Optoelectronic fiber photodetector
First Claim
1. A fiber photodetector comprising:
- A semiconducting element having a fiber length and being characterized as a non-composite material in at least one fiber direction;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides an optical fiber photodetector including a photoconductive element, such as a semiconducting element, having a fiber length. The semiconducting element is characterized as a non-composite material in at least one fiber direction. At least one pair of conducting electrodes is in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length, and an insulator is provided along the fiber length. An optical resonator can be disposed along the fiber length and along a path of illumination to the semiconducting element. The resonator is dimensioned to substantially reflect all illumination wavelengths except for a prescribed range of wavelengths transmitted to the semiconducting element. The fiber photodetector can be arranged in a photodetecting fiber grid, photodetecting fiber fabric, or other configuration for detecting incident illumination.
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Citations
91 Claims
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1. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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A semiconducting element having a fiber length and being characterized as a non-composite material in at least one fiber direction;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 51, 53, 54, 61, 63, 65)
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4. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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a non-composite photoconductive element having a fiber length;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the photoconductive element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length.
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5. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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A non-particulate semiconducting element having a fiber length;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length.
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6. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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a semiconducting element having a fiber length and being continuous along at least one fiber direction;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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an inorganic photoconductive element having a fiber length;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the photoconductive element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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A semiconducting element having a fiber length and being homogeneous in it least one fiber direction;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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a noncrystalline semiconducting element having a fiber length;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A fiber photodetector comprising:
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a semiconducting element having a fiber length and being characterized by a bandgap that is less than about 3 eV;
at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length; and
an insulator along the fiber length. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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- 33. The fiber photodetector of claim 33 wherein the chalcogenide glass comprises (As40Se60)1-xSnx.
- 37. The fiber photodetector of claim 37 wherein the polymeric insulating material comprises a high glass-transition-temperature material.
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48. The fiber photodetector of claim 48 wherein the photodetector circuit is configured to measure an indication of photogenerated charge produced by the fiber photodetector.
- 49. The fiber photodetector of claim 49 wherein the photodetector circuit is configured to measure current as an indication of photogenerated charge produced by the fiber photodetector.
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52. The fiber photodetector of claim 52 wherein the plurality of pairs of conducting electrodes are arranged at selected positions on the semiconducting element and with connections to apply corresponding bias voltages to the semiconducting element for determining incident illumination directionality.
- 55. The fiber photodetector of claim 55 wherein the optical resonator is disposed along the fiber length concentrically with the semiconducting element.
- 58. The fiber photodetector of claim 58 wherein the optical resonant cavity comprises an insulator.
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62. The fiber photodetector of claim 62 wherein at least one fiber photodetector in the fiber grid includes an optical resonator disposed along the fiber length and along a path of illumination to the semiconducting element, the resonator being dimensioned to substantially reflect all illumination wavelengths except for a prescribed range of wavelengths transmitted to the semiconducting element.
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64. The fiber fabric of claim 64 wherein at least one fiber photodetector in the fiber fabric includes an optical resonator disposed along the fiber length and along a path of illumination to the semiconducting element, the resonator being dimensioned to substantially reflect all illumination wavelengths except for a prescribed range of wavelengths transmitted to the semiconducting element.
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66. The fiber photodetector of claim 66 wherein photodetection properties characteristic of the fiber photodetector are maintained at an operating temperature of at least about 200°
- C. and a duration of at least about 24 hours.
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67. A photodetecting fiber grid comprising:
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a plurality of rows of fiber photodetectors;
a plurality of columns of fiber photodetectors;
wherein each fiber photodetector includes a semiconducting element having a fiber length, at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length, and an insulator along the fiber length; and
wherein each fiber photodetector is connected to a sensing circuit for detecting coordinates of illumination incident on the fiber grid.
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- 68. The photodetecting fiber grid of claim 68 wherein a number, 2N, of fiber photodetectors are included in the fiber grid and the detected fiber grid illumination coordinates are characterized by a detection resolution of N2.
- 70. The photodetecting fiber grid of claim 70 wherein each fiber grid row comprises a plurality of the fiber photodetectors, at least one fiber photodetector in the row including an optical resonator disposed along the fiber length and along a path of illumination to the semiconducting element, the resonator being dimensioned to substantially reflect all illumination wavelengths except for a prescribed range of wavelengths transmitted to the semiconducting element.
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79. The photodetecting fiber grid of claim 79 wherein the computer is programmed to compare the acquired photogenerated charge signals and determine a grid row having a maximum charge signal and a grid column having a maximum charge signal, indicating the coordinates of illumination incident on the fiber grid.
- 81. The photodetecting fiber grid of claim 81 wherein the transparent medium comprises a glass.
- 86. The photodetecting fiber grid of claim 86 wherein the three-dimensional structure comprises a sphere.
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89. A photodetecting fiber fabric comprising:
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a plurality of fiber photodetectors woven together;
wherein each fiber photodetector includes a semiconducting element having a fiber length, at least one pair of conducting electrodes in contact with the semiconducting element along the fiber length, and an insulator along the fiber length; and
wherein each fiber photodetector is connected to a sensing circuit for detecting illumination incident on the fiber fabric.
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- 90. The photodetecting fiber fabric of claim 90 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of woven fiber photodetectors each includes an optical resonator disposed along the fiber length and along a path of illumination to the semiconducting element, the resonator being dimensioned to substantially reflect all illumination wavelengths except for a prescribed range of wavelengths, substantially distinct to that fiber photodetector, that are transmitted to the semiconducting element.
Specification