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High resistance photoconductor structure for multi-element infrared detector arrays

  • US 4,731,640 A
  • Filed: 05/20/1986
  • Issued: 03/15/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A high resistance, thin film, photoconductive device, operable for use in high density multi-element photodetector arrays, comprising:

  • a photoconductive layer of n-doped semiconductor material having a predetermined band gap, a first and second lateral face, and two opposing ends, said photoconductive layer further comprising a first and second N+ dopant region so positioned at the extreme of said two opposing ends of said photoconductive layer, said first and said second N+ dopant regions operable to serve as contact regions for said photoconductive layer, said photoconductive layer further operable to facilitate the migration of electrons and holes within said photoconductive layer;

    a first insulating layer positioned upon said first lateral face of said photoconductive layer, said first insulating layer operable to serve as a barrier for said electrons and said holes migrating within said photoconductive layer and said first insulating layer having a predetermined band gap;

    a second insulating layer positioned upon said second lateral face of said photoconductive layer, said second insulating layer operable to contain said electrons and said holes within said photoconductive layer, and said second insulating layer having a predetermined band gap;

    a ground means affixed to said first N+ dopant region operable to provide an electrical path to ground for said photoconductive device;

    a positive bias means affixed to said second N+ dopant region operable to provide positive electrical potential to said second N+ dopant region, whereby said second N+ dopant region is the most electrically positive region of said photoconductive layer; and

    ,a metallic gate means layered upon said first and said second insulating layers, said electrical metallic gate means operable to place a negative electrical potential across said first insulating layer, said photoconductive layer and said second insulating layer whereby said electrons will migrate towards said positively biased second N+ dopant region, said electrons migrating within the bulk of said photoconductive layer and said holes migrating towards said ground means affixed to said first N+ dopant region along said first and said second lateral faces of said photoconductive layer, increasing said resistance of said photoconductive layer during photoconductive detector operation.

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