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

• US 9,373,736 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Sargent, Edward Hartley, Clifford, Jason Paul, Konstantatos, Gerasimos, Howard, Ian, Klem, Ethan J. D., Levina, Larissa
• Primary Examiner(s): Byrne, Harry W
• Application Number:
  US14/730,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20150280033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 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, 385/122, 977/708, 977/774, 977/775, 977/773, 977/778, 977/759, 977/847, 977/933, 372/43, 435/472
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 embodiment include optical and optoelectronic devices and methods of making same. Under one aspect, an optical device includes an integrated circuit having an array of conductive regions, and an optically sensitive material over at least a portion of the integrated circuit and in electrical communication with at least one conductive region of the array of conductive regions. Under another aspect, a film includes a network of fused nanocrystals, the nanocrystals having a core and an outer surface, wherein the core of at least a portion of the fused nanocrystals is in direct physical contact and electrical communication with the core of at least one adjacent fused nanocrystal, and wherein the film has substantially no defect states in the regions where the cores of the nanocrystals are fused. Additional devices and methods are described.

Claims

1. A focal plane array, comprising:

an integrated circuit including at least one pixel electrode;

an optically sensitive layer formed on the integrated circuit, a region of the optically sensitive layer substantially overlying the at least one pixel electrode;

at least one layer providing transport of a first type of carrier, and blocking a second type of carrier, from the optically sensitive layer; and

a counterelectrode configured to apply a potential difference between the at least one pixel electrode and the counterelectrode;

wherein a signal is configured to be relayed from the at least one pixel electrode to the integrated circuit.

2. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the signal is an electronic signal.

3. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit includes silicon.

4. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the optically sensitive layer is configured to sensitize the focal plane array into at least one of the ranges including the visible spectral range, the x-ray range, the ultraviolet range, the near infrared range, the short wavelength infrared range, and the long-wavelength infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the optically sensitive layer includes quantum dot nanocrystals.

6. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the optically sensitive layer includes at least one semiconducting polymer.

7. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the optically sensitive layer is spin-coated.

8. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the optically sensitive layer is vapor-phase processed.

9. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the at least one pixel electrode forms substantially square electrode pads.

10. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein a sequence of signals from a plurality of pixel electrodes corresponds to an image.

11. The focal plane array of claim 10, wherein the sequence of signals from the integrated circuit is related to a map of the intensity of light impinging on the optically sensitive layer averaged across an exposure period.

12. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the first type of carrier is electrons, and the second type of carrier is holes.

13. The focal plane array of claim 1, wherein the first type of carrier is holes, and the second type of carrier is electrons.