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CCD
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Diagram of a CCD image sensor showing a grid with 483 rows and 520 columns, each square representing a pixel made up of a photodiode and field-effect transistor, connected to horizontal and vertical shift registers for video output.
Quick Facts
In full:
charge-coupled device
Key People:
Willard Boyle
George E. Smith
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CCD

electronics
Also known as: charge-coupled device
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

CCD, Semiconductor device in which the individual semiconductor components are connected so that the electrical charge at the output of one device provides the input to the next device. Because they can store electrical charges, CCDs can be used as memory devices, but they are slower than RAMs. CCDs are sensitive to light, and are therefore used as the light-detecting components in video and digital cameras and in optical scanners.

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.