Patent ID: 7214928

Claim:
A scanning unit for an optical position measuring device, said scanning unit comprising: a structured optoelectronic photodetector comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of radiation-sensitive detector areas, which are arranged next to each other on said semiconductor substrate, wherein said plurality of detector areas comprise narrow strips, which are sensitive to radiation, said narrow strips having longitudinal long sides arranged substantially next to each other perpendicular to a measuring direction, wherein said plurality of detector areas are arranged periodically with each other, wherein a plurality of adjoining detector areas form a first group which delivers scanning signals which are phase-shifted with respect to each other, wherein four of said plurality of adjoining detector areas form said first group and provide four scanning signals each of which is phase-shifted by 90° with respect to each other; a strip conductor, wherein at least a portion of said strip conductor is positioned across a surface defined by said plurality of detector areas and forms a connection with an associated detector area of said plurality of detector areas, and said strip conductor is substantially oriented perpendicular to said longitudinal sides of said plurality of detector areas, and said strip conductor is connected with those detector areas of a second group of said plurality of adjoining detector areas which emit in-phase scanning signals; a third group formed from said plurality of adjoining detector areas, wherein said first group and said third group of adjoining detector areas are arranged next to each other in a measuring direction, and four parallel strip conductors are connected with detector areas of said first group and said third group which emit in-phase scanning signals with respect to each other.