Infrared-responsive photoconductive array and method of making
First Claim
1. An edge-less photodetector comprising:
- a substrate;
a continuous layer of material which is responsive to photons of light to change an electrical characteristic of the material, said continuous layer of material being disposed upon said substrate;
a conductive grid disposed on the continuous layer of material and electrically but not physically dividing a detector area of said material from the remainder of said continuous layer of material; and
electrical means for making electrical contact with a central region of said detector area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photoconductive detector array which is responsive to infrared light to provide an electrical output response includes a substrate which is transparent to infrared light. A continuous layer of photoconductive material is disposed upon the substrate, and a conductive grid disposed on the continuous layer of photoconductive material divides the photoconductive material electrically but not physically into plural detector areas. Electrical connection structure is provided for individual electrical contact with a central region of each one of the plural detector areas. A method of making a detector array according to the invention includes forming plural perforations through the continuous layer of photoconductive material to expose the substrate. The electrical connection structure includes contacts which are secured to the substrate through the photoconductive material and which effect electrical connection with this material for each one of the plural detector areas.
15 Citations
51 Claims
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1. An edge-less photodetector comprising:
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a substrate; a continuous layer of material which is responsive to photons of light to change an electrical characteristic of the material, said continuous layer of material being disposed upon said substrate; a conductive grid disposed on the continuous layer of material and electrically but not physically dividing a detector area of said material from the remainder of said continuous layer of material; and electrical means for making electrical contact with a central region of said detector area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An edge-less photoconductive lead selenide (PbSe) detector array for receiving infrared light and providing an electrical output response, said detector array comprising:
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a substrate of quartz material having a window portion which is transparent to infrared light; a continuous layer of photoconductive PbSe material disposed upon said substrate congruent with said window portion; a conductive metallic grid disposed on said continuous layer of photoconductive PbSe material, said conductive metallic grid electrically dividing said continuous layer of PbSe material into plural detector areas; a layer of passivating material overlying said layer of PbSe material and said conductive metallic grid thereon; and a respective plurality of electrical contact structures extending through said layer of passivating material and each making individual electrical contact with a central region of a respective one of the plural detector areas. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of making an edge-less photoconductive lead selenide (PbSe) detector array for receiving infrared light and responsively providing an electrical output signal, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a substrate of quartz material having a portion which is transparent to infrared light; providing a continuous layer of photoconductive PbSe material upon said substrate congruent with said transparent portion thereof; providing a conductive metallic grid disposed on said continuous layer of photoconductive PbSe material; utilizing said conductive metallic grid to electrically divide said continuous layer of PbSe material into plural detector areas; and providing a respective plurality of electrical contact structures each making individual electrical contact with a central region of a respective one of said plural detector areas. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An edge-less lead selenide (PbSe) photodetector for receiving infrared light and responsively providing an electrical output signal, said photodetector comprising:
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a substrate of quartz material which is transparent to infrared light; a layer of photoconductive PbSe material disposed on said substrate, said layer of PbSe material being continuous over an area of said substrate which is larger than said photodetector, said layer of PbSe material being responsive to photons of infrared light to change in electrical conductivity; a conductive metallic grid disposed on said layer of PbSe material and electrically but not physically dividing said photodetector from the remainder of said layer of PbSe material; a layer of passivating material overlying said layer of PbSe material and said conductive metallic grid; and an electrical contact structure extending through said layer of passivating material and making electrical contact with a central region of said detector area. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification