Open circuit voltage photodetector

US11521994B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ohio State Innovation Foundation · US

Inventors

• Sanjay Krishna · Albuquerque, US
• Earl Fuller · Columbus, US
• Waleed Khalil · Tempe, US
• Theodore J. Ronningen · Lewis Center, US
• Alireza Kazemi · Rio Rancho, US
• Dale Shane Smith · Worthington, US
• Teressa Specht · Columbus, US
• Ramy Tantawy · Columbus, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 5, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 6, 2022
• Expiry date: Jun 9, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An open circuit voltage photodetector comprises a photovoltaic device including a photovoltaic junction, and a transistor. The photovoltaic device is connected to the gate terminal of the transistor to input an open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic device to the gate terminal. An array of such photodetectors and a readout integrated circuit forms an image sensor. In a photodetection method, an open circuit voltage is generated in a photovoltaic device in response to illumination by incident radiation, and the open circuit voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a transistor to modulate a channel current flowing in a channel of the transistor. A readout electronic circuit may be fabricated with an extra transistor, and a photovoltaic device disposed on the readout electronic circuit and electrically connected to apply an open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic device to a gate of the extra transistor.