Plurality of photodetectors, each having individually selected light-transmitting member on front face to provide uniform output characteristic

• US 5,859,423 A
• Filed: 02/28/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kondo, Kazuhiro, Kodama, Shuichi, Shimoyama, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Application Number:
  US08/808,296
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.1, 250/214 R, 250/208.1, 250/208.2, 250/216, 250/226, 250/239, 257/432, 257/433, 257/434, 437/2, 437/3, 437/5, 437/8, 437/51, 437/209, 437/214, 437/219, 438/55, 438/57, 438/59, 438/64, 438/65, 438/66, 438/67, 438/106, 438/116
• US Class Current: 250/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0209 Monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0407 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0203 Containers; Encapsulations , e.g. encapsulation of photodiodesfor photovoltaic devices H01L31/048; for organic photosensitive devices H10K30/80

Abstract

A plurality of photo-detectors are provided wherein each photodetector includes a photosensitive semiconductor having a light-receiving face, a pair of leads electrically connected to the photosensitive semiconductor, and an individually selected light-transmitting member disposed in front of the light-receiving face of the photosensitive semiconductor. The light-transmitting member has a selected light transmittance which is individually selected from a plurality of different light-transmitting members to compensate for variations in the photosensitive semiconductor such that the photosensitive semiconductor provides an output current within a selected range upon a predetermined quantity of light incident upon the photo-detector. The light transmissive compensating member may be formed by selecting at least one of a mixture of materials, color, thickness, and surface finishing.

Claims

1. A plurality of photo-detectors, each photo-detector comprising:

a photosensitive semiconductor having a light-receiving face;

a pair of leads electrically connected to said photosensitive semiconductor; and

an individually selected light-transmitting member disposed in front of said light-receiving face of said photosensitive semiconductor, said light-transmitting member having a selected light transmittance which is individually selected from a plurality of different light-transmitting members to compensate for variations in said photosensitive semiconductor such that said photosensitive semiconductor provides an output current within a selected range upon a predetermined quantity of light incident upon said photo-detector.

2. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 1, wherein each one of said light-transmitting members is a window pane member disposed above said photosensitive semiconductor.

3. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 1, wherein each one of said light-transmitting members is a resin case disposed above said photosensitive semiconductor.

4. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 1, wherein each one of said light-transmitting members is a resin coating member which covers said photosensitive semiconductor.

5. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 1, wherein each one of said light-transmitting members is a resin mold member which encloses said photosensitive semiconductor.

6. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 1, wherein each one of said light-transmitting members is a coating member which directly covers only a face of said photosensitive semiconductor.

7. A plurality of photo-detector, each photo-detector comprising:

a photosensitive semiconductor having a light-receiving face;

a pair of leads electrically connected to said photosensitive semiconductor; and

an individually selected light-transmitting member provided in front of said light-receiving face of said photosensitive semi-conductor, said light-transmitting member being formed by selecting at least one of a mixture of materials, color, thickness, and surface finishing such that said photosensitive semiconductor provides an output current within a selected current range upon a predetermined quantity of light incident upon said photo-detector, the plurality of photo-detectors including a plurality of different light-transmitting members.

8. A plurality of photo-detectors, each photo-detector comprising:

a photosensitive semiconductor having a light-receiving face, the photosensitive semiconductor having an output current within an initial range which includes a desired uniform range of output currents when a predetermined quantity of light impinges thereupon, the desired uniform range being smaller than the initial range, the initial range and the desired uniform range being defined by the output currents of the plurality of photosensitive semiconductors;

a pair of leads electrically connected to said photosensitive semiconductor; and

a light transmissive compensating member having a selected light transmittance and disposed in front of said light-receiving face of said photosensitive semiconductor for compensating for variations in output current of the photosensitive semiconductor so as to bring the output current of the photosensitive semiconductor within the desired uniform range of output currents when the predetermined quantity of light impinges thereupon, the light transmissive compensating member being individually selected from among plural members having light transmittances different from each other.

9. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 8, wherein each one of said light-transmissive compensating members is a window pane member disposed above said photosensitive semiconductor.

10. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 8, wherein each one of said light-transmissive compensating members is a resin case disposed above said photosensitive semiconductor.

11. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 8, wherein each one of said light-transmissive compensating members is a resin coating member which covers said photosensitive semiconductor.

12. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 8, wherein each one of said light-transmissive compensating members is a resin mold member which encloses said photosensitive semiconductor.

13. A plurality of photo-detectors in accordance with claim 8, wherein each one of said light-transmissive compensating members is a coating member which directly covers only a face of said photosensitive semiconductor.

14. A plurality of photo-detectors, each photo-detector comprising:

a photosensitive semiconductor having a light-receiving face, the photosensitive semiconductor having an output current within an initial range which includes a desired uniform range of output currents when a predetermined quantity of light impinges thereupon, the desired uniform range being smaller than the initial range, the initial range and the desired uniform range being defined by the output currents of the plurality of photosensitive semiconductors;

a pair of leads electrically connected to said photosensitive semiconductor; and

a light transmissive compensating member having a selected light transmittance and provided in front of said light-receiving face of said photosensitive semi-conductor for compensating for variations in output current of the photosensitive semiconductor so as to bring the output current of the photosensitive semiconductor within the desired uniform range of output currents when the predetermined quantity of light impinges thereupon, the light transmissive compensating member being individually selected from among plural members having light transmittances different from each other, the light transmissive compensating member being formed by selecting at least one of a mixture of materials, color, thickness, and surface finishing.