The TC277 is a frame-transfer charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor designed for use in single-chip B/W PAL TV applications. The device is intended to replace a 1/2-inch vidicon tube in applications requiring small size, high reliability, and low cost. The image-sensing area of the TC277 is configured into 288 lines with 699 elements in each line. Thirty-three elements are provided in each line for dark reference. The blooming-protection feature incorporated into the sensor is based on recombining excess charge with charge of opposite polarity in the substrate. This antiblooming is activated by supplying clocking pulses to the antiblooming gate, which is an integral part of each image-sensing element.