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:
Oct. 21, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 27, 1995
Minoru Niigaki, Hamamatsu, JP;
Toru Hirohata, Hamamatsu, JP;
Tomoko Suzuki, Hamamatsu, JP;
Masami Yamada, Hamamatsu, JP;
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, JP;
Abstract
A photoelectric emission surface which is excellent in stability and reproducibility of photoelectric conversion characteristics and has a structure capable of obtaining a high photosensitivity is provided. A predetermined voltage is applied between an upper surface electrode and a lower surface electrode by a battery. Upon application of this voltage, a p-n junction formed between a contact layer and an electron emission layer is reversely biased. A depletion layer extends from the p-n junction into the photoelectric emission surface, and an electric field is formed in the electron emission layer and a light absorbing layer in a direction for accelerating photoelectrons. When incident light is absorbed in the light absorbing layer to excite photoelectrons, the photoelectrons are accelerated by the electric field toward the emission surface. The photoelectrons obtain an energy upon this electric field acceleration, and are transitioned, in the electron emission layer, to a conduction band at a higher energy level, and emitted into a vacuum.