Patent · US Active

Solid-state photodetector pixel and photodetecting method

US7897928B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by

1References

33Claims

0Family size

Assignee

MESA Imaging AG · CH

Inventors

Rolf Kaufmann · Schneeberg, DE
Thierry Oggier · Zürich, CH
Simon Neukom · Uster, CH
Michael Lehmann · Winterthur, CH

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 25, 2005
Grant date	Mar 1, 2011
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 22, 2026

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01S17/894
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A pixel is formed in a semiconductor substrate (S) with a plane surface for use in a photodetector. It comprises an active region for converting incident light (In) into charge carriers, photogates (PGL, PGM, PGR) for generating a lateral electric potential (Φ(x)) across the active region, and an integration gate (IG) for storing charge carriers generated in the active region and a dump site (Ddiff). The pixel further comprises separation-enhancing means (SL) for additionally enhancing charge separation in the active region and charge transport from the active region to the integration gate (IG). The separation-enhancing means (SL) are for instance a shield layer designed such that for a given lateral electric potential (Φ(x)), the incident light (In) does not impinge on the section from which the charge carriers would not be transported to the integration gate (IG).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.