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US 8,044,435 B2Granted
Sub-pixel nBn detector
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsJeffrey W. Scott, Colin E. Jones, Ernie J. Caine, Charles A. Cockrum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making a two-dimensional detector array (and of such an array) comprising, for each of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of individual detectors, forming an n-doped semiconductor photo absorbing layer, forming a barrier layer comprising one or more of AlSb, AlAsSb, AlGaAsSb, AlPSb, AlGaPSb, and HgZnTe, and forming an n-doped semiconductor contact area.
Claims36
A photodetector comprising
- a photo absorbing layer having a predetermined doping type,
- a contact layer having the predetermined doping type where said contact layer includes a plurality of contact regions, each contact region having an active area and a guard area, said guard and active areas being physically distinct;
- and
- a barrier layer disposed between said photo absorbing and contact layers,
- wherein each contact region has a physically distinct guard area;
- and
- wherein a guard area for a first contact region is electrically connected to a second guard area of one or more adjacent contact regions by a resistor.
4 more elements
A photodetector comprising:
- a photo absorbing layer having a predetermined doping type,
- a contact layer having the predetermined doping type, and
- a barrier layer disposed between said photo absorbing and contact layers;
- where photo absorbing layer includes an absorber alloy and where the composition of the absorber alloy is graded in a way that creates a chemical potential in the alloy to drive minority carriers from the photo absorbing layer into the barrier layer,
- where the barrier layer is graded with a first grading at a first interface area between said barrier and said contact layer and graded with a second grading at a second interface area between said barrier and said photo absorbing layer such that
- the first grading creates a gradual transition from the minority carrier band edge of the barrier layer to the minority carrier band edge of the contact layer;
- and
- the second grading creates a gradual transition from the minority carrier band edge of the photo absorbing layer to the minority carrier band edge of the barrier layer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.