US3670198A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solid-state vidicon structure
Assignee: Sprague Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-09-30
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1989-09-30
Abstract
Abstract A charge storage vidicon camera structure is provided by covering a thin semiconductor wafer with a semi-insulating layer. A spacial optical pattern is projected onto this photoelectrically active material and transformed into a time sequence of electrical codes which can be subsequently reconverted into an optical image.
Inventors
- 👤 Krut Lehovec
- 👤 Frank H Hielscher
- 👤 Horst M Preier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:17
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J29/00; H01J29/02; H01J29/10; H01J29/36; H01J29/39; H01J29/45; H01J29/451; H10; H10D; H10D99/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A structure for conversion of illumination into an electrical signal comprising a silicon semiconducting substrate, a first semi-insulator comprising a material from the group of SiO2, Si3N4 or a combination thereof, said first semi-insulator having a common interface with said substrate and a thickness in the range between 20 and 500 A, a second semi-insulator of a material different from said group and substantially thicker than said first semi-insulator and overlying said first semi-insulator, means to electrically charge the surface of said second semiinsulator with respect to said substrate causing a depletion layer in said substrate, said electric charge on the surface of said second semi-insulator discharging with time through said underlying semi-insulators and depletion layer, the rate of said discharge increasing with increase in the illumination of said underlying substrate, and means to ascertain the local rate of said discharge by an electrical signal passed in sequence through various sensing points laterally spaced along said interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A structure for conversion of illumination into an electrical signal comprising a silicon semiconducting substrate, a first semi-insulator comprising a material from the group of SiO2, Si3N4 or a combination thereof, said first semi-insulator having a common interface with said substrate and a thickness in the range between 20 and 500 A, a second semi-insulator of a material different from said group and substantially thicker than said first semi-insulator and overlying said first semi-insulator, means to electrically charge the surface of said second semiinsulator with respect to said substrate causing a depletion layer in said substrate, said electric charge on the surface of said second semi-insulator discharging with time through said underlying semi-insulators and depletion layer, the rate of said discharge increasing with increase in the illumination of said underlying substrate, and means to ascertain the local rate of said discharge by an electrical signal passed in sequence through various sensing points laterally spaced along said interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structure of claim 1 in which said means to charge said surface of said second semi-insulator comprises: an electron beam impinging on said surface and scanning the surface of said second semi-insulator in a repetitious manner returning to the same position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The structure of claim 2 in which said means to pass an electrical signal through said semi-insulators and substrate comprises: an electrical circuit which establishes a positive potential of said semiconductor with respect to the cathode emitting said electron beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein said electrical signal comprises: an ac current, the frequency of which depends upon the capacitance of said sensing points.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The structure of claim 3 comprising an insulating layer in form of a grid structure overlying said semiconducting substrate, said semi-insulating layers in the openings of said grid structure representing said sensing points.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said sensing points are discretely spaced, the spacing of neighboring sensing points being large compared with the combined thickness of said semi-insulators, thereby combining lateral isolation of said sensing points along said semi-insulators with semiconduction perpendicularly through said semi-insulators.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 1 in which said semiconducting substrate is of N-type conductivity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The structure of claim 7 comprising a conducting grid structure deposited on the outside surface of said second semi-insulator shielding said second semi-insulator from charging by the electron beam except that the openings of said grid structure and preventing the flow off of the impinging electrons through said semi-insulators at the positions shielded by said grid structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The structure of claim 8 in which said conducting grid structure is charged to a positive potential.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The structure of claim 7 comprising: an insulative grid structure deposited on the outside surface of said second semi-insulator shielding said second semi-insulator from charging By the electron beam except that the openings of said grid structure and preventing the flow off of the impinging electrons through said semi-insulators at the positions shielded by said grid structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The structure of claim 5 in which said semiconducting substrate is N-type silicon and said insulating layer is silicon dioxide in the order of 2000 to 5000 A units thick.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 5 in which said insulating layer overlaying the illuminated surface of said semiconducting substrate lowers the surface recombination of photon-generated carriers under illumination.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
The structure of claim 1 in which the dopant impurity concentration in said semiconducting substrate varies with position from a high dopant concentration in the area of said semiconducting substrate furthest from said first semi-insulator with decreasing concentration towards said first semi-insulator causing an electric field which drives photoelectrically generated minority carriers towards said depletion layer preventing their surface recombination at the surface of said surface opposite to said first-semi-insulator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
The structure of claim 6 in which said semiconducting substrate comprises: channels of one conductivity type separated from each other by at least one region of opposite conductivity type with said channels having an exposed surface in the same plane as one surface of said substrate; a film of at least one semi-insulator overlaying said substrate surface and having a common interface with each channel; and an insulator film which overlays said semi-insulator and contains openings for electric access to said semi-insulator overlaying said channels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
The structure of claim 14 in which said means to charge the surface of said semi-insulator comprises: a multiplicity of conducting lines which overlay said insulator and the exposed surface of said semi-insulator and which cross over said channels, together with means to apply in sequence, an electrical potential to each said line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
The structure of claim 15 in which the means to pass an electrical signal through said semi-insulator and said channels comprises: an electrical circuit which sequentially establishes the necessary potential on the end surface of each semiconducting channel to form a depletion layer in said channel adjacent to said semi-insulator; said potential depending upon the conductivity type of said channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
108 words
The structure of claim 6 in which said semiconducting substrate comprises: channels of one conductivity type separated from each other by at least one region of opposite conductivity type with said channels having an exposed surface in the same plane as one surface of said substrate; a transparent insulative layer of SiO2 in the order of 2000 to 5000 A units thick thermally grown on the surface of said semiconducting substrate faced by said channels, openings in said transparent insulative layer to expose the surface of said channels; a film of at least one semi-insulator overlaying both said transparent insulative layer and the exposed surface of said channels.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The structure of claim 17 in which said means to charge the surface of said semi-insulator comprises: a multiplicity of conducting lines which overlay said insulative layer and cross over said channels, together with means to apply in sequence, an electrical potential to each said line.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
The structure of claim 18 in which the means to pass an electrical signal through said semi-insulator and said channels comprises: an electrical circuit which sequentially establishes the necessary potential on the end surface of each semiconductor channel to form a depletion layer in said channel adjacent to said semi-insulator, said potential depending upon the conductivity type of said channel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 17, including a transparent insulator overlaying the illuminated surface of said semiconducting substrate to lower the surface recombination of photon-generated carrIers under illumination.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 6, whereby said semiconducting substrate is of uneven thickness, being thinner in positions adjacent to said discretely spaced sensing points.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |