hoping someone could
clarify this.  

Ocean Optics, which uses the SONY ILX511 in their S2000
miniature spectrometer, refers to this detector as a CCD.
StellarNet, which offers this detector and the Toshiba
TCD1201D, refer to the SONY device as a CCD and the
Toshiba as a photodiode array.  They claim the SONY
is more sensitive than the Toshiba, even in the red, because
it is a CCD, even though the Toshiba QE peaks closer
to the red than the SONY (e.g for the 660 nm photodiode
sensitivity spec). The data sheets from Toshiba and SONY
confirm that the SONY is more sensitive than the Toshiba.
I still do not understand this UNLESS the QE of the SONY
at peak is MUCH higher than the QE of the Toshiba.  The
respective data sheets do not provide this data.
I posted a question 2-3 weeks ago on this, hoping
for clarification, but got no response.

I was told that the SONY was, indeed, a photodiode array
with a CCD readout register.  I do not understand this description
versus a 'normal PDA'.  To further complicate things, the Reticon
page has the following differentiation for its P-series line scan sensors:

Pinned Photodiode Arrays
Charge Coupled Photodiode Arrays

QUESTION of the day:

Could someone explain (or point me to pertinent literature) 
the difference between a pinned photodiode array, a charge
coupled photodiode array, and a CCD array?  I thought I had
this worked out (somewhat), but now I am not so sure.

Any help would be appreciated.

Dr. Scott Sutherland
Senior Scientist
GAMMA-METRICS
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