Abstract: A monolithic photo detector device disposed on a bulk substrate, comprising a photo detector disposed integrated in the bulk substrate including: (1) a p-type doped impurity region extending along a first direction in the major surface of the substrate and receiving a first voltage, (2) first and second gates being spaced apart from each other and extending in the first direction over the major surface of the substrate, wherein the gates receives a second voltage, (3) an n-type doped impurity region, extending along the first direction in the major surface of the substrate and receiving a third voltage; and (4) a light absorbing region, disposed between the second doped impurity region and the first gate. The device also includes control circuitry, integrated in the substrate to generate the first, second and third voltages that control an operating state of the detector.

Abstract: A photo detector comprising a first doped impurity region (adapted to receive a first voltage) disposed in or on a substrate; a body region, juxtaposed the first doped impurity region; a gate (adapted to receive a second voltage) spaced from a first portion of the body region; a light absorbing region, juxtaposed a second portion of the body region, includes a material which, in response to light incident thereon, generates carrier pairs including a first and second type carriers; a contact region (adapted to receive a third voltage) juxtaposed the light absorbing region; wherein, in response to incident light, the gate attracts first type carriers of the carrier pairs to the first portion of the body region which causes second carriers from the first doped impurity region to flow to the contact region, and the contact region attracts second type carriers.

Abstract: Techniques for using photo detectors as tunable proximity sensors for detection of target objects and ascertaining their distance from the proximity sensors are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a proximity sensor system including a photo detector having a first doped region, a gate, a second doped region and a light absorbing region, a control circuitry for generating a plurality of control signals to be applied to the photo detector, and a signal detector to detect an output signal from the photo detector.

Abstract: A photo detector comprising a first doped impurity region (adapted to receive a first voltage) disposed in or on a substrate; a body region, juxtaposed the first doped impurity region; a gate (adapted to receive a second voltage) spaced from a first portion of the body region; a light absorbing region, juxtaposed a second portion of the body region, includes a material which, in response to light incident thereon, generates carrier pairs including a first and second type carriers; a contact region (adapted to receive a third voltage) juxtaposed the light absorbing region; wherein, in response to incident light, the gate attracts first type carriers of the carrier pairs to the first portion of the body region which causes second carriers from the first doped impurity region to flow to the contact region, and the contact region attracts second type carriers.

Abstract: An integrated circuit-solar cell device comprising a well region of a first dopant type, a solar cell including: (i) a first region disposed in or on the well region, wherein the first region is of the first dopant type, and (ii) a second region disposed outside the well region, wherein the second region is of a second dopant type. The device further includes an integrated circuit including: (i) a first transistor of a first type disposed in or on the well region, and (ii) a second transistor of a second type disposed in or on the first major surface of the substrate and outside the well region. Power management circuitry selectively and electrically couples the solar cell to the battery when the integrated circuit is in an inactive mode.