Optoelectronic detector with multiple readout nodes and its use thereof

• US 7,622,704 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ams Sensors Singapore Pte. Ltd. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: MESA IMAGING AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Wäny, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US12/405,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20090173874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.1, 250/208.1, 250/214.R, 257229-230, 257/448, 327/514
• US Class Current: 250/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14601 Structural or functional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/71 Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1525 with charge transfer within the image-sensor, e.g. time delay and integration H04N3/1575 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention discloses an optoelectronic detector for light sensing. The optoelectronic detector has a photosensitive element that converts light into electrons. Efficient collection of these electrons at readout nodes, embedded in the photosensitive element, is required to make correct measurements of light characteristics such as, phase shift and intensity. This collection of electrons is achieved by applying a voltage gradient across an electrode within the optoelectronic detector. The optoelectronic detector can have multiple readout nodes. Further, the present invention discloses methods for detecting intensity and phase shift of impinging light and for suppression of background illumination while detecting the characteristics of light.

Claims

1. A method for detecting modulated light using an optoelectronic detector, the detector having a photosensitive substrate, at least two readout nodes, and a background illumination node, the method comprising:

a. determining a switching sequence, the switching sequence being synchronized with the modulation of the modulated light, the switching sequence comprising periods in which modulated light is present along with background illumination and a period in which background illumination is present;

b. activating a light source, the activation leading to impingement of the modulated light on the photosensitive substrate, the impingement resulting in generation of free electron-hole pairs in the photosensitive substrate;

c. steering free electrons between the readout nodes according to the switching sequence by generating a potential gradient between the readout nodes;

d. steering free electrons to the background illumination node when the background illumination is present; and

e. draining free electrons collected at the background illumination node; and

f. using the free electrons collected at the at least two readout nodes to detect a phase shift of the modulated light.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of determining a switching sequence comprises:

a. determining modulation frequency of the modulated light; and

b. determining a time period using the determined modulation frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of steering free electrons between the readout nodes comprises switching the potential gradient across the readout nodes.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of draining the free electrons at the background illumination node comprises the step of connecting the background illumination node to a reset potential.

5. A system comprising:

a modulated light source for generating modulated light; and

an optoelectronic detector including;

a. a doped photosensitive substrate;

b. a plurality of doped readout nodes embedded in the doped photosensitive substrate, the photosensitive substrate and the readout nodes being oppositely doped;

c. a background illumination node embedded in the doped photosensitive substrate, the photosensitive substrate and the background illumination node being oppositely doped;

d. a plurality of charge-sensing devices, one charge-sensing device being connected to one readout node; and

e. a plurality of electrical contact sites, one electrical contact site corresponding to each of the readout nodes and the background illumination node, a switched potential gradient being generated between the readout nodes and the background illumination node to steer charge carriers between the readout nodes synchronously with the modulated light and steer charge carriers to the background illumination node that are associated with background illumination.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the doped photosensitive substrate is a p-type semiconductor.

7. The system according to claim 5 wherein the doped photosensitive substrate is an n-type semiconductor.

8. The system according to claim 5 wherein the charge-sensing device is a current sensing device.

9. The system according to claim 5 wherein the charge-sensing device is a voltage sensing device.

10. The system according to claim 5 wherein at least one charge-sensing device is used to drain the electrons collected by the corresponding readout node.

11. The system according to claim 5 further comprising a dielectric layer on top of the photosensitive layer that is transparent to light.

12. The system according to claim 11 further comprising electrodes on top of the dielectric layer that are transparent to light.