Sensor system
US4517464A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1982 |
| Grant date | May 14, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An infrared sensor system for use on satellites comprising dual arrays of mercury cadmium telluride semiconductor elements. One array of conventional photovoltaic detectors is wired in parallel with a novel array of HdCdTe material in which the n-type region of each mesa and the resulting p-n junction is considerably smaller than that utilized in the conventional detector. As the cumulative dose of incident radiation is increased, type conversion in both arrays occurs resulting in degraded performance in the conventional array but an increase in performance caused by the now effective p-n junction area in the novel array. An electronic switching device, coupled with a dosimeter, alternately selects the conventional array or the novel array depending upon the total dose of radiation received.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.