Image sensor with microcrystalline germanium photodiode layer
First Claim
1. A microcrystalline germanium image sensor array comprising:
- A) a substrate,B) a plurality of pixel circuits fabricated in or on said substrate, each pixel circuit comprising;
1) a charge collecting electrode for collecting electrical charges and2) a readout means for reading out charges collected by said charge collecting electrode,C) a single continuous un-pixelated photodiode layer of charge generating material located above said pixel circuits for converting electromagnetic radiation into electrical charges, said single continuous un-pixelated photodiode layer comprising microcrystalline germanium and defining at least an n-layer, and i-layer and a p-layer, andD) a surface electrode in the form of a grid or thin transparent layer located above said layer of charge generating material.
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Abstract
A microcrystalline germanium image sensor array. The array includes a number of pixel circuits fabricated in or on a substrate. Each pixel circuit comprises a charge collecting electrode for collecting electrical charges and a readout means for reading out the charges collected by the charge collecting electrode. A photodiode layer of charge generating material located above the pixel circuits convert electromagnetic radiation into electrical charges. This photodiode layer includes microcrystalline germanium and defines at least an n-layer, and i-layer and a p-layer. The sensor array also includes and a surface electrode in the form of a grid or thin transparent layer located above the layer of charge generating material. The sensor is especially useful for imaging in visible and near infrared spectral regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and provides imaging with starlight illumination.
188 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A microcrystalline germanium image sensor array comprising:
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A) a substrate, B) a plurality of pixel circuits fabricated in or on said substrate, each pixel circuit comprising; 1) a charge collecting electrode for collecting electrical charges and 2) a readout means for reading out charges collected by said charge collecting electrode, C) a single continuous un-pixelated photodiode layer of charge generating material located above said pixel circuits for converting electromagnetic radiation into electrical charges, said single continuous un-pixelated photodiode layer comprising microcrystalline germanium and defining at least an n-layer, and i-layer and a p-layer, and D) a surface electrode in the form of a grid or thin transparent layer located above said layer of charge generating material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification