Semiconductor photodetector assembly
AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.
InventorMohamed Azize
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques to use energy band gap engineering (or band offset engineering) to produce a photodetector semiconductor assembly that can be tuned to absorb light in one or more wavelengths. For example, the assembly can be tuned to receive infrared (IR) and/or ultraviolet (UV) light. The photodetector assembly can operate as a photodiode, a phototransistor, or can include both a photodiode and a phototransistor.
Claims20
A dual UV/IR band semiconductor photodetector assembly configured to operate in response to light received at one or more input wavelengths, the assembly comprising:
- a semiconductor absorber layer material configured to receive the light at the one or more input wavelengths and generate carriers via presence of an electric field, the semiconductor absorber layer material including multiple wide band gap semiconductor layers;
- and
- a wide band gap semiconductor transducer layer material coupled to the absorber layer material, the transducer layer material having a first state and a second state, the transducer layer material having a discontinuous two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel between two contacts in the first state, the transducer layer material configured to collect the carriers from the absorber layer material and form a continuous 2DEG channel between the two contacts in the second state in response to the absorber material receiving the light.
A method of forming a dual UV/IR band semiconductor photodetector assembly configured to receive light at one or more wavelengths, the method comprising:
- coupling a wide band gap semiconductor transducer layer material to a substrate material, the transducer layer material having a first state and a second state, the transducer layer material having a discontinuous two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel between two contacts in the first state;
- and
- coupling a semiconductor absorber layer material to the wide band gap semiconductor transducer layer material, the semiconductor absorber layer material configured to receive the light at the one or more input wavelengths and generate electron-hole pairs, the semiconductor absorber layer material including multiple wide band gap semiconductor layers,
- wherein the transducer layer material is configured to collect electrons from the semiconductor absorber layer material and form a continuous two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel between the two contacts in response to the semiconductor absorber material receiving the light.
A dual/IR band semiconductor photodetector assembly configured to operate in response to light received at one or more input wavelengths, the assembly comprising:
- means for receiving the light at the one or more input wavelengths and generate carriers via presence of an electric field, the means for receiving including multiple wide band gap semiconductor layers;
- and
- means for collecting carriers from the means for receiving, the means for collecting coupled to the means for receiving, the means for collecting having a first state and a second state, the means for collecting having a discontinuous two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel between two contacts in the first state, wherein the means for collecting is configured to form a continuous 2DEG channel between the two contacts in the second state in response to the means for receiving the light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.