Patent US4641168A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4641168A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light sensitive semiconductor device for holding electrical charge therein
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1983-11-02
•
Granted: 1987-02-03
•
Expires: 2003-11-02
Abstract
Abstract In a semiconductor device intended to hold an electric charge due to being exposed to light, a photoconductive layer having a surface capable of being electrically charged is provided. A conductive base member is intended to support the photoconductive layer and permits the flow of electric charge therethrough. Between the photoconductive layer and the conductive base member, a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer are provided, the first barrier layer having a predetermined resistivity and being formed of a semiconductor serving to control the flow of an electric charge between the photoconductive layer and the conductive base member, and said second barrier layer having a resistivity which is higher than that of the first barrier layer and also being formed of a semiconductor serving to control the flow of an electric charge between the photoconductive layer and conductive base member. By the actions of the first and second barrier layers, it is possible to obtain a satisfactory percentage of charge holding.
Inventors
- 👤 Mutsuki Yamazaki
- 👤 Eiichi Kaga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:26
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/043; G03G5/0433; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08235; G03G5/0825; G03G5/08257
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A light sensitive semiconductor device, comprising: a photoconductive layer means for generating carriers which carry an electric charge when said photoconductive layer is irradiated with light; a conductive base member supporting said photoconductive layer; first barrier layer means, provided between said photoconductive layer and said conductive base member, for hindering the movement of an electric charge from said conductive base member to said photoconductive layer, and for permitting the movement of an electric charge from said photoconductive layer to said conductive base member, said first barrier layer means comprising an extrinsic semiconductor; and a second barrier layer means, provided between said photoconductive layer and said first barrier layer means for hindering the movement of an electric charge from said conductive base member to said photoconductive layer, and for permitting the movement of an electric charge from said photoconductive layer to said conductive base member, said second barrier layer comprising an extrinsic semiconductor; said hindering and permitting by said first and second barrier layer means thereby causing the residual potential of said photoconductive layer to be minimized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A light sensitive semiconductor device, comprising: a photoconductive layer means for generating carriers which carry an electric charge when said photoconductive layer is irradiated with light; a conductive base member supporting said photoconductive layer; first barrier layer means, provided between said photoconductive layer and said conductive base member, for hindering the movement of an electric charge from said conductive base member to said photoconductive layer, and for permitting the movement of an electric charge from said photoconductive layer to said conductive base member, said first barrier layer means comprising an extrinsic semiconductor; and a second barrier layer means, provided between said photoconductive layer and said first barrier layer means for hindering the movement of an electric charge from said conductive base member to said photoconductive layer, and for permitting the movement of an electric charge from said photoconductive layer to said conductive base member, said second barrier layer comprising an extrinsic semiconductor; said hindering and permitting by said first and second barrier layer means thereby causing the residual potential of said photoconductive layer to be minimized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said first barrier layer means has a predetermined resistivity; and said second barrier layer means has a resistivity different from that of said first barrier layer means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said photoconductive layer has a surface layer on its surface portion, and the electric charge to be charged therein is held on said surface layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said photoconductive layer has a surface layer on its surface portion, and the electric charge to be charged therein is held on said surface layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said first barrier layer means is formed with an impurity added thereto, to thereby control the electrons in said first barrier layer means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the impurity used to control the electrons of said first barrier layer means is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Groups IIIA and VA of the periodic table.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the impurity used to control the electrons of said first barrier layer means includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said first barrier layer means includes amorphous silicon as a main component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said second barrier layer means includes amorphous silicon as a main component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein said second barrier layer means includes the atoms of at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein said second barrier layer means includes the atoms of at least one element selected from group elements consisting of Group IIIA and VA of the periodic table.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein said surface layer includes the atoms of at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first barrier, second barrier, and photoconductive layer is comprised of amorphous silicon; said amorphous silicon including as an impurity for controlling its valence electrons, the atoms of at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements in Group IIIA and VA of the periodic table.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said first barrier layer means and said second barrier layer means are each comprised of the same material as its main component.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein said first barrier layer means and said second barrier layer means include the same kind of impurity for controlling their respective valence electrons, the concentration of said impurity used in said first barrier layer means being different from that in said second barrier layer means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein said first and second barrier layers means each include the atoms of at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said first barrier layer means has a predetermined resistivity; and said second barrier layer has a resistivity higher than that a said first barrier layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4460669A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-02-02 | 1990-08-04 | 1991-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-02 | 1994-08-04 | 1995-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-02 | 1998-08-04 | 1999-02-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |