High speed photosensitive devices and associated methods

• US 9,761,739 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (DC Capital Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (DC Capital Partners, LLC)
• Inventors: Carey, James E., Miller, Drake
• Primary Examiner(s): Armand, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALERNO, SARAH KATE
• Application Number:
  US14/580,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20150349150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1446 in a repetitive configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14629 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02024 Position sensitive and lateral effect photodetectors; Quadrant photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02363 of the semiconductor body itself, e.g. textured active layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/028 including, apart from doping material or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/103 the potential barrier being of the PN homojunction type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

High speed optoelectronic devices and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a high speed optoelectronic device can include a silicon material having an incident light surface, a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material, and a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation. The optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.

Claims

1. A high speed optoelectronic device for detecting infrared radiation, comprising:

a silicon material having a thickness in a range of about 1 micron to about 100 microns and having a surface for receiving incident radiation;

a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material; and

a textured region having nanosized features and coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the optoelectronic device has a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.5 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from 1 picosecond to about 1 nanosecond.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the optoelectronic device has a data rate greater than or equal to about 1 Gbs.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first contact and a second contact wherein the first contact is opposite in voltage polarity from the second contact.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein a reverse bias is applied across the first and second contacts.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein a bias is not applied across the first and second contacts during use.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein dark current of the device during operation is from about 100 pA/cm² to about 10 nA/cm².

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the textured region is positioned on an opposite side of the silicon material from the surface for receiving incident light.

10. The high speed optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein said textured region is laser generated.

11. A high speed optoelectronic device for detecting infrared radiation, comprising:

a silicon material having a thickness in a range of about 1 micron to about 10 microns and having a surface for receiving incident radiation;

a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material; and

a textured region having nanosized features and coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.05 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1060 nm.

12. A photodiode array for detecting infrared radiation, comprising

a silicon material having a thickness in a range of about 1 micron to about 100 microns and having a surface for receiving incident radiation;

at least two photodiodes in the silicon material, each photodiode including a first doped region and a second doped region forming a junction; and

a textured region having nanosized features and coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the photodiode array has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.

13. The array of claim 12, wherein the at least two photodiodes are four photodiodes forming a quad array.

14. The array of claim 13, wherein the four photodiodes of the quad array are selective to a single wavelength range.

15. The array of claim 12, wherein the array is an image sensor.

16. The array of claim 12, wherein the array is operable to detect a phase delay between a reflected and an emitted optical signal.

17. The array of claim 12, wherein the array is operable to detect pulsed optical signals.

18. The array of claim 12, wherein the at least two photodiodes are operable to transmit data at a rate of at least 1 Gbps.

19. The photodiode array of claim 12, wherein said textured region is laser generated.