Optoelectronic active circuit element

• US 5,237,233 A
• Filed: 09/04/1990
• Issued: 08/17/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E F Johnson Company (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Original Assignee: E F Johnson Company (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Conley, Jerry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moskowitz, Nelson
• Application Number:
  US07/578,000
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 310/302, 310/303, 136/249, 136/253, 357/30, 313/504, 359/108, 359/163, 359/323, 385/2, 250/551
• US Class Current: 310/303
• CPC Class Codes: G21H 1/12 Cells using conversion of the radiation into light combined with subsequent photoelectric conversion into electric energy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/12 structurally associated with, e.g. formed in or on a common substrate with, one or more electric light sources, e.g. electroluminescent light sources, and electrically or optically coupled thereto semiconductor devices with at least one potential barrier or surface barrier adapted for light emission H01L33/00; amplifiers using electroluminescent element and photocell H03F17/00; electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

An optoelectronic active circuit element is created by the combination of a light source, an optical control filter and a photocell intimately coupled together. The light source has at least one light emitting surface emitting light energy of a specified frequency bandwidth and the photocell has at least one light absorbing surface for receiving the emitted light energy. The optical control filter includes a photorefractive material responsive to an input signal. The optical control filter may also include a polarization filter. The optoelectronic active circuit element modulates the amplitude, frequency or both of the emitted light energy in response to the input signal to produce a characteristic function of the output of the device that is similar to that of a traditional active circuit element, as well as many variations on that function.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source having at least one light emitting surface for emitting light energy in a specified frequency bandwidth;

a photocell means having a light collecting surface for absorbing light energy and converting the light energy into an electrical output signal; and

optical control means having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for controlling the emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal, the optical control means comprising;

an interference filter means for polarizing the emitted light energy to produce a polarized light energy; and

a polarization filter means for controlling the polarized light energy by changes in one or more indices of refraction of the polarization means as a result of changes in one or more bandpass frequencies of the polarization filter means in response to the input signal,

whereby the optoelectronic device behaves as an active circuit element such that the electrical output signal is a function of the input signal.