EP0660421A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoelectric converter, its driving method, and system including the photoelectric converter
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-12-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A photoelectric converter of a high signal-to-noise ratio, low cost, high productivity and stable characteristics and a system including the above photoelectric converter. The photoelectric converter includes a photoelectric converting portion 100 in which a first electrode layer 2, an insulating layer 70 for inhibiting carriers from transferring, a photoelectric converting semiconductor layer 4 of a non-single-crystal type, an injection blocking layer 5 for inhibiting a first type of carriers from being injected into the semiconductor layer and a second electrode layer 6 are laminated in this order on an insulating substrate 1. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Noriyuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kaifu
- 👤 Hidemasa C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Mizutani
- 👤 Shinichi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Takeda
- 👤 Isao C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kobayashi
- 👤 Satoshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Itabashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:22
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D86/00; H10D86/40; G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/29; G01T1/2914; G01T1/2921; G01T1/2928; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/76; H04N25/78; H10D86/01; H10D86/60; H10F; H10F30/00; H10F30/20; H10F30/21; H10F30/22; H10F30/227; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/18; H10F39/189; H10F39/1898; H04N23/00; H04N23/30; H10F39/011; H10F39/016; H10F39/80; H10F39/803
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A photoelectric converter having a photoelectric converting section on an insulating substrate, the photoelectric converting section comprising: a first electrode layer; an insulating layer for inhibiting both types of carriers, a first type of carriers and a second type of carriers having positive or negative characteristics opposite to those of the first type of carriers, from passing through the layer; a photoelectric converting semiconductor layer; an injection blocking layer for inhibiting the first type of carriers from being injected to the semiconductor layer; and a second electrode layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, further comprising: a power-supply section for applying an electric field to each layer of said photoelectric converting section in a direction so that said first type of carriers are introduced from said semiconductor layer to said second electrode layer in a refresh mode or in a direction so that said first type of carriers generated by light incident on said semiconductor layer are remained in said semiconductor layer and said second type of carriers are introduced to said second electrode layer in a photoelectric conversion mode; and a detecting section for detecting said first type of carriers stored in said semiconductor layer or said second type of carriers introduced to said second electrode layer in the photoelectric conversion mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes has a transparent layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor layer contains hydrogenated amorphous-silicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein said injection blocking layer is a semiconductor formed by doping an n-type or p-type chemical element therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, wherein said injection blocking layer is a barrier layer generated by a difference in work function between said second electrode layer and said semiconductor layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, further comprising a switching element on the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 7, wherein said switching element is a capacitor having a gate electrode, a second insulating layer, a second semiconductor layer and first and second main electrode layers, the first and second main electrode layers being provided in said second semiconductor layer so as to be spaced through an ohmic contact layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 8, wherein said gate electrode, said second insulating layer, said second semiconductor layer, said ohmic contact layer and said first and second main electrode layers of said switching element are respectively common-layers with said first electrode layer, said insulating layer, said semiconductor layer, said injection blocking layer and said second electrode layer of said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 8, wherein said second semiconductor layer contains hydrogenated amorphous-silicon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 7, further comprising a capacitive element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 11, wherein said capacitive element has a third electrode layer, a fourth electrode layer and a third insulating layer provided between the third and fourth electrode layers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 8, further comprising a capacitive element having a third electrode layer, a fourth electrode layer and a third insulating layer provided between the third and fourth electrode layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 11, wherein said capacitive element stores electric signals based on optical information photoelectrically converted in said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 11, wherein said third electrode layer, said third insulating layer and said fourth electrode layer of said capacitive element are respectively common-layers with said first electrode layer, said insulating layer and said second electrode layer of said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 13, wherein said third electrode layer, said third insulating layer and said fourth electrode layer of said capacitive element are respectively common-layers with said first electrode layer, said insulating layer and said second electrode layer of said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said photoelectric converting sections.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 17, wherein said photoelectric converting sections are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 17, wherein said photoelectric converting sections respectively have switching elements.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 19, wherein said photoelectric converting sections are connected commonly in desired numbers and divided into a plurality of blocks so that said switching element is operable every block.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 20, further comprising a matrix signal line for outputting signals from a plurality of photoelectric converting elements divided into said plurality of blocks.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 21, wherein said matrix signal line has a fifth electrode layer, a sixth electrode layer and a middle layer at an intersection of two lines of said matrix signal line, the middle layer being provided between said fifth electrode layer and said sixth electrode layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 22, wherein said middle layer has a fourth insulating layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 22, wherein said middle layer has a fourth insulating layer and said fifth electrode layer, said fourth insulating layer and said sixth electrode layer are respectively common-layers with said first electrode layer, said insulating layer and said second electrode layer of said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 1, further comprising a refresh means for applying a pulse voltage through a pulse-applying capacitive element to apply an electric field to said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A photoelectric converter according to claim 25, wherein the layer structure of said pulse-applying capacitive element is the same as that of said photoelectric converting section.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
106 words
A system having a photoelectric converter comprising: a plurality of photoelectric converting sections formed on a substrate, each of the photoelectric converting sections including a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, an insulating layer formed between the first and second electrode layers for inhibiting a first type of carriers and a second type of carriers not identical with the first type of carriers from passing through the layer, a semiconductor layer, and an injection blocking layer for inhibiting said first type of carriers from being injected into the semiconductor layer; and a signal processing means for processing signals output from the photoelectric converting sections.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 27, further comprising a record means for recording signals output from said signal processing means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 27, further comprising a display means for displaying signals output from said signal processing means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 27, further comprising a transmission means for transmitting signals output from said signal processing means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 27, wherein said photoelectric converter has a phosphor.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 27, further comprising a light source for emitting light to generate optical information input to said photoelectric converter.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system according to claim 32, wherein said light source emits X-rays.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of driving a photoelectric converting section formed on a substrate, the photoelectric converting section including a first electrode layer; an insulating layer for inhibiting both types of carriers, a first type of carriers and a second type of carriers whose positive or negative characteristics are opposite to those of the first type of carriers, from passing through the layer; a semiconductor layer; and an injection blocking layer for inhibiting one type of said carriers from being injected into the semiconductor layer, the driving method having a refresh mode and a photoelectric conversion mode, wherein an electric field is applied so that one type of said carriers are remained in said semiconductor layer and the other type of said carriers are introduced to said second electrode layer in the refresh mode, and said carriers stored in said semiconductor layer are detected in the photoelectric conversion mode.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 34, further comprising a capacitive storing element wherein integral values depending upon said carriers are stored and read out.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 34, further comprising a plurality of said photoelectric converting sections wherein the plurality of said photoelectric converting sections are electrically connected in each block and, when one of blocks is in the photoelectric conversion mode, at least one of the other blocks is turned to the refresh mode.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
125 words
A method according to claim 34, wherein an electric field is applied to said photoelectric converting elements in said refresh mode in accordance with a condition represented by (V rG ·q < V D ·q - V FB ·q) , where the product (V rG ·q) of a voltage (V rG ) of said first electrode layer in said photoelectric converting section and an electric charge (q) of said first type of carriers becomes smaller than the product (V D ·q - V FB ·q) of a voltage (V D - V FB ), the voltage subtracting a threshold voltage (V FB ) from a voltage (V D ) of said second electrode layer, and the electric charge (q) of said first type of carriers.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 35, wherein said capacitive element has two electrode layers, an insulating layer held between the electrode layers and a semiconductor layer to be operated in the accumulation state.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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