JPH0322684A - Solid-state image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reproduce a picture with toner development or the like by providing a thermister switch able to vary an electric resistance and a development electrode selectively corresponding to a sheet battery cell and discharging the remaining charge of a battery cell after discharge through a development electrode. CONSTITUTION:A battery 1 is discharged through a discharge electrode 9 in response to light radiation intensity and radiation time to form light latent image. Then switches 34, 35 are switched sequentially by an external power supply 42 to supply power to a heater 19, which is selectively heated. Then thermister members 16, 22 are heated to decrease the electric resistance of the thermister members 16, 22 and a negative charge is fed selectively to the development electrode 23. When a switch 44 is closed in this state, a toner is adsorbed by electrophoresis and electrolytic effect from a toner spray 43 to apply toner development. Then toner transfer paper is supplied to transfer the toner onto the paper, then a toner image corresponding to the light latent image is obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device.

[Conventional technology] Conventionally, solid! lf! Charge-coupled device (CCD) as a device
is widely used. 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 unit density, the shape of the device, and various operating conditions.
Therefore, operating conditions must be strictly controlled to accurately extract optical information as electrical signals. Also, CO
D has an extremely low amount of accumulated surface charge, and it is not easy to maintain a power storage function sufficient to perform work on the outside. The present invention solves the above problem by providing a sufficient power storage function for each pixel, and easily collecting information from incident light information.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solid-state ME device that can accurately measure the amount of stored electricity and that can perform external work such as reproducing images by developing toner. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the solid-state imaging device of the present invention comprises a sheet-like storage battery cell and a photovoltaic material formed on the anode or cathode current collector of the storage battery cell. A discharging switch constitutes an optical memory element, a solid-state image element formed by arranging a plurality of optical memory elements, a charging circuit for charging the storage battery cell from an external power source, and a charging circuit that charges the photoconductive material after charging. A discharge circuit that discharges the electric charge of the storage battery cell when irradiated, and a discharge circuit that is provided on the side of the storage battery cell opposite to the side where the photoconductive material is located, and that is capable of selectively varying the electric resistance corresponding to the storage battery cell. thermistor switch and
Equipped with a developing electrode in contact with this thermistor switch,
The remaining charge in the storage battery cell after discharge can be discharged through the developing electrode. Further, the solid-state imaging device of the present invention includes a sheet-like storage battery cell and a w:j scratch or shadow [! An optical memory element is configured by a photoelectric conversion element formed on a current collector, and a solid-state image sensor is formed by arranging a plurality of optical memory elements;
A charging circuit that charges the storage battery cell with electrical energy generated when the photoelectric conversion element receives light, and a charging circuit that is provided on the opposite side of the storage battery cell from the side where the photoelectric conversion element is located,
It is equipped with a thermistor switch whose electric resistance can be selectively varied according to the storage battery cell, and a developing electrode in contact with the thermistor switch, so that the electric charge of the storage battery cell after charging can be discharged through the developing electrode. Furthermore, in the above, a MOS type transistor may be used instead of the thermistor switch. [Function] In the above configuration, when light is incident on the photoconductive substance or the photoelectric conversion element, a distribution of accumulated charges occurs in the sheet-like storage battery, and a latent optical image is formed as an optical memory element.The charges of this storage battery are discharged. By doing this, bitmap information corresponding to the latent image can be obtained. After processing this bitmap information, the storage battery is charged again using an external power source. Thereafter, by controlling the resistance of the thermistor switch, the storage battery is individually discharged through the developing electrode, and toner or the like can be transferred to the same electrode for development.

[Examples] Hereinafter, examples that embody the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 1-65! j indicates the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows the configuration of a single optical memory element forming a solid-state m-image element in a solid-state imaging device, Figure 2 shows the arrangement of the optical memory element, and Figure 3 shows the solid-state imaging element, developing electrode section, and electric circuit. Figure 4 shows the structure of the thermistor switch in the same electrode section, Figure 5 shows the shape of the optical memory element itself and each member of the IS section, and Figure 6 shows the optical memory element and its structure. The schematic configuration of each electrical circuit is shown. First, an optical memory element, which is a component of a solid-state MAN element, will be explained with reference to FIG. The optical memory element 1 consists of a sheet-shaped storage battery (cell) 2 and a discharge switch 3 provided thereon. The sheet-like storage battery 2 includes an anode current collector 4 made of Ni or the like, an anode 5 made of VeO13, V20s, etc., and a polyethylene derivative containing L I C j O 4 .
Electrolyte 6 consisting of a polymer electrolyte etc. mixed with L
Yin f! made of i-Aj alloy! 7 and a cathode current collector 8 such as N1.

The discharge switch 3 includes a transparent electrode (discharge electrode) 9 made of a film such as ITO, and a photoconductive material 10 made of T 1 02 , Z n O, organic photoconductive material (OPC), etc. In this embodiment, the discharge switch 2 is provided on the anode current collector 4, but it may be provided on the cathode current collector 8. Optical memory element 1 as described above
A solid-state imaging device is constructed by arranging and combining a plurality of the above in a matrix in the X and Y directions, and a thermistor switch material for individually discharging the storage batteries in the device and an electrode for toner development are combined as described later. 12 is shown in Figure 2. That is, this image pickup section 12 includes a glass substrate 11 provided on the uppermost surface, a solid AIM element consisting of an optical memory element (a photoconductive switch and a storage battery cell), an 11ltIA consisting of a thermistor switch material and an electrode for toner development.
The element portion 13, the cathode current collector of the storage battery of the optical memory element, and the heating element electrode of the thermistor switch material are drawn out in the X direction f! 14, and electrodes 15 for drawing out the discharge electrode, anode current collector, and heating element electrode of the storage battery in the Y direction. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals as mentioned above indicate the same members, and on the lower surface of the storage battery cathode electric body 8 in the image sensor section 13, there is a thermistor switch section that can selectively vary the electric resistance corresponding to each storage battery cell. (16 to 22) and an electrode 23 for toner development that is in contact with the lower surface thereof. This thermistor switch material includes a thermistor material 16, an insulating layer 17, a Y-direction heating element electrode 18, a heating element 19,
It consists of an electrode 20 for the heating element in the X direction, an insulating layer 21, and a thermistor material 22. Note that 24 to 27 are insulating resists. Details of the thermistor switch above! The iA structure is as shown in Figure 4, and is constructed so that the heating element located at the intersection of the heating element electrodes in the X and Y directions generates heat, and the resistance of the thermistor material in that area is reduced. Moreover, the shapes of each of the above members are as shown in FIG. Next, the extraction electrode and its electric circuit will be explained with reference to Figure 3 and Country 6. The controller 30 has X,
This is to perform matrix scanning for various Tth poles in the Y direction, and a shift register or the like may be used as the switch structure or means. In this controller 30, switches 31 and 32 (Y direction) are connected to the anode current collector 4 and discharge electrode 9, switches 33 (X direction) are connected to the cathode current collector 8, and switches 34 (in the X direction) are connected to the heating element electrode 18.
The switch 36 and the external power supply 3 are connected to the heating element electrode 20 and the switch 35 (X direction) respectively.
7 constitutes a charging circuit that charges the storage battery 1 via switches 31.33, and a discharging resistor 38 is connected to switches 32.33.
33. A discharge circuit for discharging the charge of the storage battery 2 via the discharge switch 3 made of a photoconductive substance is connected to the switch 3.
9. A resistor (measuring load) 40 constitutes a measuring circuit for measuring the remaining amount of stored electricity in the storage battery 2 after discharge (extracting it as bitmap information). Further, the switch 41 and the external power source 42 are connected to the heating element 19 via the switches 34 and 35.
The power supply circuit for generating heat must be carefully controlled. Further, the toner spray 43 and the switch 44 located opposite to each other on the lower surface of the toner developing electrode 23 constitute a developing section that discharges the storage battery 2 via the switch 31 and thereby develops the toner developing electrode 23 with toner. The above controller 30
Each switch within is controlled by the CPU 45 to write and read information, and measured data is stored in the memory 46.

In FIG. 6, the switches Sl, 32, . . . correspond to the switch 33, and the switches S11, S21, .
...corresponds to the above switch 31, and switch S12.8
22. ... corresponds to the switch 32 above. Further, the measurement is performed by the CPU 45 reading the voltage of the terminals 40' at both ends of the load 40. Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained. The switch 36 is turned on for a certain period of time, and the switch 31.
33 in sequence and connect an external power supply (preferably a constant current power supply).
A specified amount of current is supplied from 37 to the sheet storage battery 1. Accumulate energy. Next, all switches 32 and 33 are turned on, and light hν is applied from above the discharge switch 3.
When irradiated with light, the photoconductive substance 10 becomes conductive (ON), and the storage battery 1 is discharged through the discharge electrode 9 in accordance with the light irradiation intensity and irradiation time. In this way, a distribution of the amount of charge is generated in the storage battery 1, and an optical latent image is formed. Next, the switch 39 for reading out the optical latent image as bitmap information is turned on, and the switches 31 and 33 are turned on.
are sequentially switched and discharged by the load 40, and the remaining charge amount of each storage battery 1 is read out. By this reading, bitmap information for each pixel, that is, information on the incident light image can be obtained, and this is stored in the memory 46. Furthermore, if the intensity distribution is plotted two-dimensionally based on this information, the optical image can be traced. Next, based on the above bitmap information, a charge corresponding to the discharge charge amount (= initial charge amount - remaining charge amount) is transferred to the external power supply 37.
By recharging each cell of the sheet storage battery l, the latent image can be recorded again. After that, the external power supply 42
The switches 34 and 35 are sequentially switched to heat the heat generating element 19 by 3 mm, and the thermistor material 16.22 is heated by selectively heating the heat generating element 19, thereby lowering the electrical resistance of the thermistor material 16.22. ．． Then, negative charges are selectively supplied to the developing electrode 23. In this state, when the switch 44 is turned on, toner from the toner spray 43 is attracted to the developing electrode 23 by electrophoresis and electrodeposition effects, and toner development is performed. Thereafter, by supplying toner transfer paper (not shown) and transferring the toner onto the paper, a toner image corresponding to the optical latent image is obtained, making it possible to copy. In the above example, the discharge switch 3 made of the photoconductive material 10 is used as a top element of the optical memory element 1, but instead of the discharge switch 3, a photoelectric conversion element is used. It may be. In this case, bitmap information for each pixel can be obtained in the same manner as described above by charging a storage battery with electrical energy generated by the photoelectric conversion element due to light irradiation and measuring this charged charge. The figure shows an imaging unit 1 of a solid-state imaging device according to another embodiment.
12, FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the imaging element section 1 of the imaging section 112.
13 and shows the principle structure including an electric circuit. In this embodiment, instead of the thermistor switch section, a MOS type transistor, for example, a TPT (thin film)
It differs from the previous one in that it uses a switch such as a transistor. In FIG. 7, the imaging unit 11
2 is composed of an image sensor section 113 consisting of an optical memory element and a switch using a TFT 51 as described above, and a signal electrode 52 and a gate electrode @53 for the TF'r 51. As shown in FIG. 8, there is a TFT 51 in each cathode current collector 8.
The source S, gate G, and drain D of the 'r'FT 51 are shaped like a toner developing electrode 23, and the lower surface thereof is used as the toner developing electrode 23, respectively. and is connected to the toner developing electrode 23. The extraction electrode of the signal electrode [i52] is connected to a switch 33 (equivalent to the switch 33 in FIG. 3 described above) which is subjected to matrix scanning. Further, an extraction electrode of the gate electrode 52 is connected to a power source 42 via a switch 41 that is subjected to matrix scanning. This is for controlling TFT51 individually.
A switch 34 that individually controls the thermistor switch.
, 35.41, is a member equivalent to the power supply 42. Also in the configuration of this embodiment, the light hν
A latent photoimage is obtained by discharging the charge of the storage battery 1 through a switch made of a photoconductive material 10.
After that, the switch 41 is matrix-scanned and the TF
By sequentially turning on the T5 1 switches individually and discharging the remaining charge in the storage battery cell via the switch 44 and the toner spray 43, the toner is adsorbed and deposited (transferred) on the toner developing T[i23] and developed. can do. In any of the above embodiments, the toner developing voltage ti is controlled by a thermistor switch or a MOS transistor.
Since the operation of the i23 is switched sequentially, toner transfer may be performed by a full-surface immersion method in addition to the spray method performed pixel by pixel as described above. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a solid-state image pickup device formed by arranging a sheet storage battery and a plurality of optical memory elements each made of a photoconductive substance or a photoelectric conversion element is used, and the storage battery is activated by light irradiation. By charging and discharging the charge, a photosensitive latent image is obtained based on the amount of remaining charge in the storage battery according to the light input, this is read out as bitmap information, and this is corrected as appropriate to create a latent image again. It can be formed and developed. Therefore, the optical latent image formed by one exposure can be directly developed, and the configurations of the exposure system and development copying system can be simplified. In addition, the amount of charge accumulated in each pixel due to exposure can be accurately read out, and there are fewer restrictions on operating conditions than when using a COD as a solid-state image sensor, and images of objects can be captured easily and inexpensively. can be shaped with high reproducibility. In addition, since each storage battery cell is individually discharged and developed using a thermistor switch or a MOS transistor,
There are no restrictions on the development method.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a top view of an optical memory element that forms a solid-state image sensor used in an image forming device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an imaging section made of a solid-state image sensor. Fig. 3 is an overall diagram including the image sensor section and electric circuit, Fig. 4 is a diagram of the configuration of a thermistor switch for individually discharging the storage battery for toner development in the above-mentioned image pick-up section, and Fig. 5
Figures (a) to (m) are plan views showing the shapes of each member of the image sensor section, Figure 6 is a schematic top view of the optical memory element and electric circuit, and Figure 7 is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the m-image section according to the present invention, and is an overall configuration diagram including the image sensor section and electric circuit in this embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Optical memory element, 2... Sheet storage battery, 3... Discharging switch,
4... Anode collection! ＃． , 8... cathode current collector, 10...
・Photoconductive substance, 12.112...imaging section, 13,1
13... Image pickup element section, 16.22... Thermistor material, 23... Toner developing electrode, 31, 32.33.3
6.39...Switch, 37...External power supply, 38.
...Discharge resistor, 40...Resistance (load) 43...Toner spray, 51...TPT, 41...Switch, 42...Power supply.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An optical memory element is constituted by a sheet-shaped storage battery cell and a discharge switch made of a photoconductive material formed on the anode or cathode current collector of the storage battery cell, and a plurality of these optical memory elements are arranged. a solid-state image sensor; a charging circuit that charges the storage battery cell from an external power source; a discharge circuit that discharges the charge of the storage battery cell when the photoconductive substance is irradiated with light after charging; provided on the opposite side to the side where the sexual substance is located,
It is characterized by comprising a thermistor switch whose electric resistance can be selectively varied according to the storage battery cell, and a developing electrode in contact with the thermistor switch, so that the residual charge of the storage battery cell after discharge can be discharged through the developing electrode. A solid-state imaging device. (2) An optical memory element is constituted by a sheet-shaped storage battery cell and a photoelectric conversion element formed on the anode or cathode current collector of the storage battery cell, and a solid-state image sensor formed by arranging a plurality of these optical memory elements; A charging circuit that charges the storage battery cell with electrical energy generated when the conversion element receives light, and a charging circuit provided on the side opposite to the side where the photoelectric conversion element of the storage battery cell is located,
It is characterized by comprising a thermistor switch whose electric resistance can be selectively varied according to the storage battery cell, and a developing electrode in contact with the thermistor switch, so that the electric charge of the storage battery cell after charging can be discharged through the developing electrode. solid-state imaging device. (3) The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a MOS transistor is used in place of the thermistor switch.