Photodetector with surrounding region

Abstract

This invention relates to a photodetector including a package having a window disposed in a light incident part, and a light detecting element installed in the package. The light detecting element includes a first region formed of a second conduction-type semiconductor and embedded in a first conduction-type semiconductor layer; a second region formed of second conduction-type semiconductor and embedded so as to be spaced from and to surround the first region; and a conductor layer provided both on at least one part of top surface of the first conduction-type semiconductor layer and on at least one part of top surface of the second region. The first region is surrounded by a second conduction-type second region. On the surface of the semiconductor crystal layer, an electrode is formed on the first region, and a reflection preventing layer is formed on that part of the first region inside the electrode, and a device protecting film is formed on that part of the first region outside the electrode. On the semiconductor crystal layer, a metal film is formed in contact both with the semiconductor crystal layer and with a second region. This structure enables the second region to capture unnecessary charges and further to recombine and extinguish them.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.