Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Field effect device – Responsive to non-optical – non-electrical signal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-27
2001-07-03
Williams, Alexander O. (Department: 2826)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Field effect device
Responsive to non-optical, non-electrical signal
C257S254000, C257S414000, C257S252000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255678
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to measuring methods and apparatus for quantifying various physical phenomena or chemical phenomena.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, light is used to convert physical phenomena or chemical phenomena into electric charges for measurement. Irradiating photo-diodes with the light generates the electron-hole pair corresponding to the light quantity. The light quantity is changed to the quantity of electric charges, and is measured by evaluating the quantity of electric charges. However, in physical and chemical phenomena other than light, in almost all cases, they are converted to electric signals such as voltage values, electric current values, resistance values, etc., and these values are read.
For example, there are thermocouples using the Seebeck effect in which potential difference is generated on both ends when different temperatures are applied to both ends of a certain metal wire. This is intended to join two kinds of different metals, and the temperature of the joined portion is determined from the potential difference generated at both ends. The measurement of pH using an ISFET (ion-sensitive field-effect transistor) is achieved by changing the channel conductance below the pH-sensitive gate insulator by absorbing the hydrogen ion and measuring the pH value of the solution by measuring the drain current in accord with the change.
In either of the measurement methods illustrated above, accumulation and transfer, which are handling methods special to electric charges, are unable to be carried out, and it is extremely difficult to simultaneously take in information at a plurality of points and process at high speed or visualize the measurement results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Now, for physical phenomena or chemical phenomena, there are various phenomena such as concentration, temperature, magnetic fields, pressure, acceleration, velocity, sound wave, ultrasonic wave, oxidation-reduction potential, reaction velocity, etc. These phenomena can be converted into various electric signals (current, voltage, resistance, capacity, potential) by the use of conventional technologies. But it is the main object of this invention to handle these phenomena in a manner special to electric charges by converting these phenomena into electric charges and to carry out quantification special to electric charges. More specifically, it is the object of this invention to provide a method and equipment that can easily visualize various physical phenomena or chemical phenomena by simultaneously taking in data at a plurality of points and carrying out accumulation and transfer.
In order to achieve the above objects, the method of measuring physical phenomena or chemical phenomena of this invention is configured to potential wells configured to change the depth corresponding to the magnitude of the physical or chemical quantity, to inject electric charges into these potential wells, and to convert the physical or chemical amount to electric charges corresponding to the depth of the potential wells.
The apparatus of measuring physical or chemical phenomena of this invention is configured to arrayed in a one dimensional or two dimensional manner a plurality of potential wells configured to change the depth corresponding to the magnitude of the physical or chemical quantity, to inject electric charges into these potential wells, and to convert the physical or chemical amount to electric charges corresponding to the data of the potential wells.
By this configuration, it is possible to simultaneously measure phenomena at a plurality of different positions. Because the physical or chemical quantity is converted into electric charges, it is possible to easily visualize the one-dimensional distribution or two-dimensional distribution of physical or chemical phenomena by using a CCD (charge coupled device).
REFERENCES:
patent: 5789745 (1998-08-01), Martin et al.
Mimura Susumu
Nakanishi Tsuyoshi
Sawada Kazuaki
Tanabe Hiroki
Tomita Katsuhiko
Horiba Ltd.
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
Williams Alexander O.
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