Quantum dot optical devices with enhanced gain and sensitivity and methods of making same

• US 8,284,587 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Sargent, Edward, Clifford, Jason, Konstantatos, Gerasimos, Howard, Ian, Klem, Ethan J. D., Levina, Larissa
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Byrne, Harry W
• Application Number:
  US13/323,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20120145884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 365/106, 365/129, 365/200, 257/1, 257 14- 25, 257/59, 257/72, 257/202, 257/250, 257/E29.071, 257/E25.004, 438/48, 438/197, 438/479, 438/590, 438/962, 438/73, 428/403, 428/407, 252/301.4, 252/301.6, 977/708, 977/774, 977/775, 977/773, 977/778, 977/759, 977/847, 977/933, 372/43, 435/472, 385/122
• US Class Current: 365/129
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2031/0344 Organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02521 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02601 Nanoparticles fullerenes H10K85/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02628 using solutions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1462 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14634 Assemblies, i.e. Hybrid structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14665 Imagers using a photoconductor layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14692 Thin film technologies, e.g. amorphous, poly, micro- or nanocrystalline silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02162 for filtering or shielding light, e.g. multicolour filters for photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035218 the quantum structure being quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03926 comprising a flexible substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/466 Lateral bottom-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/488 the channel region comprising a layer of composite material having interpenetrating or embedded materials, e.g. a mixture of donor and acceptor moieties, that form a bulk heterojunction
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/30 comprising bulk heterojunctions, e.g. interpenetrating networks of donor and acceptor material domains
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/35 : comprising inorganic nanostructures, e.g. CdSe nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/30 : Devices controlled by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/32 : Organic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/36 : Devices specially adapted for detecting X-ray radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/114 : Poly-phenylenevinylene; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 : Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 : Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/774 : Exhibiting three-dimensional carrier confinement, e.g. quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/893 : Deposition in pores, molding, with subsequent removal of mold
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/954 : Of radiant energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/962 : for carrying or transporting

Abstract

Various embodiments include apparatuses including optical and optoelectronic devices and methods of making same. One such device includes an image sensor having an integrated circuit with a number of pixel electrodes, a substantially-continuous optically-sensitive layer, and at least one counter-electrode. The substantially continuous optically sensitive layer is in electrical communication with both the number of pixel electrodes and also the counter-electrode. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. An image sensor comprising:

an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes;

a substantially-continuous optically-sensitive layer; and

at least one counter-electrode, the substantially continuous optically sensitive layer being in electrical communication with both the plurality of pixel electrodes and also the counter-electrode.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the counter-electrode is coplanar with the plurality of pixel electrodes.

3. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the counter-electrode is on top of the optically-sensitive layer.

4. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the counter-electrode is optically opaque.

5. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the counter-electrode is optically transparent.

6. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the counter-electrode is substantially continuous.