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. 06, 2015
Filed:
Apr. 10, 2014
Applicant:
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Inventors:
Ann Gabrys, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Peter Hopper, San Jose, CA (US);
William French, San Jose, CA (US);
Assignee:
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, Dallas, TX (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 31/02 (2006.01); H01L 31/0336 (2006.01); H01L 31/109 (2006.01); H01L 31/18 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 31/109 (2013.01); H01L 31/02005 (2013.01); H01L 31/1804 (2013.01); H01L 31/184 (2013.01);
Abstract
A photodetector detects the absence or presence of light by detecting a change in the inductance of a coil. The magnetic field generated when a current flows through the coil passes through an electron-hole generation region. Charged particles in the electron-hole generation region come under the influence of the magnetic field, and generate eddy currents whose magnitudes depend on whether light is absent or present. The eddy currents generate a magnetic field that opposes the magnetic field generated by current flowing through the coil.