Patent ID: 6867469
Filing Date: 2005-03-15
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A photoelectric converter comprising a photoelectric conversion element of a laminated structure comprising: a first electrode layer; an insulation layer for blocking the passage of holes and electrons; a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer; an injection blocking layer for blocking the injection of only one of the holes or the electrons to said photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer; a second electrode layer; a switching means for operating the photoelectric converter by switching through operation modes including a photoelectric conversion mode, an idling mode, and a refresh mode, wherein: a) the photoelectric conversion mode emits one of the holes or the electrons, whichever one is emitted in the idling mode, generated in accordance with an amount of incident light and for reading image information, b) the idling mode, not for reading the image information, emits one of the holes or the electrons, whichever one is emitted in the photoelectric conversion mode, from the photoelectric conversion element by connecting a switching element and an idle terminal connected to a power source for applying an electric field weaker than an electric field applied in the photoelectric conversion mode, c) the refresh mode emits the other of the holes or the electrons from the photoelectric conversion element, and d) a power source portion having at least a potential for the photoelectric conversion mode, a potential for the idling mode and a potential for the refresh mode and providing the photoelectric conversion element with an electric field, wherein the potential for the idling mode provides, in the idling mode, the photoelectric conversion element with an electric field which is in the same direction as in the photoelectric conversion mode and which is weaker than an electric field applied in the photoelectric conversion mode.