High speed photosensitive devices and associated methods

• US 10,505,054 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (Black Silicon Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SiOnyx, LLC (Black Silicon Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carey, James E., Miller, Drake
• Primary Examiner(s): Fahmy, Wael M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salerno, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US15/679,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20170345951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 method for configuring an optoelectronic device for light detection and ranging, the method comprising:

doping at least two regions in a silicon optoelectronic device material to form at least one depletion region, wherein the silicon optoelectronic device material exhibits a thickness in a range of about 1 micron to about 100 microns and comprises a surface for receiving incident radiation;

providing an infrared optical band pass filter for reducing unwanted ambient light; and

texturing the silicon material to form a textured region positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation so as to increase the quantum efficiency of the optoelectronic device,

wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a quantum efficiency of greater than or equal to about 40% for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 940 nm.

2. A system for performing light detection and ranging, comprising:

a silicon optoelectronic device material exhibiting 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 at least one depletion region in the silicon material;

an infrared optical bandpass filter for reducing unwanted ambient light; and

a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation so as to increase the quantum efficiency of the optoelectronic device,

wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a quantum efficiency of greater than or equal to about 40% for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 940 nm.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the silicon optoelectronic device material exhibits a thickness in a range of about 1 micron to about 10 microns.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the silicon optoelectronic device material exhibits a thickness in a range of about 1 micron to about 5 microns.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the textured region is formed via one of lasing, chemical etching, nanoimprinting, and reactive ion etching.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the textured region is associated with the surface of the silicon material nearest the impinging electromagnetic radiation.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the silicon optoelectronic device material comprises an array of photodetectors.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an isolation structure disposed between each of the photodectectors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the isolation structure comprises one of dielectric materials, reflective materials, conductive materials, and combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the array is operable to detect a phase delay between a reflected and an emitted optical signal.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a light source configured to emit an optical signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the light source is configure to emit electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of about 940 nm.