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. 16, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 26, 1999
Masahiro Yokomichi, Chiba, JP;
Yukito Kawahara, Chiba, JP;
Satoshi Machida, Chiba, JP;
Tooru Shimizu, Chiba, JP;
Seiko Instruments Inc., , JP;
Abstract
A light receiving element is provided with a phototransistor and a light receiving MOS diode proximate thereto and having a gate electrode covering a portion of the base region of the phototransistor. The gate electrode permits transmission of a portion of received light. The light receiving MOS diode forms an inversion layer in a substrate adjacent the base of a phototransistor during the time photo charges are stored, and generated photo charges are stored in the inversion region and the base region of the phototransistor. During the storage state, the potential of the inversion region and the base region of the phototransistor is limited, so that the intensity of an electric field applied to an insulating film between the electrode and the semiconductor substrate is 0.7 MV/cm or less. Alternatively, the potential of the electrode in a waiting state is fixed or made floating, so that an electric field is not applied, and recombination at the surface of the semiconductor substrate is made stable.