Radiant energy – Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling – Semiconductor system
Patent
1989-12-19
1992-05-12
Buczinski, Stephen C.
Radiant energy
Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling
Semiconductor system
250330, 250332, 25037001, 25037012, 357 30, 357 32, G01J 100, G01T 124, H01L 2500, H01L 3100
Patent
active
051130769
ABSTRACT:
A radiation detector 10 includes a first heterojunction 14A and a second heterojunction 16A electrically coupled together in series between a first electrical contact 18 and a second electrical contact 20. The detector comprises at least a three regions or layers including a first layer 12 having a first type of electrical conductivity, a second layer 14 having a second type of electrical conductivity, and a third layer 16 having the first type of electrical conductivity. The first and second heterojunctions are coupled in series and function electrically as two back-to-back diodes. During use the detector is coupled to a switchable bias source 22 that includes a source of positive bias (+Vb) 22A and a source of negative bias (-Vb) 22B. With +Vb applied across the detector the first heterojunction is in far forward bias and functions as a low resistance conductor, thereby contributing no significant amount of photocurrent to the circuit. The second heterojunction is in a reverse bias condition and modulates the circuit current in proportion to the photon flux of an associated spectral region or color. Conversely, with -Vb applied across the detector the second heterojunction is in forward bias and contributes no significant photocurrent to the circuit while the first heterojunction is reversed biased and produces a current modulation proportional to the flux incident thereon, the flux being associated with a different spectral region.
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J. M. Pawlikowski and P. Becla, "Some Properties of Photovoltaic Cd.sub.x Hg.sub.1-x Te Detectors for Infrared Radiation," Infrared Physics, vol. 15 (1975), pp. 331-337.
Buczinski Stephen C.
Denson-Low W. K.
Santa Barbara Research Center
Schubert W. C.
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