Wavelength-selective photo detector

• US 6,885,040 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Byoung-lyong, Kim, Jun-young, Lee, Eun-kyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thao X.
• Application Number:
  US10/747,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20040149985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 257431-432, 257/436, 257/438, 257/444, 257/448, 257458-459, 257/195, 257/199, 257184-187, 257/194, 257/443, 257/466, 257/80, 257/82, 385 14- 15
• US Class Current: 257/186
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/107 the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes

Abstract

A wavelength-selective photo detector device includes a transparent upper electrode including a capacitor, a first semiconductor layer disposed under the upper electrode, an optical absorption layer disposed under the first semiconductor layer for absorbing light to form pairs of electrons and holes, an amplification layer disposed under the optical absorption layer for generating secondary electrons, a second semiconductor layer disposed under the amplification layer, and a lower electrode disposed under the second semiconductor layer and including an inductance coupled in parallel with an external resistance. The photo detector improves the S/N ratio and filters only light having a particular wavelength band.

Claims

1. A photo detector device, comprising:

a transparent upper electrode including a capacitor;

a first semiconductor layer disposed under the upper electrode;

an optical absorption layer disposed under the first semiconductor layer for absorbing light to generate pairs of electrons and holes;

an amplification layer disposed under the optical absorption layer for generating secondary electrons;

a second semiconductor layer disposed under the amplification layer; and

a lower electrode disposed under the second semiconductor layer and including an inductance coupled in parallel with an external resistance.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capacitor includes a plurality of thin dielectric layers between two thin conductive layers and serves as an optical filter that filters light having a particular wavelength band.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin conductive layer is formed of one of ITO and ZnO.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thin dielectric layer is formed of one of SiO2 and SiNx.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first bonding pad being in ohmic contact with an external power supply and a second bonding pad being in ohmic contact with the external resistance are attached to the surface of the upper electrode.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the upper electrode comprises:

a first circular electrode formed at the center of the upper electrode where the first bonding pad being in ohmic contact with the external power supply is attached;

a second circular electrode which is spaced apart from the first circular electrode by a predetermined distance and formed where the second bonding pad being in ohmic contact with the external resistance is attached; and

a circular insulating layer disposed between the first circular electrode and the second circular electrode.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower electrode includes an insulating layer having a spiral coil to serve as an inductor.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a hole is formed in the lower electrode to be in ohmic contact with an external device.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer is formed of a p+-type semiconductor layer.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the amplification layer is formed of a p-type semiconductor layer.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor layer is formed of an n-type semiconductor layer.