US4525731A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor conversion of optical-to-electrical energy
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1982-12-30
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Granted: 1985-06-25
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Expires: 2002-12-30
Abstract
Abstract Optical-to-electrical conversion is accomplished using an undoped region bounded by a tunneling junction of the order of the mean free path of an electron. A number of regions are assembled in series with larger thickness away from the light incident surface. The thickness and doping of the regions for maximum effectiveness in monochromatic light are tailored to produce similar quantities of carriers from the light. A nine section GaAs structure with 50 Å n + and p + tunneling bounding regions has a 90% quantum efficiency and delivers a 5 volt output with a 0.35 picosecond transit time.
Inventors
- 👤 Terry I. Chappell
- 👤 Thomas N. Jackson
- 👤 Jerry M. Woodall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:54
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/107; H10F30/00; H10F30/20; H10F30/21; H10F30/22; H10F30/222; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
In a semiconductor optical-to-electrical energy converter of the type having a plurality of serially connected semiconductor regions joined by quantum mechanical tunneling junctions, the improvement comprising each region being undoped and having a thickness dimension of the order of ballistic transport and each tunneling junction being of the order of the mean free path of a carrier in the semiconductor material of said tunneling junctions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
In a semiconductor optical-to-electrical energy converter of the type having a plurality of serially connected semiconductor regions joined by quantum mechanical tunneling junctions, the improvement comprising each region being undoped and having a thickness dimension of the order of ballistic transport and each tunneling junction being of the order of the mean free path of a carrier in the semiconductor material of said tunneling junctions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
The converter of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor is GaAs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The converter of claim 2 wherein said undoped regions are in the range of from 100 to 3500 Å and said tunneling junctions are of the order of 50 Å.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
A semiconductor optical-to-electrical energy converter comprising in combination in a monocrystalline semiconductor body having a surface for receiving an incident light. a plurality of serially connected light absorbing regions each region being undoped and each region having a progressively larger thickness dimension increasing with distance from said surface for receiving an incident light, said dimension not exceeding ballistic transport distance, and each light absorbing region being bounded by a quantum mechanical tunneling p-n junction having a thickness of the order of the mean free path of an electron.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
A semiconductor optical-to-electrical energy converter comprising in combination in a monocrystalline semiconductor body having a surface for receiving an incident light. a plurality of serially connected light absorbing regions each region being undoped and each region having a progressively larger thickness dimension increasing with distance from said surface for receiving an incident light, said dimension not exceeding ballistic transport distance, and each light absorbing region being bounded by a quantum mechanical tunneling p-n junction having a thickness of the order of the mean free path of an electron.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The converter of claim 4 wherein said regions are of GaAs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor optical-to-electrical energy converter comprising a light absorbing undoped region bounded by a quantum mechanical tunneling p-n junction of the order of the mean free path of a carrier in the region of said p-n junction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor optical-to-electrical energy converter comprising a light absorbing undoped region bounded by a quantum mechanical tunneling p-n junction of the order of the mean free path of a carrier in the region of said p-n junction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The optical-to-electrical converter of claim 6 wherein said undoped region has a thickness dimension of the order of the ballistic transport distance of a carrier in said undoped region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The energy converter of claim 7 wherein a plurality of said light absorbing regions are serially positioned with respect to a light incident surface, each region having a progressively larger thickness dimension of said undoped region with distance from said light incident surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The energy converter of claim 8 wherein the material of said semiconductor is GaAs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4127862A
Cited
US4282541A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-06-24 | 1988-12-24 | 1989-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-06-24 | 1992-12-24 | 1993-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-06-24 | 1996-12-24 | 1997-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |