Vertical FET high speed optical sensor

An optical sensor semiconductor device, comprising:

• a parallel array of vertical field effect transistors, each of which includes a substrate of semiconductor material disposed between a source means and a drain means, each substrate including a doped region divided by a depleted region and a gate means disposed on one side of each substrate for controlling the flow of charges therethrough, and
• at least one fiber-optical conduit disposed in a recess defined by the sides of the substrates of two adjacent transistors for transmitting an optical signal into the depleted region of at least one of the substrates of said transistors.

An optical sensor semiconductor device, comprising:

• a parallel array of vertical field effect transistors, each of which includes a substrate of doped gallium arsenide disposed between a source means and a drain means, each doped substrate having first and second opposing sides that are traversed by a depleted region, and a gate means including a light reflective electrode disposed on the first side of the substrate for controlling a flow of photo charges induced in said region by light, and
• at least one single-mode optical fiber disposed adjacent the second side of the substrate over the depleted region for transmitting an optical signal into said depleted region,
• wherein the light reflective electrode of said gate means reflects a portion of said signal back through said depleted region a second time.

An optical sensor semiconductor device for mixing two different optical signals of different frequencies and generating an electrical current whose voltage fluctuates at a frequency that is between the two different frequencies of said optical signals, comprising:

• at least one vertical field effect transistor that includes a substrate of semiconductor material disposed between a source means and a drain means, said substrate having a doped region and a depleted region;
• and
• first and second fiber-optical conduits flanking opposite sides of the doped region of the substrate for transmitting first and second optical signals of different frequencies into said depleted region such that said region is exposed to an optical interference pattern generated at the interface of said two optical signals