Lateral trench optical detectors

US6177289A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• John D. Crow · Potsdam, US
• Steve Koester · Ossining, US
• Daniel M. Kuchta · Patterson, US
• Dennis L. Rogers · Croton-on-Hudson, US
• Devendra K. Sadana · Pleasantville, US
• Sandip Tiwari · Ithaca, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 4, 1998
• Grant date: Jan 23, 2001
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50

Abstract

A monolithic semiconductor optical detector is formed on a substrate having a plurality of substantially parallel trenches etched therein. The trenches are further formed as a plurality of alternating N-type and P-type trench regions separated by pillar regions of the substrate which operate as an I region between the N and P trench regions. First and second contacts are formed on the surface of the substrate and interconnect the N-type trench regions and the P-type trench regions, respectively. Preferably, the trenches are etched with a depth comparable to an optical extinction length of optical radiation to which the detector is responsive.