Photoelectric conversion device having cells of different spectral sensitivities

Claim 2

A photoelectric conversion device having a photoelectric conversion area laminated on a process circuit element for processing electric charges obtained by photoelectric conversion in said photoelectric conversion area, said photoelectric conversion area comprising a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells of which at least two have mutually different spectral sensitivity characteristics, said at least two photoelectric conversion cells comprising semiconductor materials of different compositions.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion area is comprised of photoelectric conversion cells having three respectively different spectral sensitivity characteristics.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2, wherein said spectral sensitivity characteristics have spectral sensitivity peaks respectively for blue, green and red light.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 2, wherein said spectral sensitivity characteristics have spectral sensitivity peaks respectively for wavelengths of 450, 550, 650 nm.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion cells comprise nonmonocrystalline materials.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion cells comprise amorphous materials.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell includes a PIN structure.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell comprises a semiconductor layer forming a Schottky junction with at least one of the electrodes thereof.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell comprises a photoconductive layer and a blocking layer.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell comprises an I-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell comprises an i-type semiconductor layer and a n-type semiconductor layer.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell comprises a superlattice structure.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 1, wherein each said photoelectric conversion cell comprise a non-monocrystalline material containing silicon as a constituent.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 1, wherein one of said photoelectric conversion cells comprise a-SiC.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion area comprises a photoelectric conversion cell of a-SiC, a photoelectric conversion cell of a-Si, and a photoelectric conversion cell of a-SiGe.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 1, wherein said process circuit element comprises a bipolar transistor.

Claim 18

A device according to claim 1, wherein said process circuit element comprises a field effect transistor.

Claim 19

A device according to claim 1, wherein said process circuit element comprises a charge-coupled device.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 1, wherein said process circuit element comprises a main electrode area and a control electrode area, and wherein said photoelectric conversion area is electrically connected to said control electrode area for accumulating therein a charge based on photogenerated carriers.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 19, wherein said process circuit element further comprises a MOS transistor for controlling the potential of said control electrode area.

Claim 22

A photoelectric conversion device integrally comprising: a) a first photoelectric conversion element including: a first photoelectric conversion cell; and a first transistor having a control electrode area electrically connected with said first photoelectric conversion cell, and a main electrode area adapted to be electrically connected to an output circuit containing a capacitative load; and b) a second photoelectric conversion element including: a second photoelectric conversion cell; and a second transistor having a control electrode area electrically connected with said second photoelectric conversion cell, and a main electrode area adapted to be electrically connected to an output circuit containing a capacitative load; wherein said first and second photoelectric conversion cells area mutually separated and are respectively provided on said first and second transistors, and are composed of materials of mutually different spectral sensitivities, said first and second photoelectric conversion cells comprising semiconductor materials of different compositions.

Claim 23

A photoelectric conversion device integrally comprising: a) a first photoelectric conversion element including: a first photoelectric conversion cell; and a first transistor having a control electrode area electrically connected with said first photoelectric conversion cell, and a main electrode area adapted to be electrically connected to an output circuit containing a capacitative load; and b) a second photoelectric conversion element including: a second photoelectric conversion cell; and a second transistor having a control electrode area electrically connected with said second photoelectric conversion cell, and a main electrode area adapted to be electrically connected to an output circuit containing a capacitative load; wherein said first and second photoelectric conversion cells area mutually separated and are respectively provided on said first and second transistors, and are composed of materials of mutually different spectral sensitivities, said first and second photoelectric conversion cells comprising semiconductor materials of different compositions.

Claim 24

A device according to claim 21, further comprising an output circuit which is common to said first and second photoelectric conversion elements.

Claim 25

A device according to claim 21, further comprising output circuits is provided independently for each of said first and second photoelectric conversion elements.

Claim 26

A device according to claim 21, further comprising: a third photoelectric conversion element including: a third photoelectric conversion cell; and a third transistor having a control electrode area electrically connected with said second photoelectric conversion unit, and a main electrode area adapted to be electrically connected to an output circuit containing a capacitative load; wherein said third photoelectric conversion cell is separated from said first and second photoelectric conversion cells and comprises a material of a spectral sensitivity different from those of said first and second photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 27

A device according to claim 24, further comprising an output circuit which is common for said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements.

Claim 28

A device according to claim 24, further comprising output circuits provided independently for each of said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements.

Claim 29

A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells having a pair of electrodes, a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells comprising semiconductor materials of at least two different compositions a plurality of transistors each having a control electrode area of a first conductive type electrically connected to one of the electrodes of a corresponding photoelectric conversion cell, and a main electrode area of a conductive type different from that of said control electrode area; and first reference potential means to be selectively connected to the other of the electrodes of said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 30

A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells having a pair of electrodes, a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells comprising semiconductor materials of at least two different compositions a plurality of transistors each having a control electrode area of a first conductive type electrically connected to one of the electrodes of a corresponding photoelectric conversion cell, and a main electrode area of a conductive type different from that of said control electrode area; and first reference potential means to be selectively connected to the other of the electrodes of said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 31

A device according to claim 27, further comprising second reference potential means to be selectively connected to said control electrode area, wherein said first and second reference potential means provide a same electric potential.

Claim 32

A device according to claim 28, wherein, after said first and second reference potential means are respectively connected to the other of the electrodes of one said photoelectric conversion cells and said control electrode area, said main electrode area is connected to a capacitive load for reading a signal.

Claim 33

A device according to claim 27, wherein said first reference potential means is connected to the other one of the electrodes of said photoelectric conversion cell at a signal reading time.

Claim 34

A potential conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising a signal processing circuit for processing a signal read from said cells.

Claim 35

A photoelectric conversion device according to claim 21, further comprising a signal processing circuit for processing a signal read from said cells.

Claim 36

A photoelectric conversion device according to claim 27, further comprising a signal processing circuit for processing a signal read from said cells.