Image pickup device, visibility support apparatus, night vision device, navigation support apparatus, and monitoring device
US8243139B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 24, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 14, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F77/146
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An image pickup device, a visibility support apparatus, a night vision device, a navigation support apparatus, and a monitoring device are provided in which noise and dark current are suppressed to thereby provide clear images regardless of whether it is day or night. The device includes a light-receiving layer 3 having a multi-quantum well structure and a diffusion concentration distribution control layer 4 disposed on the light-receiving layer so as to be opposite an InP substrate 1, wherein the light-receiving layer has a band gap wavelength of 1.65 to 3 μm, the diffusion concentration distribution control layer has a lower band gap energy than InP, a pn junction is formed for each light-receiving element by selective diffusion of an impurity element, and the impurity selectively diffused in the light-receiving layer has a concentration of 5×1016/cm3 or less. A diffusion concentration distribution control layer has an n-type impurity concentration of 2×1015/cm3 or less before the diffusion, the diffusion concentration distribution control layer having a portion adjacent to the light-receiving layer, the portion having a low impurity concentration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.