Semiconductor photodetector devices with pairs of monoatomic layers separated by intrinsic layers

• US 5,329,150 A
• Filed: 02/08/1993
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften e.V. (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Frderung der Wissenschaften e)
• Original Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften e.V. (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Frderung der Wissenschaften e)
• Inventors: Schubert, Erdmann, Fischer, Albrecht, Ploog, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Munson, Gene M.
• Application Number:
  US08/014,980
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 257/9, 257/15, 257/21, 257/461, 257/464, 257/458, 257/656
• US Class Current: 257/458
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/155 Comprising only semiconductor materials H01L29/154 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/157 Doping structures, e.g. doping superlattices, nipi superlattices delta doping in general H01L29/365
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/365 Planar doping, e.g. atomic-plane doping, delta-doping
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/73 Bipolar junction transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/732 Vertical transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7725 with delta-doped channel H01L29/778 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7781 with inverted single heterostructure, i.e. with active layer formed on top of wide bandgap layer, e.g. IHEMT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7787 with wide bandgap charge-carrier supplying layer, e.g. direct single heterostructure MODFET
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/864 Transit-time diodes, e.g. IMPATT, TRAPATT diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035236 Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/101 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/305 characterised by the doping materials used in the laser structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3059 in II-VI materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34 comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers H01S5/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3408 characterised by specially shaped wells, e.g. triangular
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

A semiconductor light wave detector which has a first layer of a highly doped n-type semiconducting substrate, a second layer of a highly doped n-type semiconducting material, a third layer of a distinct intrinsic semiconducting material and a fourth layer of a highly doped n-type semiconducting material similar to the second layer. First and second electrical connections are provided to the fourth layer and to at least one of the first and second layers. A plurality of pairs of Dirac-delta doped monoatomic layers are in the third layer, with the first monoatomic layer of each pair being a layer of donors and with the second monoatomic layer of each pair being acceptors spaced from the donor layer and positioned on the side thereof facing the fourth layer.

Claims

1. An epitaxial semiconductor device in the form of a semiconductor light wave detector, said device comprising a first layer (53) of a highly doped n-type semiconducting substrate, a second layer (54) of a highly doped n-type semiconducting material, a third layer (55) of a distinct intrinsic semiconducting material and a fourth layer (56) of a highly doped n-type semiconducting material similar to said second layer (54), with first and second electrical connections being provided to said fourth layer and to at least one of said first and second layers;

wherein a plurality of pairs of Dirac-delta doped monoatomic layers (57, 57'"'"', 58, 58'"'"') are provided in said third intrinsic layer (55), with the first Dirac-delta doped monatomic layer (57;

     58) of each pair (57, 57'"'"';

58, 58'"'"') comrising a monoatomic layer of donors, and with the second Dirac-delta doped monoatomic layer (57, 58'"'"') of each pair (57, 57'"'"';

58, 58'"'"') comprising a monoatomic layer of acceptors positioned parallel to and spaced apart from the associated first Dirac-delta doped layer (57;

     58) on the side thereof facing said fourth layer (56).

2. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the doping concentration in the Dirac-delta doped monoatomic layer lies in the range from 10¹¹ to 10¹⁴ cm^-2.