Producing layered structures with semiconductive regions or subregions

US8283655B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated · US

Inventors

• Michael L. Chabinyc · Mountain View, US
• Tse Nga Ng · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 20, 2007
• Grant date: Oct 9, 2012
• Expiry date: Mar 7, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10K10/466

Abstract

In layered structures, channel regions and light-interactive regions can include the same semiconductive polymer material, such as with an organic polymer. A light-interactive region can be in charge-flow contact with a contacting electrode region, and a channel region can, when conductive, provide an electrical connection between the contacting electrode region and other circuitry. For example, free charge carriers can be generated in the light-interactive region, resulting in a capacitively stored signal level; the signal level can be read out to other circuitry by turning on a transistor that includes the channel region. In an array of photosensing cells with organic thin film transistors, an opaque insulating material can be patterned to cover a data line and channel regions of cells along the line, but not extend entirely over the cells' light-interactive regions.