An investigation of three different photo sensitive devices (PSD) that can be fabricated by using Northern Telecom\u27s 1.2 and 3.0 micro CMOS technology is described in the thesis. A MOSFET has been optimized to enhance the photocurrent and use a parasitic photodiode formed between the source and substrate as a PSD. A conventional BJT structure with a small emitter area has been optimized to enhance the photocurrent and utilize the parasitic photodiode formed at the base-collector junction as a PSD. In addition, a field effect modified (FEM) vertical BJT with a collector-connected annular ring around a small emitter area has been used to create a more sensitive and faster responding parasitic photodiode at the base-collector junction that can be used as a PSD. Each of the three distinct structures has been fabricated in both 1.2 and 3.0 micro technology in a number of different geometries as part of a parameter optimization study. A number of experiments have been carried out on the test cells to measure photocurrent as a function of light intensity using incandescent and LASER light sources. The most sensitive PSD was formed using a 3.0 micro FEM BJT design. The device is being used to create a photo sensitive array that will act as input nodes for an artificial neural network that is being employed as an intelligent sensor for process control based on non-contact measurement. As the array will be used to image LASER generated patterns formed by object-oriented beam steering, high sensitivity is not necessary, whereas a structure that can be readily integrated into a regular array is most important. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 33-04, page: 1307. Adviser: W. C. Miller. Thesis (M.Sc.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1994
