Three dimensional optical receiver having programmable gain sensor stages

Claim 1

A three dimensional imaging receiver having a plurality of sensor units stacked in a staircase configuration whereby image detection positions of infraposed ones of said sensor units are exposed to form a composite image detection area for said receiver, each of said sensor units comprising: a plurality of radiation detectors, a plurality of programmable gain stages each coupled to one of said plurality of detectors, a buffer memory coupled to each of said programmable gain stages, and multiplexing and readout means coupled to said buffer memory for deriving image data from said receiver; said plurality of radiation detectors each including: a substantially rectangular segment of P-type semiconductor material having a first edge adjacent one of said plurality of programmable gain stages, an N-epitaxial layer formed on the top surface of said rectangular segment, an insulative layer formed on the top surface of said N-epitaxial layer, a resistive sheet disposed on the top surface of said insulative layer, first biasing means positioned along a second edge of said rectangular segment, second biasing means positioned adjacent the corner of said first edge and a third edge of said reactangular segment, and third biasing means positioned adjacent the corner of said first edge and a fourth edge of said rectangular segment, said first, second and third biasing means having potentials applied thereto for selectively altering the shape of the electric field established within said resistive sheet.