Metal semiconductor optical device

• US 5,961,741 A
• Filed: 04/17/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Park, Kang-Ho, Ha, Jeong-Sook
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODROW, JOHN L
• Application Number:
  US08/842,867
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 136/255, 136/256
• US Class Current: 136/255
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/07 the potential barriers being only of the Schottky type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/108 the potential barrier being of the Schottky type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

The present invention provides a metal semiconductor optical device which is capable of thinly uniformly growing a metal film on a semiconductor substrate using a layer functioning as an interface active agent and decreasing the density of interface energy state occurring between the metal thin film and the semiconductor, to thereby enhance the optical absorption efficiency of light beam. The interface single atomic layer is formed by one of the group V elements, e.g., one of antimony(Sb) or arsenic(As). Additionally, the metal thin film has a thickness of approximately 30 Å.

Claims

1. A metal semiconductor optical device having a junction structure consisting of a semiconductor substrate and a metal thin film, including:

a layer functioning as an interface single atomic layer formed between the semiconductor substrate and the metal thin film, wherein said interface single atomic layer comprises any one of elements of group V.

2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein said mental thin film has a thickness of approximately 30 Å

.

3. The metal semiconductor optical device according to claim 1, wherein said interface single atomic layer enhances light absorption efficiency via uniform growth of said metal thin film and elimination of interface states.