Optoelectronic shutter, method of operating the same and optical apparatus including the optoelectronic shutter

• US 9,151,711 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Yong-chul, Jang, Jae-hyung, Park, Yong-hwa, Park, Chang-soo, Song, Jong-In
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Tony
• Application Number:
  US14/050,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20140034811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/41 Refractivity; Phase-affecting properties, e.g. optical path length G01N21/21 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14806 Structural or functional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/153 formed in, or on, a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1892 methods involving the use of temporary, removable substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/305 Frequency-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

An optoelectronic shutter, a method of operating the same, and an optical apparatus including the optoelectronic shutter are provided. The optoelectronic shutter includes a phototransistor which generates an output signal from incident input light and a light emitting diode serially connected to the phototransistor. The light emitting diode outputs output light according to the output signal, and the output signal is gain-modulated according to a modulation of a current gain of the phototransistor.

Claims

1. A method of operating an optoelectronic shutter including a phototransistor which generates an output signal from incident input light and a light emitting diode serially connected to the phototransistor, wherein the light emitting diode outputs output light according to the output signal, and the output signal is gain-modulated according to a modulation of a current gain of the phototransistor, the method comprising:

modulating a base current of the phototransistor to modulate a current gain of the phototransistor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a modulation frequency of the base current is different from a modulation frequency of the input light.

3. An optical apparatus comprising an optoelectronic shutter, wherein the optoelectronic shutter comprises:

a phototransistor which generates an output signal from incident input light; and

a light emitting diode serially connected to the phototransistor,

wherein the light emitting diode outputs output light according to the output signal, and

wherein the output signal is gain-modulated according to a modulation of a current gain of the phototransistor.

4. The optical apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a light source which irradiates light onto an object;

an optical image sensor which receives the output light output from the optoelectronic shutter; and

a controller which controls the light source, the optoelectronic shutter, and the optical image sensor,

wherein the optoelectronic shutter gain-modulates light reflected by the object and outputs the output light, and the optical image sensor detects a phase delay of the light reflected by the object by sampling the output light.