Wide angle lateral photo-detector means

Claim 2

A photo-detector device comprising a body portion of waferlike construction formed of semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, means forming a rectifying structure including a metal barrier layer on one of said opposite wafer surfaces for exposing to incident light from a remote source, means forming at least two spaced conductive electrodes on the surface of the wafer like body opposite from the barrier layer, each of said electrodes overlaying a relatively substantial portion of said opposite surface, means respectively forming an ohmic contact with said barrier layer and with each of said spaced electrodes, said ohomic contacts being substantially smaller than the respective electrodes to which they are attached, means electrically biasing the barrier layer including a source of D. C. voltage connected to the associated ohmic contact, and separate output means connected to the contact associated with each of said spaced electrodes including impedance means and means responsive to the voltage produced across the said associated impedance means due to incident light impinging on the metal barrier layer, the magnitude of the voltages produced across the said respective impedance means having a component which varies in inverse relation to the distance on the barrier layer from which incident light impinges relative to the associated electrodes and a component which remains relatively constant with respect to light of constant intensity that impinges opposite to the said respective ones of said spaced electrodes regardless of movements of the incident light while remaining opposite thereto.

Claim 3

The photo-detector device defined in claim 1 wherein the voltage produced across the impedance means associated with each of said spaced electrodes decreases as the location on the barrier layer where the incident light impinges moves away from the said associated electrodes.

Claim 4

The photo-detector device defined in claim 1 wherein four spaced electrodes are located on the said opposite surface of the semi-conductor body, said four spaced electrodes being arranged in two spaced opposed pairs about a central region of said opposite surface.

Claim 5

A photo-detector device which combines acquisition and high resolution tracking characteristics comprising a wafer-like body constructed of a semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, a metal barrier forming layer on one of said opposite surfaces of the semi-conductor material such that when Incident light impinges on said metal barrier layer hole electron pairs are released to cause current flow, means establishing a predetermined electrical bias across the barrier formed between said semi-conductor body and said barrier forming layer, a plurality of spaced conductive electrodes located on the opposite surface of the semi-conductor body from said barrier forming layer, each of said plurality of electrodes overlaying a relatively substantial portion of the said opposite surface so that incident light impinging on said wafer-like body opposite one of said electrodes can remain opposite said one electrode while moving relative to the other of said electrodes, and output means connected respectively to each of said spaced electrodes including an ohmic connection to each of said electrodes and load means and means responsive to voltages produced across the respective load means when light impinges on the barrier layer connected to each of said ohmic connections, the magnitude of the voltages produced across the said respective load means having a component which varies in an inverse relationship with the distance on the barrier layer from where incident light impinges relative to the associated electrodes, and a component which remains relatively constant with respect to light of constant intensity that impinges opposite to said respective ones of said electrodes regardless of movements thereof while remaining so opposite.

Claim 6

A photo-detector device which combines acquisition and high resolution tracking characteristics comprising a wafer-like body constructed of a semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, a metal barrier forming layer on one of said opposite surfaces of the semi-conductor material such that when Incident light impinges on said metal barrier layer hole electron pairs are released to cause current flow, means establishing a predetermined electrical bias across the barrier formed between said semi-conductor body and said barrier forming layer, a plurality of spaced conductive electrodes located on the opposite surface of the semi-conductor body from said barrier forming layer, each of said plurality of electrodes overlaying a relatively substantial portion of the said opposite surface so that incident light impinging on said wafer-like body opposite one of said electrodes can remain opposite said one electrode while moving relative to the other of said electrodes, and output means connected respectively to each of said spaced electrodes including an ohmic connection to each of said electrodes and load means and means responsive to voltages produced across the respective load means when light impinges on the barrier layer connected to each of said ohmic connections, the magnitude of the voltages produced across the said respective load means having a component which varies in an inverse relationship with the distance on the barrier layer from where incident light impinges relative to the associated electrodes, and a component which remains relatively constant with respect to light of constant intensity that impinges opposite to said respective ones of said electrodes regardless of movements thereof while remaining so opposite.

Claim 7

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 wherein the incident light impinging on the metal barrier layer is modulated and the spacing between the said plurality of spaced electrodes is selected to be inversely related to the modulating frequency of incident impinging light to be observed.

Claim 8

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 wherein the thickness of the semi-conductor material is substantially less than the dimensions thereof in the planes of the opposite surfaces.

Claim 9

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 wherein the metal barrier forming layer is semi-transparent and is formed on the semi-conductor body by a thermal vacuum evaporation or like process.

Claim 10

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 wherein the metal barrier forming layer is semi-transparent and is formed on the semi-conductor body by a diffusion process.

Claim 11

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 in combination with a relatively wide angle optical system capable of focusing incident light received from a remote source into a spot on the barrier forming layer.

Claim 12

The photo-detector device in combination with the optical system defined in claim 9 wherein said optical system is capable of receiving and focusing incident light on the detector device that is received over an angular range of at least about 30*.

Claim 13

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 wherein said plurality of spaced electrodes are located on the semi-conductor material in positions to define a central region therebetween, incident light impinging on said central region producing output responses in the respective responsive means that are inversely proportional to the distance from where the incident light impinges to the associated electrodes.

Claim 14

The photo-detector device defined in claim 4 wherein incident light impinging on the barrier forming layer in regions thereof opposite from a respective one of said plurality of spaced electrodes produces output responses in the associated responsive means which are at a maximum for the intensity of said incident light but are not position responsive with respect to said one electrode as long as the incident light impinges opposite from said one electrode.

Claim 15

A photo-detector device comprising a body portion of wafer-like construction formed of a semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, means forming a metal barrier layer on one of said opposite wafer surfaces for exposing to incident light from a remote location, means forming an electrode on the surface of the wafer-like body opposIte from the barrier layer, said electrode including a layer of conductive material that overlays a substantial but not the entire opposite surface, separate electrical connections to the barrier layer and to said electrode, said separate connection to the electrode being substantially smaller than the area of the conductive electrode layer, means electrically biasing the barrier layer, and output means connected to the said electrode including impedance means and voltage sensitive means connected across said impedance means, said voltage sensitive means producing an output signal responsive to the incident light impinging on the barrier layer, said output having a first component which varies in an inverse relationship to the distance on the wafer-like body from where the incident light impinges relative to the said electrode, and said output having a second component which varies with the intensity of said incident light, said second output component being relatively constant with respect to incident light of constant intensity that impinges on the device opposite from the electrode regardless of movements thereof.

Claim 16

A photo-detector device comprising a body portion of wafer-like construction formed of a semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, means forming a metal barrier layer on one of said opposite wafer surfaces for exposing to incident light from a remote location, means forming an electrode on the surface of the wafer-like body opposIte from the barrier layer, said electrode including a layer of conductive material that overlays a substantial but not the entire opposite surface, separate electrical connections to the barrier layer and to said electrode, said separate connection to the electrode being substantially smaller than the area of the conductive electrode layer, means electrically biasing the barrier layer, and output means connected to the said electrode including impedance means and voltage sensitive means connected across said impedance means, said voltage sensitive means producing an output signal responsive to the incident light impinging on the barrier layer, said output having a first component which varies in an inverse relationship to the distance on the wafer-like body from where the incident light impinges relative to the said electrode, and said output having a second component which varies with the intensity of said incident light, said second output component being relatively constant with respect to incident light of constant intensity that impinges on the device opposite from the electrode regardless of movements thereof.

Claim 17

The photo-detector device defined in claim 13 wherein a plurality of said electrodes are positioned in spaced locationship on the said opposite surface of said wafer-like body.

Claim 18

A photo-detector device comprising a body portion of wafer-like construction formed of a first type of semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, means forming a rectifying structure of said body including a layer of a different second type of semi-conductor material formed on one of said opposite wafer surfaces for exposing to incident light from a remote source, said layer of second type of semi-conductor material establishing a junction between the body and said layer, means forming at least two spaced elctrodes on the surface of the wafer-like body opposite from the junction forming layer, said electrodes being layers which overlay substantial spaced areas of said opposite body surface but not the entire area of the opposite body surface, means forming respectively an ohmic contact with said junction forming layer and with each of said spaced electrodes, said ohmic contacts being substantially smaller in size and surface area than the electrodes to which they are attached, means electrically biasing the junction forming layer including a source of D. C. voltage connected to the ohmic contact, and separate output means connected to the ohmic contact associated with each of said spaced electrodes including impedance means and means connected to respond to the voltage produced across the said associated impedance means due to incident light impinging on the junction forming layer, each of said output means being capable of producing an output response having a first component that is in inverse relationship to the distance between where incident light impinges relative to the associated electrodes and a second component which remains relatively constant with respect to incident light of constant intensity that impinges opposite to said respective ones of the said electrodes regardless of movements of the incident light while remaining impinging opposite the same ones of said electrodes.

Claim 19

A photo-detector device comprising a body portion of wafer-like construction formed of a first type of semi-conductor material, said body having opposite surfaces, means forming a rectifying structure of said body including a layer of a different second type of semi-conductor material formed on one of said opposite wafer surfaces for exposing to incident light from a remote source, said layer of second type of semi-conductor material establishing a junction between the body and said layer, means forming at least two spaced elctrodes on the surface of the wafer-like body opposite from the junction forming layer, said electrodes being layers which overlay substantial spaced areas of said opposite body surface but not the entire area of the opposite body surface, means forming respectively an ohmic contact with said junction forming layer and with each of said spaced electrodes, said ohmic contacts being substantially smaller in size and surface area than the electrodes to which they are attached, means electrically biasing the junction forming layer including a source of D. C. voltage connected to the ohmic contact, and separate output means connected to the ohmic contact associated with each of said spaced electrodes including impedance means and means connected to respond to the voltage produced across the said associated impedance means due to incident light impinging on the junction forming layer, each of said output means being capable of producing an output response having a first component that is in inverse relationship to the distance between where incident light impinges relative to the associated electrodes and a second component which remains relatively constant with respect to incident light of constant intensity that impinges opposite to said respective ones of the said electrodes regardless of movements of the incident light while remaining impinging opposite the same ones of said electrodes.

Claim 20

The photo-detector device defined in claim 15 wherein the junction formed between the two different types of semi-conductor material is a p-n type junction.