Optoelectronic active circuit element

• US 5,510,665 A
• Filed: 06/28/1993
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• 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:
  US08/040,897
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 310/301, 310/303, 359/39, 359/244, 359/299, 250/208.4, 250/208.6, 136/253, 136/254
• 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 means 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 comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material that is a liquid crystal display material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means,

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

2. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source means 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 comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material that is a lead lantium zirconium titinate material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means,

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

3. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source means that is a light emitting polymer material 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 comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means,

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

4. The optoelectronic device of claim 3 wherein the light emitting polymer material comprises an organize polymer incorporating a radioisotope emitting betas to which an organic phosphor is bonded, wherein the radioisotope consists of a radioisotope selected from the group ³ H, ¹⁰ Be, ¹⁴ C, ³² Si and ³² P.

5. The optoelectronic device of claim 3 wherein the light emitting polymer material is comprised of a tritiated organic polymer to which an organic phosphor is bonded.

6. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source means having at least one light emitting surface for emitting light energy in a specified frequency bandwidth that is substantially monochromatic;

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 comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means,

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

7. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source means 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;

optical control means comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means; and

focal means optically interposed between the light emitting surface of the light source means and the light collecting surface of the photocell means for focusing the emitted light energy on the photocell means,

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

8. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source means 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;

optical control means comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means such that the optotelectronic device behaves as an active circuit element where the electrical output signal is a function of the input signal;

a first optical mating means optically interposed between the light emitting surface of the light source means and the optical control means; and

a second optical mating means optically interposed between the optical control means and the light collecting surface of the photocell means,

whereby the first and second optical mating means operate to increase the transmisivity of the emitted light energy.

9. The optoelectronic device of claim 8 wherein the first and second optical mating means are comprised of a first and second optical gel, the first optical gel having an index of refraction equal to the square root of the product of the index of refraction of the light source means and the index of refraction of the optical control means and the second optical gel having an index of refraction to the square root of the product of the index of refraction of the optical control means and the index of refraction of the photocell means.

10. The optoelectronic device of claim 8 wherein the first and second optical mating means are comprised of a first and second sputtering material, the first sputtering material having an index of refraction equal to the square root of the product of the index of refraction of the light source means and the index of refraction of the optical control means and the second sputtering material having an index of refraction to the square root of the product of the index of refraction of the optical control means and the index of refraction of the photocell means.

11. The optoelectronic device of claim 8 wherein the first and second optical mating means are comprised of a first and second sputtering region, the first sputtering region defining a sputtering depth wherein the optical control means is sputtered into the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second sputtering defining a sputtering depth wherein the optical control means is sputtered into the light absorbing surface of the photocell means.

12. An optoelectronic device comprising:

a light source means 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;

optical control means comprising a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material having at least a first and second surface, the first surface being in intimate contact with the light emitting surface of the light source means and the second surface being in intimate contact with the light collecting surface of the photocell means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of emitted light energy that may be absorbed by the photocell means in response to an input signal by receiving the emitted light incident upon the first surface, modulating the emitted light within the photorefractive material in response to the input signal and emitting a modulated light energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the photocell means,

such that the optotelectronic device behaves as an active circuit element where the electrical output signal is a function of the input signal and such that the optoelectronic device operates at frequencies greater than 1 megahertz and has a functional capacitance of less than 1 microfarad.

13. An optoelectronic device comprising:

emitter means for providing photon energy;

collector means for receiving photon energy from the emitter means and converting the photon energy to an electrical energy signal; and

optical control means comprised of a generally planar sheet of photorefractive material having at least a first and second surface interposed between and in intimate contact with the emitter means and the collector means for transmitting and directly modulating the amount of photon energy from the emitter means to the collector means in response to an electrical input signal by receiving the photon energy incident upon the first surface, modulating the photon energy within the photorefractive material in response to the electrical input signal and emitting a modulated photon energy from the second surface to be absorbed by the collector means,

such that the electrical energy signal is a function of the electrical input signal.

14. The optoelectronic active circuit element of claim 13 wherein the photorefractive material is a liquid crystal display material.

15. The optoelectronic active circuit element of claim 13 wherein the photorefractive material is a lead lantium zirconium titinate material.