Dual photodetector for determining peak intensity of pixels in a

Details Dual photodetector for determining peak intensity of pixels in a Dual photodetector for determining peak intensity of pixels in a

1994-09-30

1996-10-01

Westin, Edward P.

Radiant energy

Photocells; circuits and apparatus

Photocell controlled circuit

250214R, 257290, G01J 142

Patent

active

055612873

ABSTRACT:
A semiconductor device comprising a dual photodetector for use in an array to locate points of peak intensities incident upon the array. Each pixel in the array is comprised of a dual photodetector element. An n-type well is located within a p-substrate with highly doped p-contact areas located along the periphery of the n-well at the surface. A metal or polysilicon gate electrode covers the surface between the p-contacts and an applied gate voltage creates an inverted p-channel to form a lateral effect phototransistor. A second photodetector is formed at the junction of the n-well and p-substrate. The second photodetector from each pixel produces a current which is connected to a processing circuit to determine which pixel is the brightest above a designated threshold. All pixels above the threshold are sequentially identified. For the "bright" pixels, photogenerated currents produced by the lateral effect phototransistors are analyzed by another processing circuit to produce the points of peak intensity within the bright pixel areas.

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