Method of forming an avalanche semiconductor photo-detector device and a device thus formed

US4722907A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Thomson-CSF · FR

Inventors

• Thierry Weil · Paris, FR
• Borge Vinter · Paris, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 1986
• Grant date: Feb 2, 1988
• Expiry date: Jun 9, 2006

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F30/2255

Abstract

An avalanche photodetector of the heterojunction type comprises an intermediate region between two end regions made from distinct semiconductor materials. The intermediate region comprises a lattice of slices of varying thicknesses of alternating layers of the material of the end regions thus forming a system of coupled quantum wells whose thicknesses and whose number of slices are determined so that the response time of the photodetector is less than a maximum given time, while maintaining the number of coupled quantum wells to a minimum.