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US 9,960,295 B2Granted
Single-photon avalanche diode and an array thereof
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
InventorsStuart McLeod, Pascal Mellot, Lindsay Grant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) is disclosed. The SPAD may include an active region for detection of incident radiation, and a cover configured to shield part of the active region from the incident radiation. An array is also disclosed and includes SPADs arranged in rows and columns. A method for making the SPAD is also disclosed.
Claims34
An array of Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs), the array comprising:
- a plurality of SPADs arranged in rows and columns, each SPAD comprising
- an active region for detection of incident radiation, the active region having a central region surrounded by a periphery,
- a guard ring disposed around the periphery of the active region,
- a cover configured to shield part of said active region from the incident radiation, and
- an anode disposed over and overlapping with the central region of the active region along a direction normal to a major surface of the active region, the anode being coupled to said active region;
- said plurality of SPADs comprising a plurality of different subsets of SPADs, each different subset having at least one SPAD therein with a different proportion of respective active regions shielded by respective covers;
- and
- logic circuitry configured to select from a different subset of SPADs from said plurality thereof based upon incident radiation intensity.
5 more elements
A method for making an array of Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs), the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of SPADs arranged in rows and columns, each SPAD comprising
- an active region for detection of incident radiation, the active region having a central region surrounded by a periphery,
- a guard ring disposed around the periphery of the active region, and
- a cover configured to shield part of the active region from the incident radiation, and
- an anode disposed over and overlapping with the central region of the active region along a direction normal to a major surface of the active region, the anode being coupled to said active region;
- the plurality of SPADs comprising a plurality of different subsets of SPADs, each different subset having at least one SPAD therein with a different proportion of respective active regions shielded by respective covers;
- and
- providing logic circuitry to select from a different subset of SPADs from the plurality thereof based upon incident radiation intensity.
5 more elements
An array of Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) comprising:
- a first SPAD comprising
- a first diode region disposed in a substrate,
- a first guard ring disposed around the first diode region,
- a first anode disposed over the first diode region,
- a first cover disposed over and overlapping with the first diode region, and
- a first aperture disposed in the first cover, the first aperture exposing a portion of the first diode region, wherein the first aperture is located in a first location relative to the first diode region in a first reference coordinate system;
- and
- a second SPAD disposed adjacent the first SPAD, the second SPAD comprising
- a second diode region disposed in the substrate,
- a second guard ring disposed around the second diode region,
- a second anode disposed over the second diode region,
- a second cover disposed over and overlapping with the second diode region, and
- a second aperture disposed in the second cover, the second aperture exposing a portion of the second diode region, wherein the second aperture is located in a second location relative to the second diode region in a second reference coordinate system, wherein coordinates axes of the first reference coordinate system are parallel to corresponding coordinate axes of the second reference coordinate system, wherein the first location is different from the second location such that the first SPAD has a different structure than the second SPAD.
10 more elements
An array of Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) comprising:
- a first SPAD comprising
- a first diode region disposed in a substrate,
- a first guard ring disposed around the first diode region,
- a first anode disposed over the first diode region,
- a first cover disposed over and overlapping with the first diode region,
- a first aperture disposed in the first cover, the first aperture exposing a first portion of the first diode region, wherein the first aperture is located in a first location with respect to the first diode region,
- a second aperture disposed in the first cover, the second aperture exposing a second portion of the first diode region, wherein the second aperture is located in a second location with respect to the first diode region, wherein the first location is different from the second location.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.