The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 03, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1990
Yukio Takasaki, Kawasaki, JP;
Kazutaka Tsuji, Hachioji, JP;
Tatsuo Makishima, Mitaka, JP;
Tadaaki Hirai, Koganei, JP;
Sachio Ishioka, Burlingame, CA (US);
Tatsuro Kawamura, Tama, JP;
Keiichi Shidara, Tama, JP;
Eikyu Hiruma, Komae, JP;
Kenkichi Tanioka, Tokyo, JP;
Junichi Yamazaki, Kawasaki, JP;
Kenji Sameshima, Hachioji, JP;
Hirokazu Matsubara, Tokyo, JP;
Kazuhisa Taketoshi, Sagamihara, JP;
Mitsuo Kosugi, Tokyo, JP;
Shiro Suzuki, Yokosuka, JP;
Takashi Yamashita, Sagamihara, JP;
Masaaki Aiba, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshizumi Ikeda, Tokyo, JP;
Tsuyoshi Uda, Kodaira, JP;
Naohiro Goto, Machida, JP;
Yasuhiko Nonaka, Mobara, JP;
Eisuke Inoue, Mobara, JP;
Hirofumi Ogawa, Hachioji, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Nippon Hoso Kyokai, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A photoconductive device having a photoconductive layer which includes an amorphous semiconductor layer capable of charge multiplication in at least a part thereof is disclosed. The method of operating such a photoconductive device is also disclosed. By using the avalanche effect of the amorphous semiconductor layer, it is possible to realize a highly sensitive photoconductive device while maintaining low lag property. In one aspect of the present invention, the amorphous semiconductor layer is amorphous Se. In another aspect of the present invention, the amorphous semiconductor layer is composed mainly of tetrahedral elements including at least an element of hydrogen or halogens. When using the amorphous semiconductor layer composed mainly of tetrahedral elements, the charge multiplication effect is produced mainly in the interior of the amorphous semiconductor, and thus it is possible to obtain a thermally stable photoconductive device having a high sensitivity while keeping a good photoresponse.