Patent ID: 8441457

Claim:
A sensor device comprising: one or more sensor elements each including a first diode element and a second diode element, the first and second diode elements each having an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a gate electrode, the second diode element being connected to the first diode element in series in such a manner that the cathode electrode of the second diode element is connected to the anode electrode of the first diode element; and a sensor driving section configured to control on-off state of the first diode element through changing a gate voltage under a condition of a fixed cathode voltage, and to control on-off state of the second diode element through changing a gate voltage under a condition of a fixed anode voltage, thereby driving the sensor elements, wherein the sensor driving section drives the second diode element while maintaining a potential relationship represented by a first condition Vg 2 (off)<Vp 2 <Vg 2 (on), and performs, in transition from off-state to on-state of the second diode element, overdrive on the second diode element through temporarily applying a gate voltage Vg 2 (od) to the gate electrode while maintaining a potential relationship represented by a second condition Vg 2 (on)<Vg 2 (od), where Vp 2 , Vg 2 (on) and Vg 2 (off) represent the anode voltage, a gate voltage in the on-state, and a gate voltage in the off-state of the second diode element, respectively.