Semiconductor sensor using surface plasmons to increase energy absorption efficiency

A semiconductor sensor comprising:

• a semiconductor layer having an incident surface to receive incident radiant energy on one side of the semiconductor layer and having a contact surface on an opposite side of the semiconductor layer;
• a dielectric layer having a contact surface on one side of the dielectric layer contacting the contact surface of the semiconductor layer, and a corrugated surface on an opposite side of the dielectric layer;
• and
• a metal layer having a corrugated surface matching the corrugated surface of the dielectric layer and contacting the corrugated surface of the dielectric layer to form a corrugated interface between the dielectric layer and the metal layer, the corrugated interface being substantially parallel to the incident surface of the semiconductor layer;
• wherein the corrugated interface between the dielectric layer and the metal layer provides an energy absorption path over which the incident radiant energy is absorbed.

A semiconductor sensor comprising:

• a semiconductor layer having an incident surface to receive incident radiant energy;
• and
• an energy absorbing path bending structure that bends an energy absorption path in the semiconductor sensor by substantially 90° relative to a normal to the incident surface;
• wherein the energy absorbing path bending structure comprises a corrugated interface between two layers of the semiconductor sensor;
• and
• wherein the incident radiant energy penetrates into the semiconductor sensor and is incident on the corrugated interface where the incident radiant energy turns to follow the corrugated interface to be absorbed.