Avalanche photodetector element

US9159860B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• IMEC · BE

Inventors

• Geert Hellings · Halle, BE
• Joris Van Campenhout · Brussels, BE
• Peter Verheyen · Nijlen, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 22, 2013
• Grant date: Oct 13, 2015
• Expiry date: Nov 22, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/547

Abstract

An avalanche photodetector element is disclosed for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal, comprising an input waveguide and a photodetector region, the photodetector region comprising at least one intrinsic region, at least one p-doped region and at least one n-doped region, the doped regions and the at least one intrinsic region forming at least one PIN-junction avalanche photodiode, the input waveguide and the photodetector region being arranged with respect to each other such that the optical signal conducted by the input waveguide is substantially conducted into the photodetector region to the PIN-junction avalanche photodiode, the PIN-junction avalanche photodiode converting the optical signal to an electrical signal, characterized in that the photodetector region comprises more than one p-doped region and/or n-doped region, whereby these p-doped regions and/or n-doped regions are physically arranged as an array.