US4250384A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Radiant energy systems, memories and thermal imaging methods and apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1979-08-24
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Granted: 1981-02-10
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Expires: 1999-08-24
Abstract
Abstract A very thin insulator having a dipole structure such as a dielectric material having ferroelectric properties and, preferably, also having thermodielectric properties, is used as the insulator insulating an electrode of an electrode pair from a semiconductor body sandwiched between said electrode pair. The utilization of the charge storage and transfer ability serves as a large scale memory device. Radiation detection and solar energy conversion systems based on establishment of an inversion layer by the bound charge of thermodielectric layer or an electret and irradiation of the semiconductor to separate the electron-hole pair and subsequent collection of minority carriers. Since there is no physical junction, the voltage is high, and can be an alternating current voltage which can be transformed. In one embodiment the dielectric material exhibiting thermodielectric properties provides the bound charge and is used in a thermal imaging system. In such system a matrix or mosaic of charged thermodielectric capacitors biased to near the Curie temperature, are exposed to a source of infrared to be detected. Such mosaic of thermodielectric capacitors is used to convert the IR image to electrical signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles F. Pulvari
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:01
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N19/00; H10N15/00; H10N15/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A radiant energy sensing element comprising a semiconductor capacitor having a semiconductor body member and at least one pair of electrodes and a second capacitor including a dielectric having a polarizable remanent dipole structure coupled to said semiconductor capacitor in such a way that an inversion layer is formed in said semiconductor body member, which when irradiated separates the electron /e/-hole/h/ pairs and collects the mobile carriers in the inversion layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A radiant energy sensing element comprising a semiconductor capacitor having a semiconductor body member and at least one pair of electrodes and a second capacitor including a dielectric having a polarizable remanent dipole structure coupled to said semiconductor capacitor in such a way that an inversion layer is formed in said semiconductor body member, which when irradiated separates the electron /e/-hole/h/ pairs and collects the mobile carriers in the inversion layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The radiant energy sensing element defined in claim 1 wherein said second capacitor has thermodielectric properties.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A thermal imaging system comprising, a matrix of the radiant energy sensing elements defined in claim 2 and means for exposing said matrix to a thermal image, and means for scanning said elements to detect the portion of said thermal image at each of said elements, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
Radiation detector comprising a semiconductor capacitor having a semiconductor body member and at least one pair of electrodes and a second capacitor coupled to said semiconductor capacitor in such a way that an inversion layer is formed in said semiconductor body member, which when irradiated generates the electron /e/-hole/h/ pairs and collects the mobile carriers in the depletion layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
Radiation detector comprising a semiconductor capacitor having a semiconductor body member and at least one pair of electrodes and a second capacitor coupled to said semiconductor capacitor in such a way that an inversion layer is formed in said semiconductor body member, which when irradiated generates the electron /e/-hole/h/ pairs and collects the mobile carriers in the depletion layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
Radiation detector as defined in claim 4 characterized by a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor with at least one pair of electrodes biased so as to establish said inversion layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Radiation detector as defined in claim 4 wherein one of the electrodes is transparent to the radiation to be detected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
Radiation detector as defined in claim 5 wherein said second capacitor include a ferroelectric pyroelectric capacitor interconnected with said MOS capacitor in such a way that when said MOS ferroelectric double capacitor is irradiated, the pyroelectric generated potential biases said MOS capacitor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
Radiation detector as defined in claim 5 wherein said bias source includes a ferroelectric thermodielectric capacitor interconnected with said MOS capacitor in such a way that when the MOS-ferroelectric double capacitor thus constituted is irradiated, the thermodielectrically generated potentital biases the MOS capacitor to produce said depletion layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
Radiation detector as defined in claim 5 wherein said second capacitor is a ferroelectric capacitor and one of the electrodes on the ferroelectric capacitor is transparent to the radiation to be detected, and consists of two joint electrodes one of which is shared with said MOS capacitor while the other is shared with said ferroelectric capacitor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
Radiation detector as defined in claim 5 wherein said second capacitor is a ferroelectric capacitor and one of the electrodes of both said MOS capacitor and said ferroelectric capacitor is transparent to the radiation to be detected.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a method of converting solar energy to electrical energy comprising establishing an inversion layer in a semiconductor body by applying a bias potential to a pair of electrodes one of which is insulated from said semiconductor body, subjecting said inversion layer to solar energy to generate the electron /e/--hole /h/ pairs, and collecting the minority carriers, the improvement wherein the bias potential applied to said pair of electrodes is generated in situ by solar to electrical energy conversion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a method of converting solar energy to electrical energy comprising establishing an inversion layer in a semiconductor body by applying a bias potential to a pair of electrodes one of which is insulated from said semiconductor body, subjecting said inversion layer to solar energy to generate the electron /e/--hole /h/ pairs, and collecting the minority carriers, the improvement wherein the bias potential applied to said pair of electrodes is generated in situ by solar to electrical energy conversion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said bias potential is generated by a thermodielectric capacitor element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said bias potential is generated by a pyroelectric capacitor element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention defined in claim 11 wherein there is established a plurality (n) of said inversion layers in a common semiconductor body being subjected to a portion of the solar energy being converted to generate the electron-e/-hole/h/ pairs in each portion of the semiconductor commonly collecting said charge carriers from all said charged layers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention defined in claim 14 wherein each of said inversion layers being formed by a MOS capacitor at the site of each semiconductor capacitor, generating a bias potential unique to each site by a further solar to electrical energy converter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention defined in claim 15 wherein each said further solar to electrical energy converters is constituted by a thermodielectric capacitor element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention defined in claim 14 wherein each step of commonly collecting said minority carriers includes scanning of each semiconductor capacitor and collecting the charge carriers at each capacitor site in said common semiconductor body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
A double capacitor comprising a pair of electrodes, a thin dielectric layer and a semiconductor body sandwiched between said pair of electrodes, said dielectric having ferroelectric properties and means for biasing said dielectric layer to near the Curie point thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
A double capacitor comprising a pair of electrodes, a thin dielectric layer and a semiconductor body sandwiched between said pair of electrodes, said dielectric having ferroelectric properties and means for biasing said dielectric layer to near the Curie point thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
77 words
A thermal detector comprising a pair of electrodes, a layer of material having thermodielectric properties and a semiconductor layer sandwiched between said pair of electrodes, means for biasing said layer of material having thermodielectric properties to near its Curie temperature, voltage supply means for charging the electrodes and said dielectric to a selected potential, means for exposing said layer to a source of thermal energy to be detected, and readout means connected to said pair of electrodes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
A thermal detector comprising a pair of electrodes, a layer of material having thermodielectric properties and a semiconductor layer sandwiched between said pair of electrodes, means for biasing said layer of material having thermodielectric properties to near its Curie temperature, voltage supply means for charging the electrodes and said dielectric to a selected potential, means for exposing said layer to a source of thermal energy to be detected, and readout means connected to said pair of electrodes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
118 words
An imaging system comprising a pair of transversely oriented electrode arrays, at least one of said electrode array being transparent to radiant energy of a selected wave length (IR) a dielectric means sandwiched between said electrode array, said dielectric means constituted of a dielectric having thermodielectric properties, means for biasing said dielectric material to its Curie temperature, means for applying a charging potential to said electrode arrays and said dielectric material, means for projecting an energy image upon said dielectric material, and readout means coupled to said electrode arrays for developing an electrical signal for each cross point of said array which is proportional to said energy image imaged upon said dielectric material at each cross point, respectively.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
118 words
An imaging system comprising a pair of transversely oriented electrode arrays, at least one of said electrode array being transparent to radiant energy of a selected wave length (IR) a dielectric means sandwiched between said electrode array, said dielectric means constituted of a dielectric having thermodielectric properties, means for biasing said dielectric material to its Curie temperature, means for applying a charging potential to said electrode arrays and said dielectric material, means for projecting an energy image upon said dielectric material, and readout means coupled to said electrode arrays for developing an electrical signal for each cross point of said array which is proportional to said energy image imaged upon said dielectric material at each cross point, respectively.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention defined in any one of claims 17-20 wherein said dielectric material is a plastic co-polymer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
11 words
The invention defined in claim 21 wherein said copolymer is P(VDF-TFE).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
115 words
A night vision system comprising a pair of transversely oriented electrode arrays, a thermodielectric material sandwiched between said electrode array, means for biasing said thermodielectric material to near its Curie temperature, means for applying a charging potential to said electrodes and said thermodielectric material, means for focusing a radiant energy image upon said thermodielectric material, and readout means coupled to said electrode arrays for developing an electrical signal for each cross point of said transversely oriented electrode arrays corresponding to the change in the thermal dielectric property of said thermal dielectric material due to the radiant energy impinging upon said dielectric material at each of the cross points of said transversely oriented electrode arrays, respectively.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
115 words
A night vision system comprising a pair of transversely oriented electrode arrays, a thermodielectric material sandwiched between said electrode array, means for biasing said thermodielectric material to near its Curie temperature, means for applying a charging potential to said electrodes and said thermodielectric material, means for focusing a radiant energy image upon said thermodielectric material, and readout means coupled to said electrode arrays for developing an electrical signal for each cross point of said transversely oriented electrode arrays corresponding to the change in the thermal dielectric property of said thermal dielectric material due to the radiant energy impinging upon said dielectric material at each of the cross points of said transversely oriented electrode arrays, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-02-10 | 1984-08-11 | 1985-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-02-10 | 1988-08-11 | 1989-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-02-10 | 1992-08-11 | 1993-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |