Patent · US Expired

Photodetector, spatial information detecting device using the photodetector, and photo detection method

US7476841B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 28, 2005
Grant dateJan 13, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 27, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10F39/1536
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A photodetector is provided, which has the capability of preventing a reduction in dynamic range for a signal light even under a plenty of environmental light to stably obtain a received light output. This photodetector has an accumulation electrode and a holding electrode, which are formed on a photoelectric converting portion through an insulating layer, and a control unit for controlling timings of applying voltages to these electrodes and polarities of the voltages. One of electrons and holes generated in the photoelectric converting portion is accumulated in an accumulation region formed by applying the voltage to the accumulation electrode, and the other is accumulated in a holding region formed by applying the voltage to the holding electrode. Then, the electrons and holes accumulated in the accumulation region and the holding region are recombined, so that remaining electrons or holes not recombined are output.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.