Quenching circuit
AssigneeHongik University Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation
InventorsHo Young Cha, Jongik Kang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a quenching circuit including an avalanche photodiode and a quenching diode applying a bias voltage to the avalanche photodiode. Since the quenching circuit includes the quenching diode instead of a quenching resistor, the avalanche photodiode can quickly recover to linear mode from Geiger mode, and the bias voltage applied to the avalanche photodiode is stably maintained even though a current level of the avalanche photodiode fluctuates according to the intensity of incident light.
Claims12
A quenching circuit including an avalanche photodiode and a quenching diode applying a bias voltage to one terminal of the avalanche photodiode, the quenching circuit comprising:
- a first p-type semiconductor layer;
- a first i-type semiconductor layer provided on an upper surface of the first p-type semiconductor layer;
- a first n-type semiconductor layer provided on an upper surface of the first i-type semiconductor layer;
- a second p-type semiconductor layer provided on a portion of the upper surface of the first n-type semiconductor layer;
- and
- a pair of metal electrodes respectively serving as a first electrode provided under a lower surface of the first p-type semiconductor layer and a second electrode provided on an upper surface of the second p-type semiconductor layer,
- wherein the avalanche photodiode includes the first p-type semiconductor layer, the first i-type semiconductor layer, and the first n-type semiconductor layer, and has a light-receiving region defined as a portion of the upper surface of the first n-type semiconductor layer, the portion not being covered by the second p-type semiconductor layer, and
- wherein the quenching diode includes the second p-type semiconductor layer and the first n-type semiconductor layer.
A quenching circuit including an avalanche photodiode and a quenching diode applying a bias voltage to one terminal of the avalanche photodiode, the quenching circuit comprising:
- a first p-type semiconductor layer;
- a first i-type semiconductor layer provided on an upper surface of the first p-type semiconductor layer;
- a first n-type semiconductor layer provided on an upper surface of the first i-type semiconductor layer;
- a second n−-type semiconductor layer provided on a portion of the first n-type semiconductor layer;
- a Schottky metal layer provided on an upper surface of the second n−-type semiconductor layer;
- and
- a pair of metal electrode respectively serving as a first electrode provided under a lower surface of the first p-type semiconductor layer and a second electrode provided on an upper surface of the Schottky metal layer,
- wherein the avalanche photodiode is a PIN diode comprising the first p-type semiconductor layer, the first i-type semiconductor layer, and the first n-type semiconductor layer, and having a light-receiving region defined as a portion of the upper surface of the first n-type semiconductor layer, the portion being uncovered by the second n−-type semiconductor layer, and
- wherein the quenching diode is a Schottky diode comprising the Schottky metal layer, the second n−-type semiconductor layer, and the first n-type semiconductor layer.
A quenching circuit including an avalanche photodiode and a quenching diode applying a bias voltage to one terminal of the avalanche photodiode, the quenching circuit comprising:
- a first n-type semiconductor layer;
- a first p-type semiconductor layer provided on an upper surface of the first n-type semiconductor layer and provided with a first hole through which a portion of the first n-type semiconductor layer is exposed;
- and
- a pair of metal layers respectively serving as a first electrode provided on an upper surface of a first region of the first p-type semiconductor layer that is divided into the first region and a second region by the first hole serving as a boundary between the first region and the second region, and a second electrode provided on an upper surface of the second region of the first p-type semiconductor layer,
- wherein the avalanche photodiode includes the first region of the first p-type semiconductor layer and the first n-type semiconductor layer and has a light-receiving region defined as the upper surface of the first region of the first p-type semiconductor layer, and
- wherein the quenching diode includes the second region of the first p-type semiconductor layer and the first n-type semiconductor layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.