OPTOELECTRONIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

• US 3,639,770 A
• Filed: 09/23/1968
• Issued: 02/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefunken Electronic GmbH
• Original Assignee: Walter Zizelmann
• Inventors: Zizelmann, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lafranchi, V.
• Application Number:
  US04/761,685
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 250/239,218 356/135,133 340/234,237,244
• US Class Current: 250/574
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2925 using electrical detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/43 by measuring critical angle

Abstract

An optoelectronic or photosensitive semiconductor device in which a light-emitting element and a light-responsive element are arranged in a common casing, the degree of photocoupling between the two elements being dependent entirely on conditions exterior of the casing. In one embodiment, the two elements are embedded in a light-permeable mass, the boundary surface of which, together with a medium surrounding the mass, forms a surface whose reflection characteristic is dependent on the indices of refraction of the mass and of the medium, the elements themselves being so arranged that when the index of refraction of the medium is such that the boundary reflects the light coming from the light-emitting element, the reflected light is picked up by the light-responsive element, with the amount of light being picked up being dependent on, and thus an indication of, the medium surrounding the mass. In another embodiment, light emitted by the light-emitting element is free to exit the mass and, if reflected by an object outside the mass, is picked up by the lightresponsive element.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic semiconductor device comprising, in combination:

a. a radiation-permeable mass selected from the group consisting of resin, glass, and a mixture of resin and glass, and constructed in the form of a closed casing having a hemispherical or conical configuration having an index of refraction and defining an outer boundary surface. b. a radiation-emitting gallium-arsenide luminescence-type diode embedded in said mass and arranged to emit a beam of radiation at an angle of incidence with respect to said boundary surface which is less than the critical angle at said boundary surface when said boundary surface is surrounded by a liquid medium to permit substantially all of the radiated beam to freely exit from said mass, and greater than the critical angle at said boundary surface when said boundary surface is surrounded by a gaseous medium to reflect substantially all of the radiated beam as a function of the index of refraction of said gaseous medium;

c. a radiation-responsive semiconductor element embedded in said mass and arranged in the path of radiation reflected from said boundary surface to receive same; and

d. a socket connected to said mass which mass enlarges toward said socket, and leads extending through said socket and connected to the radiation emitting diode and the radiationresponsive element, the radiation emitting diode being arranged on said socket and said radiation responsive semiconductor element being spaced from said socket and supported on one end of one of said leads, which lead extends beyond said socket and into said mass.

2. An optoelectronic semiconductor device comprising, in combination:

a. a radiation-permeable mass forming a closed hemispherical casing;

b. a radiation-emitting gallium-arsenide luminescence diode embedded in said mass near the center of said hemispherical casing and arranged to emit radiation which exits from said mass without being reflected;

c. a radiation-responsive silicon photodiode embedded in said mass near the center of said hemispherical casing and adjacent the radiation-emitting diode and arranged to receive radiation emitted by said radiation-emitting diode and reflected by striking an opaque object to be detected outside of said mass; and

d. a socket connected to said mass and having a bottom surface on which said diodes are mounted, which mass enlarges toward said socket, and leads extending through said socket and connected to said diodes.

3. An optoelectronic semiconductor device comprising, in combination;

a. a radiation-permeable mass forming a closed casing;

b. a radiation-emitting element embedded in said mass;

c. a radiation-responsive element embedded in said mass for receiving radiation emitted by said radiation-emitting element and reflected back into the mass; and

d. a socket connected to said mass and having a bottom surface on which at least said radiation-emitting element is mounted, which mass enlarges toward said socket, and leads extending through said socket and connected to said elements.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said radiation-responsive element is mounted on said bottom surface.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said mass is hemispherical or conical.

6. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said radiation-emitting element is a gallium-arsenide luminescence-type diode.

7. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said radiation-responsive element is a silicon photodiode, a phototransistor, or a photoresistor.