EP0030281A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical semiconductor detector and process for fabrication thereof
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1980-11-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-11-14
Abstract
Abstract An optical semiconductor detector for optical-to-electrical signal conversion can be accomplished through the use of a detector made up of a semiconductor body (2) having a width (W) comparable to the diameter of the signal conveying optical fiber (10), the end of which is aligned with the width face of the semiconductor body, and n- and p- conductivity type regions (6, 7) are provided along the length dimension of the body, the magnitude of the length dimension further defining an optical ath length within the body that is correlated with the light wavelength. Arrays of such structures can be offset ½ structure width and the groove between the sides of the structures may then be employed for optical fiber alignment to an adjacent detector. The detectors can be fabricated out of silicon grown on a preferred crystallographic orientation.
Inventors
- 👤 Terry Ivan Chappell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:06
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4219; G02B6/4228; G02B6/423; G02B6/4202; H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/14; H10F77/147; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S359/00; Y10S359/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
An optical semiconductor detector for converting light signals transmitted by an optical fiber (10) to electrical signals, characterized by a semiconductor body (2) having an t dimension, a w dimension and an h dimension and having regions (6, 7) of p- and n-conductivity type along the long dimensional sides thereof, means aligning said optical fiber (10) having a diameter of the order of said w and h dimensions with said l dimension of said semiconductor body and positioned adjacent one end of said body and electrical contact means (9) to each said p and said n regions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
An optical semiconductor detector for converting light signals transmitted by an optical fiber (10) to electrical signals, characterized by a semiconductor body (2) having an t dimension, a w dimension and an h dimension and having regions (6, 7) of p- and n-conductivity type along the long dimensional sides thereof, means aligning said optical fiber (10) having a diameter of the order of said w and h dimensions with said l dimension of said semiconductor body and positioned adjacent one end of said body and electrical contact means (9) to each said p and said n regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The detector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said A dimension is governed by the optical absorption coefficient of the semiconductor material of said body (2) and the wavelength of said transmitted light signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The detector as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said semiconductor material is silicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The detector as claimed in claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the optical fiber (10) is silica based and the wavelength of the propagated light signals is in the vicinity of 0,5 to 2 microns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The detector as claimed in claims 1 to 4, characterized by an antireflecting coating (11) on the end of said semiconductor body (2) adjacent said fiber (10) and a reflecting member (9) electrically independent of said p region and said n region and over said semiconductor body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
A process of fabricating a semiconductor body for optical detection purposes characterized by the steps of: mounting a semiconductor wafer on an insulating substrate (1) said wafer having a crystallographic orientation such that the fast etch rate crystallographic planes are perpendicular to a broad area surface; applying an etch resist over portions of said surface defining length and width dimensions of said detector; etching said wafer not covered by said resist to define the sides and ends of said detector and applying metallization over said sides and said etch resist.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
A process of fabricating a semiconductor body for optical detection purposes characterized by the steps of: mounting a semiconductor wafer on an insulating substrate (1) said wafer having a crystallographic orientation such that the fast etch rate crystallographic planes are perpendicular to a broad area surface; applying an etch resist over portions of said surface defining length and width dimensions of said detector; etching said wafer not covered by said resist to define the sides and ends of said detector and applying metallization over said sides and said etch resist.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the material of said body is silicon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process as claimed in claims 6 to 7 characterized in that two identical bodies (2a, 2b) are made in an adjacent row having the intersection between them aligned on the center line of the body (2c) in the adjacent row.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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