Low dark current photodetector

US5880482A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois · US

Inventors

• Ilesanmi Adesida · Champaign, US
• Walter Wohlmuth · Hillsboro, US
• Mohamed Arafa · Chandler, US
• Patrick Fay · Granger, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 29, 1997
• Grant date: Mar 9, 1999
• Expiry date: Jan 29, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F30/2275

Abstract

A low dark current metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector has an active region for receiving photons and generating charge carriers in the form of holes and electrons in response to the photons and an isolation region for allowing electrical coupling to occur without increasing the dark current. The photodetector is a III-V ternary semiconductor having its active region defined by a via through a dielectric layer. A pair of electrodes has contact portions extending into contact with the active region and terminating on the isolation region. One electrode of the pair provides a high Schottky barrier to holes. The other electrode provides a high Schottky barrier for electrons