JP2007096222A - Light receiving device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light receiving device by which a structure for taking out electric power obtained by sensing elements to the outside is simplified even if a large number of sensing elements are formed. <P>SOLUTION: The light receiving device 10 is provided with a substrate 11, second electrode layers 13A-13D which are formed on the top of the substrate 11, semiconductor layers 14 which are formed on tops of the second electrode layers 13A-13D, and first electrode layers 12A-12D which are formed on tops of the semiconductor layers 14. Additionally, the sensing elements 15 are formed of regions wherein the first electrode layers 12A-12D and the second electrode layers 13A-13D are superimposed one on another. Also, electric power is outputted individually from the first electrode layers 12A-12D and the second electrode layers 13A-13D. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light receiving device, and more particularly to a light receiving device in which sensing elements for sensing light are arranged in a matrix on a substrate.

  Conventionally, a position sensor has been used in which a large number of semiconductor elements made of silicon or the like are formed on a substrate and the position received by the semiconductor elements is detected (see Patent Document 1 below). By detecting the position irradiated with light on the substrate, it is possible to know the displacement of the light source that generates the light.

  With reference to FIG. 5, the structure of the light receiving device 100 capable of recognizing the irradiated position will be described. 5A is a plan view of the light receiving device 100, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B 'of FIG. 5A.

  Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in light receiving device 100, a large number of sensing elements 105 are formed in a matrix on the upper surface of substrate 101. Each sensing element 105 includes a second electrode 103, a semiconductor layer 104, and a first electrode 102 stacked on the upper surface of the substrate 101. The first electrode 102 and the second electrode 103 constituting the sensing element 105 are individually separated. Further, each of the first electrode 102 and the second electrode 103 constituting each sensing element 105 is connected to an output terminal (not shown) in order to output a signal to the outside.

When the light receiving device 100 is partially irradiated with light, electric power is output to the outside only from the received sensing element 105. On the other hand, no power is output from the sensing element 105 that does not receive light. Therefore, by examining the output from the sensing element 105, it is possible to detect the received region on the substrate 101.
JP 2002-090114 A

  However, since the output terminal is connected to each of the sensing elements 105 in the light receiving device 100 described above, a large number of output terminals are required. Therefore, there is a problem that the structure of the apparatus becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases. Further, when the number of sensing elements 105 is increased, such a problem becomes more remarkable.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a light receiving device with a simplified structure for taking out the electric power obtained from the sensing elements even when a large number of sensing elements are formed. Is to provide.

  The light-receiving device of the present invention includes a first electrode layer, a semiconductor layer, and a second electrode layer stacked on a substrate, and a plurality of the first electrode layers are independently formed in a strip shape, and the second electrode A plurality of layers are independently formed in a strip shape so as to intersect with the first electrode layer, and power is extracted from each of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

  Furthermore, in the light receiving device of the present invention, the first electrode layers and the second electrode layers are spaced apart from each other at a constant interval.

  Furthermore, in the light receiving device of the present invention, a distance between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer located at the end portion and a peripheral edge portion of the substrate is half of the predetermined interval.

  Furthermore, in the light receiving device of the present invention, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are connected to a control unit, and a sensing element is formed by the overlapping first electrode layer and second electrode layer, and the control unit The sensing element irradiated with light is specified based on outputs of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

  Furthermore, in the light-receiving device of the present invention, one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer.

  According to the present invention, since the number of output terminals is reduced with respect to the number of sensing elements formed in the light receiving device, the output structure of the light receiving device can be simplified. Specifically, in the light receiving device of the present invention, strip-shaped first electrode layer and second electrode layer are formed so as to cross each other. A sensing element that senses light incident from the outside is formed by a region where the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer overlap. Therefore, the sensing element irradiated with light can be specified by taking out electric power for each of the belt-like first electrode layer and second electrode layer.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, even when the substrates on which the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer, and the like are formed are arranged in a tile shape, the distance between the electrode layers can be made constant. Specifically, the distance between the first electrode layer located at the end and the terminal end of the substrate is set to half the distance between the first electrode layers. Further, the distance between the second electrode layer located at the end and the terminal end of the substrate is set to half of the distance between the second electrode layers. Thereby, even when the substrate on which the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are formed is arranged in a tile shape, the distance between the first electrode layers and the distance between the second electrodes are made the same. be able to.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the light receiving device 10 of the present embodiment will be described.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the structure of the light receiving device 10 of this embodiment will be described. 1A is a plan view of the light receiving device 10, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is FIG. It is sectional drawing in CC 'line | wire of ().

  With reference to FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1C, a light-receiving device 10 of this embodiment includes a substrate 11 and second electrode layers 13A to 13D formed on the upper surface of the substrate 11. The semiconductor layer 14 formed on the upper surface of the second electrode layers 13A to 13D and the first electrode layers 12A to 12D formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor layer 14 are provided.

  The substrate 11 is made of glass, metal, resin, or the like, and has a thickness of about 10 μm to 2000 μm, for example. When a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or copper is used as the substrate 11, an insulating layer made of a resin material is provided on the surface of the substrate 11, and the second electrode layers 13A to 13D and the substrate 11 are insulated. The substrate 11 may be flexible or may not be flexible. When a material that transmits light, such as glass or resin, is used as the material of the substrate 11 and light transmitted through the substrate 11 is detected, a transparent electrode is used as the second electrode layer.

  The second electrode layers 13 </ b> A to 13 </ b> D are provided in a strip shape on the surface of the substrate 11. Here, four second electrode layers 13 </ b> A to 13 </ b> D that are elongated in the left-right direction on the paper surface are formed on the surface of the substrate 11. Furthermore, the second electrode layers 13 </ b> A to 13 </ b> D extend from the left end of the substrate 11 to the opposite right end. The width L4 of the second electrode layers 13A to 13D is about 1 mm to 10 mm (for example, 4 mm). The distance L5 at which the second electrode layers 13A to 13D are separated from each other is constant, and is 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm (for example, 0.1 mm).

Further, the second electrode layers 13A to 13D are made of a conductive material having a thickness of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm. Examples of the conductive material include thin film metals such as aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium tin oxide (ITO), and tin oxide (SnO ₂ ). A transparent metal film such as can be used. Furthermore, a conductive paste made of a resin mixed with metal powder such as nickel (Ni) or copper (Cu) can be used as the material of the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. In particular, referring to FIG. 1B, when the substrate 11 is made of a transparent material such as glass and the semiconductor layer 14 is irradiated with light from below, a transparent metal film is employed as the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. . In this embodiment, output terminals are individually connected to the second electrode layers 13A to 13D, and the generated power is output to the outside.

  The semiconductor layer 14 is formed so that amorphous silicon, amorphous silicon carbide, amorphous silicon germanium, or the like is laminated on pn, pin, np, or nip and covers the entire upper surface of the substrate 11 and the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. ing. The film thickness of the semiconductor layer 14 is about 0.1 to 1.0 μm.

  The first electrode layers 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> D are provided in a strip shape on the upper surface of the semiconductor layer 14. On the paper surface, the first electrode layers 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> D extend in a strip shape from the upper end portion to the lower end portion of the substrate 11. The first electrode layers 12A to 12D intersect the second electrode layers 13A to 13D at a right angle. In this embodiment, output terminals are individually connected to the first electrode layers 12A to 12D, and the generated power is individually output to the outside.

  The thickness and material of the first electrode layers 12A to 12D are the same as those of the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. Furthermore, the width L1 of the first electrode layers 12A to 12D and the distance L2 between the first electrode layers 12A to 12D may be the same as those of the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. The first electrode layers 12A to 12D may be covered with a protective film made of a resin having a thickness of about 20 μm to 1000 μm.

  The sensing element 15 is formed at a portion where the first electrode layers 12A to 12D intersect with the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. Here, 16 sensing elements 15 are formed in a matrix. Referring to FIG. 1A, in the region where the sensing element 15 is formed, the semiconductor layer 14 is sandwiched between the first electrode layer 12C and the second electrode layer 13A. Therefore, for example, when the sensing element 15 is irradiated with light from the outside, electric power is output from the first electrode layer 12C and the second electrode layer 13A.

  In this embodiment, the strip-shaped first electrode layers 12A to 12D and the second electrode layers 13A to 13D are formed on one substrate 11 so that 16 sensing elements 15 are formed. Therefore, by analyzing outputs from the first electrode layers 12A to 12D and the second electrode layers 13A to 13D by a control unit or the like provided outside, the sensing element 15 irradiated with light can be specified. This matter will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first electrode layer 12A located at the end and the peripheral end of the substrate 11 are separated from each other. The distance L3 between the first electrode layer 12A and the peripheral edge of the substrate 11 is half of the distance L2 between the first electrode layers 12A to 12D. That is, when the distance L2 is 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm (for example, 0.1 mm), the distance L3 is 0.025 mm to 0.1 mm (for example, 0.05 mm).

  The same applies to the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. That is, the distance L6 between the second electrode layer 13A and the peripheral edge of the substrate 11 is about half of the distance L5 between the second electrode layers 13A to 13D. Specifically, the distance L6 is the same as the distance L3 described above, and is 0.025 mm to 0.1 mm (for example, 0.05 mm).

  As described above, by arranging the distance between the electrode layers and the peripheral edge of the substrate 11 to be half the distance between the electrode layers, a large number of substrates 11 are arranged in a tile shape, Even when a large light receiving device is formed, the distance between the electrode layers can be made the same. Further, the distances at which the sensing elements 15 are separated can be made the same. This matter will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view in which one large light receiving device 10E is formed by combining four light receiving devices 10A to 10D. The configuration of each of the light receiving devices 10A to 10D is the same as that of the light receiving device 10 illustrated in FIG.

  Here, the light receiving devices 10 </ b> A, 10 </ b> B, 10 </ b> C, and 10 </ b> D are arranged in a tile shape without a gap so that one light receiving device 10 </ b> E is formed. Accordingly, here, a total of 64 sensing elements 15 are formed on the surface of the light receiving device 10E. By forming the light receiving device 10E having a large area in this manner, light sensing can be performed over a wide range.

  The first electrode layer and the second electrode layer included in the adjacent light receiving device are electrically connected. That is, the second electrode layers 13A1 to 13A4 of the light receiving device 10A are connected to the second electrode layers 13B1 to 13B4 of the light receiving device 10B. Furthermore, the second electrode layers 13C1 to 13C4 of the light receiving device 10C are connected to the second electrode layers 13D1 to 13D4 of the light receiving device 10D. The first electrode layers 12A1 to 12A4 of the light receiving device 10A are connected to the first electrode layers 12C1 to 12C4 of the light receiving device 10C. Furthermore, the first electrode layers 12B1 to 12B4 of the light receiving device 10B are connected to the first electrode layers 12D1 to 12D4 of the light receiving device 10D.

  The electrode layers can be connected using solder, conductive paste, fine metal wires, or the like. Furthermore, the electrode layers themselves can be melted to connect the electrode layers together.

  As described above, since the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer of each of the light receiving devices 10A to 10D are connected to each other, the light receiving device 10E has 16 output terminals. Therefore, since the number of output terminals for the sensing element 15 is reduced, there is an advantage that the structure for connecting the light receiving device 10E and the outside can be simplified. For example, on the right side surface of the light receiving device 10E, eight output terminals are formed on the second electrode layers 13B1 to 13B4 and 13D1 to 13D4 and connected to the outside. Then, on the lower side surface of the light receiving device, eight output terminals are formed in the first electrode layers 12C1 to 12C4 and 12D1 to 12D4 and connected to the outside.

  In the present embodiment, the distance between the electrode layers located at the end portions of the light receiving devices 10A to 10D and the terminal end portion of the substrate is set to half of the distance between the electrode layers. Accordingly, the distances between all the first electrode layers and the second electrode layers of the light receiving device 10E can be made the same. Furthermore, the interval between the sensing elements 15 can be made constant.

  Specifically, at the boundary between the light receiving device 10A and the light receiving device 10B, the first electrode layer 12A4 disposed at the right end of the light receiving device 10A and the first electrode layer 12B1 disposed at the left end of the light receiving device 10B are adjacent to each other. Has been. The distance L9 between the first electrode layer 12A4 and the first electrode layer 12B1 is equal to the distance L7 between the first electrode layers in the light receiving device 10A. Further, the distance L9 is equal to the distance L11 at which the first electrode layers are separated from each other in the light receiving device 10B.

  That is, in the light receiving device 10A, the distance L8 between the first electrode layer 12A4 located at the right end and the peripheral portion of the substrate 11A is half of the distance L7 between the first electrode layers 12A1 to 12A4. . Further, in the light receiving device 10B, the distance L10 between the first electrode layer 12B1 located at the left end and the peripheral portion of the substrate 11B is half of the distance L11 between the first electrode layers 12B1 to 12B4. . In the light receiving device 10A and the light receiving device 10B, the distances at which the first electrode layers are separated from each other are equal.

  The distance L9 between the first electrode layer 12A4 of the light receiving device 10A and the first electrode layer 12B1 of the light receiving device 10B is a length obtained by adding the distance L8 and the distance L10. Accordingly, the distance L9 is equal to the distances L7 and L11 at which the first electrode layers are separated from each other in each circuit device. Accordingly, all the first electrode layers 12A1 to 12A4 and 12B1 to 12B4 included in the light receiving device 10E are spaced apart at equal intervals.

  Also, with respect to the second electrode layer that extends horizontally on the paper surface, all the second electrode layers are spaced apart at equal intervals. In particular, at the boundary between the light receiving device 10B and the light receiving device 10D, the second electrode layer 13B4 of the light receiving device 10B and the second electrode layer 13D1 of the light receiving device 10D are adjacent to each other.

  Also in this case, in the light receiving device 10B, the distance L13 between the second electrode layer 13B4 positioned at the lower end and the lower end of the substrate 11B is half of the distance L12 between the second electrode layers. In the light receiving device 10D, the distance L14 between the second electrode layer 13D1 positioned at the upper end and the upper end of the substrate 11D is half of the distance L16 between the second electrode layers. Accordingly, the distance L15 between the second electrode layer 13B4 of the light receiving device 10B and the second electrode layer 13D1 of the light receiving device 10D is a distance obtained by adding the distance L13 and the distance L14, and the other second electrode layers Is equal to the distances L12 and L16 that are separated from each other. For this reason, in the light receiving device 10E, all the second electrode layers are arranged at equal intervals.

  With the configuration of the present embodiment described above, all the first electrode layers and the second electrode layers of the light receiving device 10E are spaced apart at equal intervals. For this reason, all the sensing elements 15, which are regions where the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer overlap, are also arranged at equal intervals. Therefore, by analyzing the power output individually from each of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the received sensing element 15 is specified, and further, the position received by the light receiving device 10E is easily calculated. can do.

  In the above description, the four light receiving devices 10A to 10D are combined in a tile shape to form one square light receiving device 10E. However, by changing the combination, light receiving devices having other shapes can be formed. .

  For example, when nine light receiving devices are combined in a 3 × 3 tile shape, a square light receiving device having 144 sensing elements 15 is formed, and a light receiving device capable of sensing a wider range can be provided. . Also in this case, the number of output terminals is 24, which has the advantage of reducing the number of output terminals with respect to the number of sensing elements. In addition, a light receiving device having a shape other than a square such as a rectangle may be configured by combining the light receiving devices 10A to 10D.

  Further, in this embodiment, even when a large light receiving device is configured by arranging a plurality of light receiving devices in a tile shape, all the first electrode layers and the second electrode layers are arranged at equal intervals. Therefore, it is easy to calculate the position where light is received based on the output obtained from the large light receiving device.

  Next, the operation of the light receiving device 10 having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, each electrode of the light receiving device 10 is connected to a control unit 16 including a computer or the like.

  The first electrode layers 12A to 12D and the second electrode layers 13A to 13D of the light receiving device 10 are individually connected to the control unit 16 via wirings 17A to 17H. Then, based on the outputs of the first electrode layers 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> D and the second electrode layers 13 </ b> A to 13 </ b> D, the control unit 16 specifies a portion that receives light on the surface of the light receiving device 10. When the light receiving area of the light receiving device 10 changes, the outputs from the first electrode layers 12A to 12D and the second electrode layers 13A to 13D change, and the newly irradiated portion is specified by the control unit 16.

  Here, a case where the light receiving portion of the light receiving device 10 changes from the light receiving area 19A to the light receiving area 19B will be described.

  When only light receiving area 19A of light receiving device 10 is irradiated with light, only light receiving area 19A functions as a power generation area. The light receiving region 19A is a region where the first electrode layer 12B and the second electrode layer 13B overlap. Therefore, power is output from the first electrode layer 12B to the control unit 16, and power is not output from the other first electrode layers. Similarly, electric power is output from the second electrode layer 13B to the control unit 16, and no electric power is output from the other second electrode layers. Therefore, by detecting these things by the control unit 16, it is possible to specify the region irradiated with light in the light receiving device 10.

  Next, when the region irradiated with light moves from the light receiving region 19A to the light receiving region 19B, the light receiving region 19A does not function as a power generation region, and only the light receiving region 19B functions as a power generation region. In the light receiving region 19B, the first electrode layer 12B and the second electrode layer 13D overlap each other. Accordingly, power is output from the first electrode layer 12B and the second electrode layer 13D to the control unit 16. And electric power is not supplied to the control part 16 from another 1st electrode layer and 2nd electrode layer. By detecting these things in the control unit 16, the light receiving device 10 recognizes that the area where light is received has changed.

  In addition, the displacement of the light receiving region can be detected by inputting information related to the size of each electrode layer to the control unit 16 in advance. For example, the width of each first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is 0.4 mm, the distance between each electrode layer is 0.1 mm, and the light receiving region is from the light receiving region 19A to the light receiving region 19B. Assume that it has changed. In this case, the control unit 16 calculates that the light receiving area has moved downward by 8.2 mm on the paper surface.

  In the above description, the case where only the light receiving areas 19A and 19B are irradiated with light and the other areas are not irradiated with light has been described. However, other exposure conditions may be used. That is, the entire light receiving device 10 may be exposed to light, and particularly strong light may be irradiated to the light receiving regions 19A and 19B. In this case, the output from the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer located in the light receiving regions 19A and 19B becomes larger than that of the other first electrode layer or the second electrode layer. This matter may be detected by the control unit 16.

  Next, an application example of the above-described light receiving device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a method for measuring the displacement of the point B using the light receiving device 10 will be described.

  In this application example, the light emitting device 18 and the light receiving device 10 are installed at points A and B separated by, for example, several hundred meters, and the displacement of the point B is measured. A control unit as shown in FIG. 3 is connected to the light receiving device 10.

  The light emitting device 18 is installed at a point A and has a function of irradiating light to the light receiving device 10. Laser light is suitable as the light emitted from the light emitting device 18. By using laser light having excellent straightness, a specific portion of the light receiving device 10 can be accurately irradiated by the light emitting device 18.

  When the point B is displaced for some reason, the region irradiated with the light receiving device 10 by the light emitting device 18 changes. That is, the area received by the light emitting device 18 changes from the light receiving area 19A to the light receiving area 19B as shown in FIG. 3, for example. By calculating the amount of change in the light receiving region using a control means such as a computer, the amount of displacement at point B where the light receiving device 10 is installed can be obtained.

  The combination of the light emitting device 18 and the light receiving device 10 described above can be used as a system for predicting natural disasters such as landslides, avalanches, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. That is, the displacement at the point B is constantly measured by the light emitting device 18 and the light receiving device 10. And if the displacement of B point becomes more than fixed, alerting means, such as a siren, can also be operated. This makes it possible to make natural disasters known in advance.

It is a figure which shows the light-receiving device of this invention, (A) is a top view, (B) is sectional drawing, (C) is sectional drawing. It is a top view which shows the light-receiving device of this invention. It is a top view which shows the light-receiving device of this invention. It is a figure which shows the application example of the light-receiving device of this invention. It is a figure which shows the conventional light-receiving device, (A) is a top view, (B) is sectional drawing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Light receiving device 11 Substrate 12A-12D 1st electrode layer 13A-13D 2nd electrode layer 14 Semiconductor layer 15 Sensing element 16 Control part 17A-17H Wiring 18 Light emitting device 19A, 19B Light receiving area

Claims (5)

Comprising a first electrode layer, a semiconductor layer and a second electrode layer laminated on a substrate;
A plurality of the first electrode layers are independently formed in a band shape,
A plurality of the second electrode layers are independently formed in a strip shape so as to intersect the first electrode layer,
A light receiving device, wherein power is extracted from each of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.   The light receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode layers and the second electrode layers are spaced apart from each other at a constant interval.   3. The light receiving device according to claim 2, wherein a distance between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer located at an end portion and a peripheral edge portion of the substrate is half of the predetermined interval. The first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are connected to a control unit,
A sensing element is formed by the overlapping first electrode layer and second electrode layer,
The light receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit identifies the sensing element irradiated with light based on outputs of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. 2. The light receiving device according to claim 1, wherein one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a transparent electrode layer.

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