code: public char[] getChars(char[] destination) {
          final int len = length();
          if (destination == null || destination.length < len) {
              destination = new char[len];
          }
          System.arraycopy(buffer, 0, destination, 0, len);
          return destination;
      }
docs: Copies the character array into the specified array.
  
  @param destination  the destination array, null will cause an array to be created
  @return the input array, unless that was null or too small