Systems and methods that detect changes in incident optical radiation
First Claim
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1. A detector for detecting changes in incident optical radiation, comprising:
- an insulating substrate having a first surface;
an array of photoconductive active areas formed on the first surface of the insulating substrate, for detecting the incident optical radiation, each active area formed of a group IV semiconductor and having a first surface; and
for each active area, a pair of electrical contacts mounted on the first surface of the active area and electrically coupled to opposing ends of said each active area, for providing electrical interface to the active area;
wherein electrical contacts on first ends of the active areas are independent of electrical contacts on second ends of the active areas.
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Abstract
Systems, methods and sensors detect changes in incident optical radiation. Voltage is applied across one or more active areas of a detector while the incident optical radiation illuminates the active areas. Current is sensed across one or more of the active areas, a change in the current being indicative of the changes in incident optical radiation.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A detector for detecting changes in incident optical radiation, comprising:
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an insulating substrate having a first surface; an array of photoconductive active areas formed on the first surface of the insulating substrate, for detecting the incident optical radiation, each active area formed of a group IV semiconductor and having a first surface; and for each active area, a pair of electrical contacts mounted on the first surface of the active area and electrically coupled to opposing ends of said each active area, for providing electrical interface to the active area;
wherein electrical contacts on first ends of the active areas are independent of electrical contacts on second ends of the active areas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 33)
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7. A sensor for detecting a change in incident optical radiation, comprising:
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a detector, including; an insulating substrate including; a layer of silicon, and a layer of silicon dioxide formed on the silicon layer, an upper surface of the silicon dioxide layer opposite to the silicon layer forming a first surface; a first photoconductive active area formed on the first surface, for detecting the incident optical radiation, the first active area formed of silicon; and a first electrical contact electrically coupled to a first end of the first active area and a second electrical contact electrically coupled to an opposing, second end of the first active area for providing electrical interface with the first active area; a second photoconductive active area formed of silicon on the first surface, having opposing first and second ends and being physically separated from the first active area, for detecting the incident optical radiation; and a third electrical contact electrically coupled to the first end of the second active area and a fourth electrical contact electrically coupled to the second end of the second active area, for providing electrical interface with the second active area; and electronics for measuring a change in current through the active areas to determine the change in the incident optical radiation; wherein the first and third electrical contacts are independent of the second and fourth electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A sensor for detecting a change in incident optical radiation, comprising:
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a detector, including; an insulating substrate including; a layer of silicon, and a layer of silicon dioxide formed on the layer of silicon, an upper surface of the silicon dioxide layer opposite to the silicon layer forming a first surface; an array of photoconductive active areas for detecting the incident optical radiation, the active areas formed of silicon on the first surface of the insulating substrate; and for each active area, a first and a second electrical contact electrically coupled to opposing first and second ends of the active area, for applying a voltage from a voltage source across the active area;
wherein electrical contacts coupled to first ends of the active areas are independent of electrical contacts coupled to second ends of the active areas;for at least one active area of the array, a load resistor electrically connected in series with the at least one active area, and electronics for measuring a change in voltage across the load resistor, the change in voltage being indicative of the change in the incident optical radiation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for detecting a change in optical radiation, comprising the steps of:
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applying an electric voltage to at least one of an array of photoconductive active areas via first and second individually-addressable electrical contacts coupled with opposing first and second ends of the at least one active area while the optical radiation illuminates the at least one active area, the active areas formed of silicon on a first surface of an insulating substrate, the insulating substrate including a layer of silicon and a layer of silicon dioxide formed on the silicon layer, an upper surface of the silicon dioxide layer opposite to the silicon layer forming the first surface; and measuring a current change through the at least one active area, the current change being indicative of the change in the optical radiation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for detecting a change in optical radiation, comprising the steps of:
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applying a voltage across an array of photoconductive active areas while the optical radiation illuminates the array, the active areas formed of silicon on a first surface of an insulating substrate, the insulating substrate including a layer of silicon and a layer of silicon dioxide formed on the silicon layer, an upper surface of the silicon dioxide layer opposite to the silicon layer forming the first surface; and measuring a current change through at least a first active area of the array of photoconductive active areas, the change being indicative of the change in the optical radiation; wherein applying a voltage across the array comprises utilizing a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes to apply the voltage across the active areas, each of the first electrodes electrically coupled with a first end of an active area, and each of the second electrodes electrically coupled with an opposing second end of an active area, and wherein the first electrodes are independent of the second electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification