JPH0322682A - Solid-state image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To expand the dynamic range and to improve the reproduction accuracy of a picture by using a battery for an optical memory element whose light absorbing characteristic differs from at charging and at discharge, detecting a reflecting light by light radiation to the element with the optical system and reading the signal. CONSTITUTION:An optical memory element 1 forming a solid-state image pickup element consists of a cell of a sheet battery 2 and a photoelectric conversion element 3 formed on a cathode conductor 4 of the battery 2. A light from an object radiates to the solid-state image pickup element 21 to store the charge corresponding to the object image to each element thereby forming an optical latent image. Then the light from a light source 31 radiates to an anode member of the solid-state image pickup element 21 with a polygon mirror 33 with scanning and a reflected light at that time is detected by a detector 35. Then a lithium ion quantity in a vanadium oxide of the anode member is changed in response to the charge of each element and the spectral intensity of the reflecting light changes accordingly. Thus, a signal corresponding to the optical image of the object is detected by a detector 35.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device. [Prior Art] Charge-coupled devices (CCDs) have been widely used as solid-state imaging devices. This COD is an element that transfers charges generated by incident light using a transfer signal. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, in this COD, the charge transfer efficiency tends to vary depending on the surface state density, the shape of the device, and various operating conditions, so it is difficult to accurately extract optical information as an electrical signal. operating conditions must be strictly controlled. Also, COD
The charge transfer circuit is complicated and is difficult to miniaturize, requiring a large area and
The present invention solves the above problem, in which it is extremely difficult to form a high-density CCD.It provides a power storage function to each pixel, and it is possible to easily and accurately collect incident light information over a wide range. The purpose of this invention is to provide a solid-state imaging device that can measure the amount of stored electricity, and that can read signals using an optical system without requiring a complicated signal readout circuit. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the solid-state imaging device of the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion element on the cathode of a sheet-shaped storage battery cell having an anode material with different light absorption characteristics during charging and discharging. A solid-state image sensor in which a plurality of optical memory elements are arranged in a manner such that the photoelectric conversion element receives light; a charging circuit that charges the storage battery with electrical energy generated when the photoelectric conversion element receives light; and a discharge circuit that discharges the charged storage battery. , a light irradiation means for irradiating light to the anode material when the charge accumulated in the solid-state image sensor by the charging continues, and a detection means for detecting light reflected by the anode material of the irradiation light from the light irradiation means. It is equipped with

[Function] In the above configuration, the sheet-shaped storage battery cells are charged with electrical energy generated by irradiating the photoelectric conversion element with light. If the anode of the storage battery is made of a material that has different light absorption characteristics depending on its state of charge, each light absorption characteristic of the optical memory element will change. Electrical signals corresponding to the optical latent image formed on the optical memory can be read out.

[Examples] Hereinafter, examples that embody the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the structure of an optical memory device 1 constituting the solid-state image sensor used in the present invention. The optical memory element 1 consists of cells of a sheet-shaped storage battery 2 and a photoelectric conversion element 3 formed on a cathode current collector 4 of the storage battery 2. The sheet storage battery 2 includes a cathode current collector 4 and a Li-
Yin lf made of Aj alloy! 5 and Li Br-Li8P
Solid electrolyte 6 consisting of 40 etc., v205, ■6013
An anode 7 made of Ni, etc., and an anode current collector 8 made of Ni, etc. The photoelectric conversion element 3 includes a surface electrode 13 formed of Aj or the like, an antireflection film 9 formed of SIO2 or the like, and a p-
Consists of Si10, i-Si11 and n-Si12.
When light hν is incident on the optical memory element l having such a configuration, electrical energy is generated by the photoelectric conversion element 3 according to the amount of light received for each pixel, and is stored in each sheet-shaped storage battery 2, forming an optical latent image. Ru. FIG. 2 shows the optical memory element 1.
A solid-state image sensing device 2l is shown in which the elements are arranged and combined in a matrix.

FIG. 3 shows a charging circuit for the sheet-like storage battery 2 and a discharging circuit for discharging the charged storage battery 2 when the photoelectric conversion element 3 is exposed to light.

In FIG. 3, when light is received, switch 17 is ON and switch 16 is OFF, and when the signal is held, switch 16.1 is turned on.
7 are both OFF, and when erasing, switch 16 is ON,
Turn switch l7 off. In FIG. 2, the solid-state image sensor 21 is arranged in the X direction of each of the electrodes. Y direction drawer T
h-poles 22, 23, these electrodes are connected to the switch 16. This switch 16 uses a shift register or the like that operates in matrix scan mode. Here, materials used in storage batteries that have different light absorption characteristics depending on the charged state and the discharged state will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). The figure shows the infrared spectrum of LixV205《
The horizontal axis shows the frequency and the vertical axis shows the transmittance). Now, if the anode 7 of the sheet storage battery 2 is of a vanadium oxide type and the cathode 5 is of a lithium (Li) type, deinterlation of lithium ions will occur from the vanadium oxide upon charging. If the anode material is V 20 s, the infrared absorption spectrum of lithium is as shown in Figure 5<a). The absorption maximum due to force interaction is at a frequency of 1,00
It changes around 0 to 1,020. Also, V201■
If so, as shown in the same figure (b), the absorption maximum or the frequency is 80.
It changes around 0-900. By monitoring such changes in absorption characteristics, the amount of light received by each element can be detected, allowing it to function as a solid-state imaging device. FIG. 4 shows an example of a solid-state imaging device using a solid-state TAIA element 21. The device is
A light source 31 that emits light for reading out the charges accumulated in the solid-state image sensor 21 , a light deflector 32 that performs surface scanning of the light from the light source 31 , and a light deflector 1132 that directs the light from the light source 31 to the solid-state image sensor 21 It is composed of a polygon mirror 33 that projects the light onto the solid-state image sensor 21, a condensing lens 34 that collects the reflected light from the solid-state image sensor 21, and a detector 1135 that detects the reflected light. When V205 is selected as the anode material for the light source 31, a laser beam having a wavelength of 11.0 to 12.5 um is preferable. In the above structure, the solid-state image sensor 21 is irradiated with light from the object, and charges corresponding to the image of the object are accumulated in each element to form an optical latent image. Thereafter, the anode material of the solid-state image pickup device 21 is irradiated with light from the light source 31 while being scanned by the polygon mirror 33, and the reflected light at that time is detected by the detector 35. Then, since the amount of lithium ions in the vanadium oxide of the anode material changes depending on the amount of charge of each element, the spectral intensity of the reflected light changes accordingly. Therefore, the detection 1135 can detect a signal corresponding to the optical image of the object. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the solid-state imaging device of the present invention, the storage battery of the optical memory element, which accumulates charge according to the amount of light received from the subject, has different light absorption characteristics between charging and discharging. The signal is read out by detecting the reflected light from the irradiation of light onto the element using an optical system. Therefore, the amount of accumulated charge in the element can be read out using changes in the light absorption characteristics, and compared to the case of using a conventional COD, the accumulated charge can be read out more accurately and the dynamic range is larger. Image reproducibility accuracy is high. Furthermore, if the wavelength of the laser beam used as the irradiation light is selected to be short, high-density recording that cannot be achieved with conventional COD becomes possible. Furthermore, CO
Unlike D, high-density wiring is not required for reading,
Therefore,! I! It has a high yield rate and can be equipped with a large-area solid-state image sensor.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical memory element forming a solid-state image sensor used in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a solid-state image sensor in which the same optical memory elements are arranged, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram including an electric circuit of an optical memory element, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a solid-state imaging device, and FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are infrared spectrum characteristic diagrams of a storage battery anode material in an optical memory element. l... Optical memory element, 2... Sheet storage battery, 3...
... Photoelectric conversion element, 4... Cathode current collector, 8... Anode current collector, 16°, 17... Switch, 21... Solid-state image sensor, 31... Light source, 35...・Detector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A solid-state image sensor in which a plurality of optical memory elements are arranged, which are formed by mounting a photoelectric conversion element on the cathode of a sheet-shaped storage battery cell having an anode material with different light absorption characteristics during charging and discharging; a charging circuit that charges the storage battery with electrical energy generated when the conversion element receives light; a discharge circuit that discharges the charged storage battery; and a discharge circuit that charges the storage battery with electrical energy generated when the conversion element receives light; What is claimed is: 1. A solid-state imaging device comprising: a light irradiation means for irradiating light; and a detection means for detecting light reflected by an anode material of the irradiation light from the light irradiation means.