US4714824A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoelectric transducer with adjustable sensitivity to incident light wavelength
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1986-04-07
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Granted: 1987-12-22
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Expires: 2006-04-07
Abstract
Abstract A photoelectric transducer is composed of a photosensitive element 12 and an auxiliary light source 14. In a preferred embodiment, the photosensitive element 12 has an upper transparent electrode 6, a lower transparent electrode 7, a amorphous silicon germanium semiconductor 8, and an transparent glass substrate 11. Incident light 15 irradiates an upper light-receiving surface 9 of the amorphous silicon germanium semiconductor 8 through the upper transparent electrode 6, and the photoelectric current generated by photoelectric conversion at the amorphous silicon germanium semiconductor 8 flows through by the upper transparent electrode 6 and the lower transparent electrode 7. In one embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary light source 14 is a blue light source provided by the right side of the upper transparent electrode 6 to irradiate the photosensitive element 12, which enables selective amplification of the sensitivity of the photoelectric transducer to the incident light in the near infrared region. Furthermore, the amplication factor of the photoelectric current can be changed freely by changing the brightness of the light from the auxiliary light source 14.
Inventors
- 👤 Shinichi Terazono
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:47
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F55/00; H10F55/20; H10F55/25; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A photoelectric tranducer, comprising: at least one photosensitive element, said photosensitive element including first and second electrodes provided spaced apart from each other, at least one of said first and second electrodes being transparent to transmit incident light, said element further including an amorphous semiconductor provided between and in contact with said first and second electrodes for performing photoelectric conversion upon receipt of said incident light; and, an auxiliary light source provided by a side of said transparent electrode for irradiating said photosensitive element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A photoelectric tranducer, comprising: at least one photosensitive element, said photosensitive element including first and second electrodes provided spaced apart from each other, at least one of said first and second electrodes being transparent to transmit incident light, said element further including an amorphous semiconductor provided between and in contact with said first and second electrodes for performing photoelectric conversion upon receipt of said incident light; and, an auxiliary light source provided by a side of said transparent electrode for irradiating said photosensitive element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said transparent electrode is formed of an alloy of SnO 2 and InO 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous semiconductor is an amorphous silicon semiconductor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous semiconductor is an amorphous silicon germanium semiconductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous semiconductor has a pin structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous semiconductor has a Shottky diode structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, further comprising a transparent glass substrate on which said first and second electrodes and said amorphous semiconductor are formed integrally.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein: said first and second electrodes are both transparent; said incident light irradiates said photosensitive element from a side of said first electrode; and said auxiliary light source is provided by a side of said first electrode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein: said first and second electrodes are both transparent; said incident light irradiates said photosensitive element from a side of said first electrode; and said auxiliary light source is provided by a side of said second electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary light source is a blue light source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary light source is a red light source.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises means for providing light selectable from a plurality of colors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 12, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises a filter operable for switching among said plurality of colors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 12, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes each capable of providing light of a different color, operable to provide a selection of light emission colors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said transparent electrode is formed of a transparent oxide conductive film substantially composed of SnO 2 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 8, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises means for providing light selectable from a plurality of colors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 16, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes each capable of providing light of a different color, operable to provide a selection of light emission colors.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 9, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises means for providing light selectable from a plurality of colors.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 18, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes each capable of providing light of a different color, operable to provide a selection of light emission colors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoelectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary light source comprises a filter operable for switching among said plurality of colors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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