US3649838A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor device for producing radiation in response to incident radiation
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1968-07-25
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Granted: 1972-03-14
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Expires: 1988-07-25
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor device for producing radiation in response to incident radiation of wavelength is made of a sandwich of semiconductor materials providing electrically in series a radiation detector which responds electrically to incident radiation, a capacitor for integrating the effect of the incident radiation and a radiation emitting diode which produces output radiation of a different wavelength and of intensity representative of the intensity of the incident radiation.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J Phelan Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F55/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A device for producing output radiation in response to input radiation comprising contiguous layers of materials defining an MIS structure for storing and discharging electrical charge and a current driven diode radiation emitter contiguous to said MIS structure, said MIS structure being responsive to said input radiation, discharging the stored electrical charge such that the discharge current varies as said incident radiation is varied, said diode radiation emitter producing output radiation when energized by electric current, and means in electrical circuit with the MIS structure and the diode radiation emitter for producing electric current pulses, whereby, during the interval of each pulse the MIS structure is charged and the diode emitter is energized by the charging current to produce the output radiation and during the interval between pulses the MIS structure discharges a portion of the stored chaRge, said portion varying as the input radiation varies.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
A device for producing output radiation in response to input radiation comprising contiguous layers of materials defining an MIS structure for storing and discharging electrical charge and a current driven diode radiation emitter contiguous to said MIS structure, said MIS structure being responsive to said input radiation, discharging the stored electrical charge such that the discharge current varies as said incident radiation is varied, said diode radiation emitter producing output radiation when energized by electric current, and means in electrical circuit with the MIS structure and the diode radiation emitter for producing electric current pulses, whereby, during the interval of each pulse the MIS structure is charged and the diode emitter is energized by the charging current to produce the output radiation and during the interval between pulses the MIS structure discharges a portion of the stored chaRge, said portion varying as the input radiation varies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A device as in claim 1 and in which, the electrical equivalent of the MIS structure is a detector diode in electrical series with a capacitor and the pulse-producing means biases the detector diode in its forward direction during the interval of each pulse and in its backward direction during the intervals between pulses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as in claim 2 and in which, the emitter diode is in electrical series with the MIS structure and is coupled in the same electrical direction as the detector diode part of the MIS structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as in claim 3 and in which, the capacitance of the capacitor part of the MIS structure is greater than the combined intrinsic capacitances of the detector and emitter diodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as in claim 3 and in which, the detector diode part of the MIS structure is made of InSb and the input radiation is infrared.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as in claim 5 and in which, the emitter diode is made of GaAsP and the output radiation is visible.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device as in claim 4 and in which, the contiguous layers forms an array of devices, the input radiation defines an image, means are provided for focusing the image on the array, and the output radiation from the array defines the same image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as in claim 1 and in which, the layer of insulator in the MIS is an oxide.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
121 words
A device for producing output radiation in response to input radiation comprising in combination, a body of semiconductor material of given conductivity type, a layer of insulator at a surface of said body producing a charge depletion region in said semiconductor body, a layer of electrically conductive material on said layer of insulator, the capacitance across said insulator layer being substantially greater than the capacitance across said depletion region, means for directing the input radiation to said semiconductor material, current-driven radiation-emitting diode in electrical circuit contiguous to the body of semiconductor for producing output radiation when energized by an electric current and means in electrical circuit with the body of semiconductor and the output radiation-emitting diode for producing electric current pulses.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
121 words
A device for producing output radiation in response to input radiation comprising in combination, a body of semiconductor material of given conductivity type, a layer of insulator at a surface of said body producing a charge depletion region in said semiconductor body, a layer of electrically conductive material on said layer of insulator, the capacitance across said insulator layer being substantially greater than the capacitance across said depletion region, means for directing the input radiation to said semiconductor material, current-driven radiation-emitting diode in electrical circuit contiguous to the body of semiconductor for producing output radiation when energized by an electric current and means in electrical circuit with the body of semiconductor and the output radiation-emitting diode for producing electric current pulses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
A device as in claim 9 and in which, during the interval of a pulse, the radiation-producing means is energized and the capacitance of said insulator layer is charged and during the interval between pulses the capacitance of said insulator layer is at least partially discharged depending upon the incident radiation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device as in claim 9 and in which, the layer of insulator produces in the semiconductor immediately adjacent thereto a region of substantial electric charge depletion which forms a PN-like diode junction in the detector semiconductor material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device as in claim 9 and further including, means for applying an electrical voltage to the layer of electrically conductive material to cause in the semiconductor body immediately adjacent to the layer of insulator a region of substantial electric charge depletion which forms a PN-like diode junction in the detector semiconductor body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as in claim 9 and in which, the layer of electrically conductive material and the insulator layer are at least partially transparent to the input radiation which is directed through these to the semiconductor body.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
A device as in claim 9 and further including, means for applying an electrical voltage to the layer of electrically conductive material to cause in the semiconductor body immediately adjacent to the layer of insulator, a region of substantial electric charge depletion which forms a PN-like diode detector junction in the detector semiconductor body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as in claim 9 and in which, the electrical cause pulses the emitter to produce the output radiation representatIve of the intensity of the input radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device as in claim 15 and in which, the current pulses charge the capacitor defined by the layer of insulator, the amplitude of the electric current pulses being indicative of the integrated intensity of input radiation over the interval between pulses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 16 and in which, the capacitance across the layer of insulator is substantially greater than the capacitance across the detector semiconductor body and the emitter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as in claim 17 and in which, the semiconductor material is InSb, the emitter is a GaAsP diode, the input radiation is infrared, and the output radiation is visible.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-14 | 1975-09-13 | 1976-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-14 | 1979-09-13 | 1980-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-14 | 1983-09-13 | 1984-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |