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US 5,107,316 AGranted
Catoptrical opto-electronic gas sensor
AssigneeSiemens Corporate Research, Inc.
InventorsKevin W. Jelley, Carl Colvard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for detecting the presence of a gas in an ambient atmosphere comprises a multiple quantum well structure; a thin layer of a transition metal formed on the multiple quantum well structure; and an arrangement for monitoring the transmission of electromagnetic radiation sent through the multiple quantum well structure and reflected back therethrough by the thin layer.
Claims10
A semiconductor device adapted for operation as a gas sensor, comprising:
- a body of a semiconductor material including a substrate region and including a superlattice region over said substrate region, said superlattice region having first and second different materials arranged alternately in a plurality of parallel planar layers, said planar layers exhibiting an absorption edge for electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength thereof and having a respective predetermined relatively thin thickness dimension of a value wherein an electric field acting perpendicularly to said planar layers causes said absorption edge to shift to a second wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation;
- a layer of a transition metal over said superlattice region, said layer of a transition metal having a relatively thin thickness dimension and being sufficiently thin so as to be substantially permeable to a gas;
- and
- means for reflecting back electromagnetic radiation transmitted towards said layer of transition metal through said superlattice region.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.