Abstract:
1,209,069. Electroluminescence. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP. 10 Jan., 1968 [13 Jan., 1967], No. 1368/68. Heading C4S. [Also in Division H1] A semi-conductor scanning device comprises a plurality of semi-conductor elements each having at least one PN junction, formed adjacent an electroluminescent layer 24, means for varying the relative potentials of same so that at any one time one group of elements i.e. that above the null line shown, is non-conductive, a second group below the null line is saturated and a third group about the null line is in a state between saturation and non-conduction. Ramp voltage 36 causes the null line to scan the array and A.C. modulated video input at 42 causes the third group to oscillate between the saturated and non-conductive states to excite the adjacent portion of the E.L. layer. No luminescence occurs in the major portion of the conductive region due to D.C. saturation. In Fig. 1, the device is regarded as formed of S.C. elements formed horizontally across the device each having PNPNP regions adjacent separate P- type dots 20-1, 20-2 ... 20-N forming backbiased junctions J 3 and separate ohmic contacts 22-1, 22-2 ... 22-N. A constant source of minority carriers is preferably employed, the carriers being injected into a semi-conductive layer 14 of variable potential relative to another layer 18 having a potential gradient therein, layer 16 assuming a potential distribution as a function of the adjacent layers. Above the null line the carriers recombine, J 1 junction being forward biased, but are re-injected into layer 16 below the null line, where J 1 junction is reverse biased. Player 12 may be 15 mm. thick for mechanical rigidity, the remaining layers being thin, e.g. ¢ mm. thick, to prevent hole loss by recombination, for materials such as Si. Layers 12 to 20 and conductive elements 22-1, 22-2 . . . 22-N may be replaced by a matrix of opposed diodes connected to a potential divider (Fig. 2, not shown), the E.L. layer being grounded. Low intensity light flashes produced by the P-dots becoming successively conductive when traversed by the null line may be overcome by filtering or controlling the ambient intensity to obscure the flash.