US4568960A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Blocked impurity band detectors
Assignee: DRS Sensors and Targeting Systems Inc
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Filing: 1980-10-23
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Granted: 1986-02-04
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Expires: 2000-10-23
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a blocked-impurity-band detector, including an active layer which is doped with a sufficient amount of either a donor or an acceptor impurity that significant charge transport can occur in an impurity band in addition to the charge transport of electrons in the conduction band of the layer and of holes in the valence band of the layer. A blocking layer is disposed on the active layer and contains a sufficiently low concentration of impurities that significant charge transport cannot occur in the blocking layer except by means of electrons in the conduction band of the layer or holes in the valence band of the layer. First and second electrodes are provided for applying a bias potential across the active and blocking layers.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael D. Petroff
- 👤 Maryn G. Stapelbroek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:26
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F30/00; H10F30/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: an active layer doped with a sufficient amount of an impurity that charge transport can occur in an impurity band in addition to the charge transport of electrons in the conduction band of said layer or holes in the valence band of said layer; an impurity band blocking layer disposed on said active layer and containing a sufficiently low concentration of impurities that significant charge transport cannot occur in said layer except by means of electrons in the conduction band of said layer or holes in the valence band of said layer; and first and second electrodes for applying a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: an active layer doped with a sufficient amount of an impurity that charge transport can occur in an impurity band in addition to the charge transport of electrons in the conduction band of said layer or holes in the valence band of said layer; an impurity band blocking layer disposed on said active layer and containing a sufficiently low concentration of impurities that significant charge transport cannot occur in said layer except by means of electrons in the conduction band of said layer or holes in the valence band of said layer; and first and second electrodes for applying a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The detector of claim 1, wherein said blocking layer is an intrinsic, undoped layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The detector of claim 2, wherein said blocking layer further comprises an epitaxial layer grown on said active layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The detector of claim 3, wherein said active layer and said blocking layer comprise silicon layers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The detector of claim 4, wherein said active layer is responsive to light in the infrared portion of the spectrum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The detector of claim 1, wherein said active layer is doped with a donor impurity so that said layer exhibits an n-type conductivity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The detector of claim 1, wherein said active layer is doped with an acceptor impurity so that said layer exhibits a p-type conductivity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The detector of claim 1, wherein said first electrode is a transparent electrode implanted into said blocking layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The detector of claim 8, wherein said first electrode further comprises: a doped first region of a first conductivity type implanted in a thinned area of said blocking layer; and a relatively heavily doped second region of said first conductivity type implanted in said blocking layer adjacent said thinned area and contacting said first region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type; an intrinsic, undoped impurity band blocking layer epitaxially grown on said active layer; and first and second electrodes for applying a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type; an intrinsic, undoped impurity band blocking layer epitaxially grown on said active layer; and first and second electrodes for applying a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a degenerately doped substrate of a first conductivity type; a relatively heavily doped active layer of said first conductivity type disposed on said substrate;
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a degenerately doped substrate of a first conductivity type; a relatively heavily doped active layer of said first conductivity type disposed on said substrate;
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer; and a transparent electrode implanted into said blocking layer for applying, in conjunction with said substrate, a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer; and a transparent electrode implanted into said blocking layer for applying, in conjunction with said substrate, a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a substrate, no more than lightly doped; a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type disposed on said substrate; a transparent first electrode disposed between said substrate and said active layer; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer; and a second electrode implanted into said blocking layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
62 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a substrate, no more than lightly doped; a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type disposed on said substrate; a transparent first electrode disposed between said substrate and said active layer; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer; and a second electrode implanted into said blocking layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The detector of claim 12, further comprising a reflecting layer disposed on said blocking layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The detector of claim 13, further comprising a semireflecting layer disposed on said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type; a first electrode implanted into said active layer; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer opposite said first electrode; and a transparent second electrode implanted into said blocking layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type; a first electrode implanted into said active layer; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer opposite said first electrode; and a transparent second electrode implanted into said blocking layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
65 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector comprising: a degenerately doped substrate of a first conductivity type; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said substrate; a relatively heavily doped active layer of said first conductivity type disposed on said blocking layer; and a transparent electrode implanted into said active layer for applying, in conjunction with said substrate, a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
65 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector comprising: a degenerately doped substrate of a first conductivity type; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said substrate; a relatively heavily doped active layer of said first conductivity type disposed on said blocking layer; and a transparent electrode implanted into said active layer for applying, in conjunction with said substrate, a bias potential across said layers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a substrate, no more than lightly doped; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said substrate; a transparent first electrode disposed between said substrate and said blocking layer; a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type; and a second electrode implanted into said active layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
A blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising: a substrate, no more than lightly doped; an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said substrate; a transparent first electrode disposed between said substrate and said blocking layer; a relatively heavily doped active layer of a first conductivity type; and a second electrode implanted into said active layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The detector of claim 17, further comprising a reflecting layer disposed on said active layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The detector of claim 18, further comprising a semireflecting layer disposed on said blocking layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
58 words
An improved photodetector of the type including a doped active layer of a first conductivity type and a pair of electrodes for applying a bias potential across the detector, the improvement comprising: an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer for inhibiting the movement of charge carriers in an impurity band.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
58 words
An improved photodetector of the type including a doped active layer of a first conductivity type and a pair of electrodes for applying a bias potential across the detector, the improvement comprising: an impurity band blocking layer, no more than lightly doped, disposed on said active layer for inhibiting the movement of charge carriers in an impurity band.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The photodetector of claim 20, wherein said blocking layer further comprises an intrinsic undoped layer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
The photodetector of claim 21, wherein said active and blocking layers comprise silicon layers.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The photodetector of claim 22, wherein said active layer is responsive to light in the infrared portion of the spectrum.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of making a blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a degenerately doped substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) epitaxially growing a thin active layer on the substrate; (c) relatively heavily doping the active layer to the first conductivity type; (d) epitaxially growing a thin intrinsic impurity band blocking layer on the active layer; and (e) implanting a transparent electrode in the blocking layer.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of making a blocked-impurity-band detector, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a degenerately doped substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) epitaxially growing a thin active layer on the substrate; (c) relatively heavily doping the active layer to the first conductivity type; (d) epitaxially growing a thin intrinsic impurity band blocking layer on the active layer; and (e) implanting a transparent electrode in the blocking layer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 24, wherein step (e) further comprises: thinning the blocking layer in a region; doping the thinned region with an ion implantation of the first conductivity type; and heavily doping a contact region in the blocking layer and adjacent to the thinned region with an ion implantation of the first conductivity type.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-02-03 | 1989-08-05 | 1990-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-02-03 | 1993-08-05 | 1994-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-02-03 | 1997-08-05 | 1998-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |