Deep trap, laser activated image converting system

Abstract

Receiving an optical image on the surface of a photoconducting semiconductor is presented, storing the image in deep traps of the semiconductor, and later scanning the semiconductor with a laser beam to empty the deep traps, thereby producing a video signal. The semiconductor is illuminated with photons of energy greater than the band gap producing electron-hole pairs in the semiconductor which subsequently fill traps in energy from the band edges. When the laser beam of low energy photons excites the trapped electrons and holes out of the traps into the conduction and valence bands, a photoconductivity can be observed.