Abstract: A thermal type infrared radiation solid state image pick-up device includes a temperature-electrical signal converting function element and a heat isolation structural body supporting the temperature-electrical signal converting function element. The heat isolation structural body is formed of a silicon oxide or a silicon nitride in porous structure. Since the heat isolation structural body has porous structure, heat flowing out from the heat isolation structural body depends on an actual area derived by subtracting the area of the holes from the area of the cross-section of the leg (nominal cross section). On the other hand, the mechanical strength of the heat isolation structural body relies on the area of the cross section of the leg. Therefore, for obtaining the photo sensitivity equivalent to that of the conventional heat isolation structural body, the cross sectional area of the leg can be made greater to improve mechanical strength thereof.

Abstract: A semiconductor photosensitive element comprises first and second photosensitive regions. The first photosensitive region is different from the second photosensitive region in its structure and thereby the first photosensitive region has photoelectric conversion characteristic and frequency characteristic which are different from those of the second photosensitive region.

Abstract: An imaging device (10) has a plurality of unit cells that contribute to forming an image of a scene. The imaging device includes a layer of semiconductor material (16), for example silicon, that has low noise photogate charge-mode readout circuitry (20, 21, 26, 28) (e.g., CCD or CMOS readout circuitry and structures) that is disposed upon a first surface (18) of the layer. A second, opposing surface of the layer is a radiation admitting surface of the layer. The layer has a bandgap selected for absorbing electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths shorter than about one micrometer and for generating charge carriers from the absorbed radiation. The generated charge carriers are collected by the photogate charge-mode readout circuitry. A thermal sensing element (22) is disposed above and is thermally isolated from the first surface of the layer. The thermal sensing element may be, by example, one of a bolometer element, a pyroelectric element, or a thermopile element.

Abstract: An infrared ray detection device of this invention includes (i) a silicon substrate, (ii) a plurality of light-receiving portions which are disposed at predetermined intervals on one surface of the silicon substrate, and receive infrared rays, (iii) a plurality of reading portions which are disposed on the one surface of the silicon substrate at positions adjacent to the plurality of light-receiving portions, and read outputs from the plurality of light-receiving portions, and (iv) an impurity-doped silicon layer which are disposed in contact with the other surface of the silicon substrate and contains a donor or acceptor impurity at a concentration high enough to absorb infrared rays passing through the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A monolithic, tandem photovoltaic device is provided having an indium phosphide tunnel junction lattice-matched to adjoining subcells and having high peak current densities and low electrical resistance. A method is provided for relatively low-temperature epitaxial growth of a tunnel junction and a subcell over the tunnel junction at temperatures which leave intact the desirable characteristics of the tunnel junction.

Abstract: By designing pixels with highly transparent ITO electrodes and asymmetric gates such that as much light as possible falls upon a region covered by an ITO electrode, light sensitivity is increased. Impurity diffusion from the ITO electrode into the silicon below is prevented by employing an Oxide/Nitride/Oxide stack as a dielectric. Employing at least some polysilicon electrodes with ITO electrodes is desirable to allow entrance passages through which hydrogen passivation can be accomplished. The pixel architecture can be designed to increase sensitivity further by other design choices. The first of these choices is to incorporate a lenslet on each pixel such that as much as possible of the light falling on the pixel is made to pass through the portion of the pixel covered with ITO.

Abstract: A photodiode sensor for use as a pixel element of a sensor array includes the sensor area segmented into a plurality of discrete portions. Each discrete portion has a distinctive responsiveness to incident illumination, either with regard to capacitance or sensitivity. The portions are in common communication with a data line for generating a sum charged output representative of the illumination on the cumulative sensor portions. Since the dynamic range of the cumulative discrete portions is greater than any single one sensor portion, a wider dynamic range for sensor operability is achieved.

Abstract: A color linear charge coupled device for an image pickup apparatus includes red, green, and blue photo diode arrays. First, second, third and fourth transfer gates formed in the device move signal charges generated at the photo diode arrays toward first, second and third horizontal charge coupled device (HCCD) shift registers. By controlling the transfer gates, the red and green signal charges are first transferred to their HCCD shift registers. The blue signal charge is then transferred to its HCCD shift register. Only three HCCD shift registers are required, thus, the device dimension and configuration is considerably simplified compared to prior art configurations. Also, the color resolution of the device is greatly improved because the distance between the respective photo diode arrays is substantially decreased.

Abstract: A two-color infrared detector (50) is provided comprising elements (10, 110, or 210) having one or more diodes (58, 158 and 168) and a metal insulator semiconductor ("MIS") device (56 and 156). The infrared detector (50) may be referred to as a vertically integrated capacitor diode. The diodes comprise regions (12, 14, 16, 112, 114, and 116) of semiconductor materials which are operable to generate electron-hole pairs when struck by infrared radiation (40) having first and second wavelengths. The capacitor (156) includes a gate (24) provided by the MIS device which is operable to generate a potential well in the first semiconductor region (12 and 112) in conjunction with an insulator layer (22) and collect charges generated by the first wavelength of infrared radiation (40). The layers of semiconductor material may be varied to enhance the performance of the resulting infrared detector.

Abstract: An integrated two-color staring focal plane array is comprised of rows and columns of photodetector unit cells (10), each being capable of simultaneously integrating photocurrents resulting from the detection of two spectral bands. A readout circuit (20) in accordance with this invention performs a subtraction function, and includes a differential charge-sensing amplifier (22) in a one-per-column arrangement. The amplifier works in cooperation with circuitry (M5) located in each unit cell. The subtraction function is employed to create a separate Band1 signal from a Band2 and (Band1+Band2) signals generated by each simultaneous two-color detector (1). One significant advantage of the disclosed circuit embodiment is that it offers low spectral crosstalk between the two spectral bands.

Abstract: The infrared solid-state image pickup device of the present invention comprises a light-receiving portion formed by arranging, on a transparent substrate, light-receiving elements of a plurality of types respectively including optical cavity structures with optical distances between photoelectric conversion portions and reflecting films which are different from each other by more than 100 nm. The light-receiving elements of at least one of the plurality of types having optical cavity structures whose optical distances are set such that a valley in sensitivity exists at a predetermined wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range, light within the wavelength range being photoelectrically convertible by the light-receiving elements of other types.

Abstract: The specification describes a discriminating photodiode for detection of 1.55 .mu.m signals used in wavelength multiplexed systems operating with 1.3 .mu.m and 1.55 .mu.m wavelengths. The device uses a semiconductor layered structure to absorb photons from the 1.3 .mu.m signal, and annihilate the photogenerated carriers, while passing the 1.55 .mu.m light to a photodetecting junction beneath the layered structure.

Abstract: A solar cell includes an n type diffusion layer formed on a first main surface side of a p.sup.- type monocrystalline Si substrate, and a p.sup.+ type semiconductor layer formed on a second main surface side of substrate and having an energy bandgap narrower than that of Si and a dopant impurity concentration higher than that of substrate.

Abstract: A solar cell comprising:a first junction part having a first conductivity type first semiconductor film and a second conductivity type second semiconductor film formed on an upper surface of said first semiconductor film; anda second junction part having a first conductivity type third semiconductor film formed on an upper surface of said second semiconductor film and a second conductivity type fourth semiconductor formed on an upper surface of said third semiconductor film,said junction parts arranged from that having a larger forbidden band width along the direction of progress of light through said semiconductor layers,said first, second, third, and fourth semiconductor films being formed of single-crystalline filming;wherein an interlayer conductor prepared from a metal forming ohmic junctions with each of said junction parts and having a thickness capable of transmitting light therethrough is interposed between said first and second junction parts; andwherein said second semiconductor film arranged on on

Abstract: An active pixel image sensor includes an array of pixels arranged in a first group and a second group. The first group may constitute a row and the second group may constitute a column, for example. A first common conductor is coupled to the pixels in the first group for conducting control signals. A second common conductor is coupled to the pixels in the second group for selectively transmitting signals to processing electronics. Each of the pixels includes a plurality of sensing elements that are each configured for capturing a portion of energy from an object to be imaged. At least one of the sensing elements is of a type distinct from another of the sensing elements. For example, one of the sensing elements may be a photogate and another may be a photodiode. An amplifying arrangement is provided for receiving signals from selected ones of the plurality of sensing elements and for selectively providing output signals to the second common conductor.

Abstract: Attractive multi-junction solar cells and single junction solar cells with excellent conversion efficiency can be produced with a microcrystalline tunnel junction, microcrystalline recombination junction or one or more microcrystalline doped layers by special plasma deposition processes which includes plasma etching with only hydrogen or other specified etchants to enhance microcrystalline growth followed by microcrystalline. nucleation with a doped hydrogen-diluted feedstock.

Abstract: A solid state array has a plurality of radiation detector unit cells, wherein each unit cell includes a bias-selectable two color photodetector in combination with either a second bias-selectable two color detector (10, 11) or a single photodetector (10', 11'). Each unit cell is thus capable of simultaneously outputting charge carriers resulting from the absorption of electromagnetic radiation within two spectral bands that are selected from one of four spectral bands and three spectral bands.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a photo-active region for generation of free carriers when a first surface is exposed to optical radiation. The photo-active region includes a conducting transparent matrix and clusters of semiconductor materials embedded within the conducting transparent matrix. The clusters are arranged in the matrix material so as to define at least a first distribution of cluster sizes ranging from those with the highest bandgap energy near a light incident surface of the photo-active region to those with the smallest bandgap energy near an opposite second surface of the photo-active region. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for a solar cell. The solar cell includes a photo-active region containing a plurality of semiconductor clusters of varying sizes as described.

Abstract: Provided are a photovoltaic element suitable for practical use, low in cost, high in reliability, and high in photoelectric conversion efficiency, and a fabrication process thereof. In the photovoltaic element having stacked layers of non-single-crystal semiconductors, at least an i-type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer are stacked on a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and the second conduction type semiconductor layer has a layer A formed by exposing the surface of the i-type semiconductor layer to a plasma containing a valence electron controlling agent and a layer B deposited on the layer A by a CVD process using at least the valence electron controlling agent and the main constituent elements of the i-type semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has an ITO film which is in contact with a semiconductor or a metal, the ITO film having an insulating film with SiN as the main constituent provided on or under at least a portion of the ITO film.

Abstract: A method of making an imager includes the following steps: providing a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; providing a plurality of spaced image pixels h the substrate, thereby forming a semiconductor portion; and depositing a first transparent substantially inorganic support layer over the semiconductor portion. The method further includes the following steps: making the inorganic support layer optically planar by chemical mechanical polishing, thereby forming an optically flat top surface; forming a plurality of depressions in the optically flat top surface; uniformly depositing a substantially inorganic lens material on the optically flat top surface, entirely filling the depressions; and making the substantially inorganic lens material optically planar by chemical mechanical polishing, thereby forming an optically planar lens surface.

Abstract: A multicolor organic light emitting device employs vertically stacked layers of double heterostructure devices which are fabricated from organic compounds. The vertical stacked structure is formed on a glass base having a transparent coating of ITO or similar metal to provide a substrate. Deposited on the substrate is the vertical stacked arrangement of three double heterostructure devices, each fabricated from a suitable organic material. Stacking is implemented such that the double heterostructure with the longest wavelength is on the top of the stack. This constitutes the device emitting red light on the top with the device having the shortest wavelength, namely, the device emitting blue light, on the bottom of the stack. Located between the red and blue device structures is the green device structure.

Abstract: A color linear image sensor apparatus includes a wiring conductor formed of a first level polysilicon film which is provided on a channel stopper in photocell arrays and which is connected to a first transfer gate electrode of a CCD register. The first transfer gate electrode is also connected to a second transfer gate electrode through a contact hole. Thus, even if the wiring conductor is formed on the channel stopper in the photocell array, a dead zone for locating a wiring conductor for the driving clocks becomes unnecessary, and accordingly, the distance between photocell arrays can be shortened to two thirds to a half of the distance in the conventional examples.

Abstract: In the present invention, the optical band gap Eg (eV) of an amorphous silicon carbide film has the following relationship with the content of hydrogen C.sub.H (at. %) and the content of carbon C.sub.C (at. %) in the film:Eg=a+bC.sub.H /100+cC.sub.C /100,where a, b, and c are respectively in the ranges of 1.54.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.1.60, 0.55.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.65, and -0.65.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.-0.55, whereby the defect density in the amorphous silicon carbide film can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: A thin microcrystalline silicon semiconductor film suitable for use as an intrinsic semiconductor layer in an amorphous silicon solar cell or the like. The thin microcrystalline silicon semiconductor film comprises an amorphous phase with crystallites contained therein in the form of a prismatic or conical crystallite aggregate phase. Additional crystallites may be dispersed as individual crystallites in the amorphous phase. In the thin film, the crystalline fraction may preferably range from 5 to 80% and the crystallite size may preferably range from 2 to 1,000 nm. This thin film can be formed by first forming an initial film to a thickness in a range of from 2 nm to 100 nm at a deposition rate of from 0.01 nm/sec to 0.1 nm/sec on a substrate and then forming a principal film at a deposition rate of from 0.1 nm/sec to 2 nm/sec, for example, in accordance with RF plasma CVD.

Abstract: A multi-band spectroscopic photodetector array including a substrate having a buried insulator layer in the substrate for electrically isolating a lower section of the substrate located below the insulator layer form an upper section of the substrate located above the insulator layer; and a plurality of photodetection elements each formed on a different portion of the upper layer and each including elements for detecting photons in a selected wavelength range; wherein each of the different portions of the upper section has a different thickness and wherein the thickness at least in part determines the selected wavelength of the photons detected by each of the detection elements.

Abstract: A substrate (typically a solid state imager or a liquid crystal display device) is provided with a filter by forming a layer of photoresist on the substrate, and exposing and developing the photoresist to produce filter elements from the portions of the layer of photoresist remaining after the development. After development of the layer of photoresist, the substrate is treated with a silylation compound capable of cross-linking the photoresist and of promoting adhesion of the photoresist to the substrate. A preferred silylation compound is hexamethylcyclotrisilizane.

Abstract: A quantum well intersubband infrared (IR) photodetector has a spectral response tunable by an external voltage. The photodetector consists of multiple doped quantum wells with different well widths and barrier heights. The preferred embodiment is made by repeating the whole structure of the active region of a multiple quantum well intersubband IR photodetector. Differences between repeats or groups of well widths and barrier heights result in differences in the spectral IR response of the different repeats. The device resistance of a given group is designed to be very different from those for all the other groups. As a function of an applied voltage, the repeat with the highest resistance will be turned on to detect IR with the response peak at a wavelength .lambda..sub.1. Subsequently, the next highest resistance repeat will turn on when increasing voltage with its response peaked at .lambda..sub.2, and so on. Since .lambda..sub.1, .lambda..sub.

Abstract: An optical detector for determining the wavelength of an optical signal iudes a semiconductor material in the path of the optical signal having a bandgap less than the optical signal. A conductive layer is positioned on the semiconductor material and a plurality of conductive pads are also positioned on the semiconductor material to delineate individual photodetectors. The pads have a common node established by the conductive layer. The optical detector produces a plurality of photocurrents between the pads and the conductive layer in response to the optical signal which photocurrents can be measured and compared to determine the wavelength of the optical signal. A system for determining the wavelength of the optical signal includes a plurality of optical detectors numbered 1 to n positioned sequentially in the path of the optical signal. The detectors produce photocurrents which are converted into digital signals. A microprocessor receives the digital signals and determines a ratio therebetween.

Abstract: A semiconductor based radiation detector utilizing a dual absorption layer system design to selectively respond to particular bands of incident radiation while rejecting others. Generally, a top absorption layer initially absorbs all radiation less than a cutoff wavelength. Radiation longer than the cutoff pass to a buried or second absorption layer. This second absorption layer has a smaller band gap energy corresponding with a larger cutoff wavelength than the top layer and is therefore responsive to longer wavelengths or radiation with lower energies. As such, preselected wavelengths or energy bands are detectable by the second layer while all other wavelengths or energy bands are either absorbed by the top layer or passed through both layers. The resultant absorption in the second layer is thereafter detectable to indicate the presence of the desired wavelength.

Abstract: In a photosensitive chip suitable for full-color imaging, separate photosites on the chip correspond to different primary colors in an original image. Each primary-color photosite is filtered with a polyimide doped to a particular primary color. The red-filtering layer and the blue-filtering layer are left on the non-photosensitive portions of the main surface of the chip, and together serve as a non-reflective area which prevents stray reflections from the chip. The chip is further provided with a base layer of infrared-filtering polyimide.

Abstract: An imaging device which includes an optical unit passing light from a subject and having an exit pupil position. An image pickup element receives the light from the subject passing through the optical unit, and produces an image signal from the received light. The image signal has corresponding color excitation values. A color compensation mechanism adjusts a ratio of the color excitation values of the image signal produced by the image pickup element by adjusting at least one of the color excitation values in correspondence with the exit pupil position of the optical unit. Further, the imaging device can include an aperture positioned between the optical unit and the image pickup element to limit the amount of light received by the image pickup element from the optical unit. The size of the aperture is adjustable.

Abstract: A surface of a thin film superconductor element is coated with a layer containing pre-selected dye, or multiple dyes, alone or in combination with intermediate reflective coatings (best mode), which, when maintained near T.sub.c, upon exposure to a selected frequency of light acts as a narrow bandwidth absorber to change the resistive property of the underlying superconductor following energy transfer from the dye to the superconductor. The resistance change is electronically detectable to function as a wavelength selective high speed optoelectronic switch or sensor element.

Abstract: A color semiconductor display device in which optoelectronic elements capable of emitting/absorbing light of different predetermined wavelengths in the visible wavelength range (e.g. red, green, blue) are formed on a common substrate and comprise similar alloy compositions which are lattice matched to the substrate material. The alloy is preferably a III-V nitride alloy lattice matched to Si or GaP substrate material. In the disclosed embodiment, a color display device comprises a silicon or GaP substrate with an array of pixels, each being formed by a group of three (red, green, blue) color sub-pixels provided on the substrate. The pixels are formed of InAINSb alloy, with a quantum well regions of InNSb and barrier regions of AINSb, or are formed of AIGaAsSbN alloy, with quantum well regions of GaAsN and barrier regions of AINSb. Tuning of the wavelength emission/absorption characteristics of the sub-pixels is by doping of the quantum well material with aluminum and/or by quantum confinement.

Abstract: A photodetector has a semiconductor substrate which produces light-induced charge upon the absorption of incident light. A first electrode and a second electrode are attached to the surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to form metal-semiconductor junctions. When control voltage V.sub.B, which is variable in a positive range through a negative range, is applied to the first electrode, a photocurrent flows through the second electrode and depletion layers are formed in the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The control voltage V.sub.B applied to the first electrode increases the expanse of one of the depletion layers relative to that of the other to cause the light-induced charge to drift toward one of the depletion layers or the other. Consequently, a positive or negative current is delivered through the second electrode. Thus, the photosensitivity of the photodetector can be controlled by the control voltage V.sub.B.

Abstract: A photovoltaic diode unit cell (10) includes a first layer (14) having a first type of electrical conductivity and a second layer (16) of Group II-VI material having a second type of electrical conductivity that differs from the first type. The first layer and the second layer are coupled together so as to form a photovoltaic junction (15) therebetween. The photovoltaic junction is coupled via electrical interconnects (18, 20, 22) to a readout 24 and collects first charge carriers resulting from an absorption of IR radiation within the layer 14. The junction also collects second charge carriers resulting from the absorption of visible light in a region of highly graded crystal potential formed, in a Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE)-grown embodiment of this invention, at an interface of a substrate and the first layer. The substrate is subsequently removed, preferably by a mechanical operation followed by a wet chemical etch, to expose the region of highly graded crystal potential.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell comprising a plurality of film layers, at least one of the layers being a semiconductor film of amorphous, hydrogenated carbon. The preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of semiconductor films sandwiched together in layers, every three layers forming a PIN junction. All films are made of amorphous, hydrogenated carbon and vary only by dopant levels within each PIN junction. There are variations in bandgap from one PIN junction to the next in order that the photovoltaic effect in each PIN junction will be caused by a different portion of the spectrum of light.

Abstract: Variable spectrum photodetector allowing the detection of the three main colors of the visible spectrum (red, green and blue) by varying the bias voltage by a few volts around zero. It is built using known thin-film technology and is externally connected by means of two electrical terminals, thus rendering the realization of integrated 2D matrices extremely easy. It is especially applied to the manufacture of TV cameras, fax machines, etc. and of all systems requiring images reconstruction, its structure consisting of a specific overlaying of thin films, preferably of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and of its silicon-carbon alloys (a-SiC:H) and silicon-germanium (a-SiGe:H) placed by "Glow Discharge" technique. The invention can be applied to big dimensions structures. Advantages essentially are electrical simplicity and, consequently, it has more maintainability.

Abstract: A three-color optical detector has independent bias and readout for the colors. The three-color detector includes a substrate and first, second, and third detector layers stacked one on top of another and the substrate. Each detector layer is designed to operate at a respective predetermined bias and to absorb incident light having wavelengths in a respective range. A plurality of conductive layers are interleaved among the three detector layers and the substrate in such a way that the respective biasses can be applied to the detector layers and signals generated by the detector layers can be accessed. A two-dimensional array of such three-color optical detectors is also described that is connected to an electronic device, such as a multiplexer, for applying the predetermined biasses and reading out the signals. The electronic device is disposed on a separate substrate and is electrically connected to the detectors on a pixel-by-pixel basis by a set of metallic bump bonds.

Abstract: A solid state image sensing element including a substrate, photodiode areas each having a plurality of photodiodes in matrix array formed on the substrate, a flat area formed over the substrate including the photodiode areas, color filter layers formed in predetermined areas on the flat area, a top coating layer formed in predetermined areas on the flat area, a top coating layer formed over the substrate including the color filter areas, stripe microlenses each having a flat upper surface arranged to correspond to the photodiodes arranged in one direction in the photodiode areas and formed on the top coating layer, and mosaic microlenses formed on the flat upper surface of the stripe microlens each arranged corresponding to each of the photodiodes in the photodiode area.

Abstract: An image sensor is reduced in size by combining a photoelectric conversion element with a transfer element thin film transistor (TFT). The photoelectric conversion element comprises a lamination including a metal electrode, a photoconductive layer and a transparent electrode. The TFT transfer element comprises a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a source electrode. In the image sensor, the metal electrode of the photoelectric conversion element also serves as the drain electrode of the TFT. In addition, the gate electrode is formed around the photoelectric conversion element, and the source electrode is formed around the gate electrode.

Abstract: A multiwavelength local plane array infrared detector is included on a common substrate having formed on its top face a plurality of In.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As (x.ltoreq.0.53) absorption layers, between each pair of which a plurality of InAs.sub.y P.sub.1-y (y.ltoreq.

Abstract: A solid state image pick-up device has a first pixel for outputting a first color signal and a second pixel for outputting a second color signal different from the first color signal. The first and second pixels have semiconductor junctions between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, respectively, with different junction capacities from each other.

Abstract: In a color CCD camera, a distance between a micro lens and a photodiode is determined dependent on a color light among red, green and blue. Alternative to this structure, a curvature of a micro lens is determined dependent on a color light among red, green and blue. In accordance with this structure, high sensitivity is obtained with improved color balance.

Abstract: A first transparent protection layer is formed on color filters, and micro lenses are further formed on the first transparent protection layer. Then unevenness due to the micro lenses is flattened by a first transparent resin layer which has water repellency and oil repellency (low surface energy), a high transmittance in visible light range, a high flattening capability in a coating process, and a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the micro lenses. With the above-mentioned arrangement, dust or the like can be difficult to contaminate the surface of the solid state image sensor without loosing the light converging effect of the micro lenses. Even when dust or the like attaches to the surface, it can be easily removed with a cotton swab or the like.

Abstract: Component comprising a stack of at least two associated elementary cells (1, 2) with different spectral response features, characterized in that at least one of the elementary cells is capable of being mechanically deformed. The flexibility of this cell is sufficiently high that it can adhere directly to the other cell simply by van der Waals' interaction between the two surfaces opposite the elementary cells. The interface (20) separating the two opposite surfaces can be either sufficiently thin to form a tunnel junction electrically coupling both elementary cells to one another, the opposite layers of the elementary cells then being layers of degenerated semiconductor material p.sup.+ and n.sup.+, sufficiently high to prevent any coupling between the two elementary cells, said cells then each having its own pairs of electrodes leading to separate terminals of the component.

Abstract: A multiwavelength focal plane array infrared detector is included on a common substrate having formed on its top face a plurality of In.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As (x.ltoreq.0.53) absorption layers, between each pair of which a plurality of InAs.sub.y P.sub.

Abstract: A dual-band HgCdTe radiation detector (10) includes a four layer n-p.sup.+ -p-n.sup.+ structure, grown by LPE, upon a substrate (12). The four layers are, from a bottom layer next to the substrate to the surface: (a) a MWIR radiation responsive n-type absorbing layer (14); (b) a p.sup.+ cap layer (16); (c) a LWIR radiation responsive p-type layer (18); and (d) an n+ top layer (20). The n.sup.+ top layer has a compositional profile that is similar to the p-type cap layer. Operation of this structure involves biasing the top layer positive with respect to the bottom layer, which results in the collection of LWIR-generated electrons in the p-type layer. Biasing the top layer negative with respect to the bottom layer results in MWIR-generated holes being collected by the bottom n-p+ junction.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon color detector comprising a structure composed of a transparent conductive oxide film (TCO) layer/an a-Si:H layer/a metal layer, of which the a-Si:H layer is an amorphous silicone layer having a thickness greater than 1 .mu.m, and the metal layer is made of a metals selected from the metal group consisting of Cr, Au, Pd, Al, Pt, Mo, Ag or Ti. A depletion region of the color-detector is re-arranged in position and in content thereof according to the absorbencies to different color lights in different bias voltages to achieve the purpose of detecting different color light. An amorphous silicone color image sensor comprises a plurality of the color detectors arranged in linear array incorporated with a scanning device, a processor and an A/D converter to process the signals obtained from scanning. The amorphous silicone color image sensor is especially used in a scanning machine or a fax machine. A manufacture process of the amorphous silicon color detector is also disclosed.

Abstract: A photosensitive apparatus comprises a single crystal structure, wherein different regions of the structure are of different compositions. A first photosensitive region comprises a material adapted to generate electron-hole pairs in an area thereof exposed to light within a predetermined first range of wavelength, and a second photosensitive region, comprises a material adapted to generate electron-hole pairs in an area thereof exposed to light within a predetermined second range of wavelength different from the first range of wavelength.