Apparatus and method for an electronically tuned, wavelength-dependent optical detector

A method of optical detection having an adjustable wavelength response to incident radiation, the method comprising:

• a) providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface and including two or more laterally separated photodetection regions, each region having a corresponding region output, wherein at least one of said region outputs depends on an optical intensity distribution incident on said corresponding region;
• b) providing two or more optical spatial patterns at said surface corresponding to each of said photodetection regions, wherein at least one of said patterns is an interference pattern having fringes, and wherein each of said patterns has a different dependence on wavelength;
• and
• c) combining said region outputs to provide a combined output, wherein a contribution of each of said region outputs to said combined output is adjustable;
• whereby said combined output has an adjustable wavelength response.

A wavelength-dependent, optical-signal detector, comprising:

• a) a semiconductor substrate having a surface;
• b) an optical subassembly receiving input optical radiation and providing at least one wavelength dependent optical spatial pattern at said surface;
• c) a comb-like metal electrode deposited in at least one layer located above said surface of said semiconductor substrate, said comb-like metal electrode comprising a plurality of arms;
• and
• d) a plurality of metal electrodes deposited in at least one layer located above said surface of said semiconductor substrate and interdigitated between said arms of said comb-like metal electrode, wherein said plurality of electrodes and said comb-like electrode define a plurality of photodetection regions within said detector, and wherein altering a wavelength of said input optical radiation alters an alignment of said optical spatial pattern relative to said photodetection regions.

A method for wavelength-dependent optical detection, the method comprising:

• a) providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface;
• b) illuminating said surface with at least one wavelength dependent optical spatial pattern;
• c) providing a comb-like metal electrode deposited in at least one layer located above said surface of said semiconductor substrate, said comb-like metal electrode comprising a plurality of arms;
• and
• d) providing a plurality of metal electrodes deposited in at least one layer located above said surface of said semiconductor substrate and interdigitated between said arms of said comb-like metal electrode, wherein said plurality of electrodes and said comb-like electrode define a plurality of photodetection regions within said detector, and wherein altering a wavelength of said input optical radiation alters an alignment of said optical spatial pattern relative to said photodetection regions.