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

• US 9,806,131 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2017
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• 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:
  US15/431,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20170154928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 365106, 365129, 365200, 257 1, 257 14- 25, 257 59, 257 72, 257202, 257250, 257E29071, 257E25004, 438 48, 438197, 438479, 438590, 438962, 438 73, 428403, 428407, 385122, 977708, 977774, 977775, 977773, 977778, 977759, 977847, 977933, 372 43, 435472
• 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 39/36 : 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. An apparatus, comprising:

a focal plane array including at least one optically sensitive layer formed on an underlying circuit, the circuit being patterned to measure and relay electronic signals on a pixel-by-pixel basis, the signal being indicative of light absorbed in a medium from which the focal plane array is made, the focal plane array being sensitized to become responsive to wavelengths absorbed in the at least one optically sensitive layer.