| 摘要 |
The present invention relates to a rectifier for a sensor of electromagnetic signal, said electromagnetic signal having a frequency between 300Ghz and 10THz. Said rectifier comprising: - a semiconductor substrate (1 ) doped p/n comprising a electrons/holes gathering well (2) for gathering electrons/holes; said electrons/holes gathering well (2) being arranged inside said semiconductor substrate (1 ) and comprising at least a first zone doped n/p (21 ); said first zone doped n/p (21 ) having an end surface (21 A); - a metal end surface (41 ) of an antenna (4), said antenna being capable of receiving and concentrating said electromagnetic signal; - a layer doped p/n (3) having a first surface (31) and a second surface (32), opposite to said first surface (31 ). In particular, a first portion of said first surface (31) of said layer doped p/n (3) is in contact with said end surface (21 A) of said first zone doped n/p (21 ) of the electrons/holes gathering well (2), so as to form a first metallurgical junction (G1 ), and a first portion of said second surface (32) of said layer doped p/n (3) is in contact with said metal end surface (41 ), so as to form a second metallurgical junction (G2). The concentration of the doping of said layer doped p/n (3) and the concentration of the doping of said first zone doped n/p (21) of said electrons/holes gathering well (2) are such that said first metallurgical junction (G1) has a first potential barrier (VZ1) inside and the work function of the metal of said metal end surface (41 ) is selected such that it is equal to that of a semiconductor doped n/p and such that said second metallurgical junction (G2) has a second potential barrier (Vzz) inside. Said first metallurgical junction (G1 ) and said second metallurgical junction (G2) form a double metallurgical junction n-p-n/p-n-p with a double potential barrier composed of said first potential barrier (Vz1) and said second potential barrier (Vz2), where said double metallurgical junction n-p-n/p-n-p comprises a first depletion zone (Z1 ), and a second depletion zone (Z2), in contact with said first depletion zone (Z1 ) along a line of contact (A), disposed within said layer doped p/n (3), said first depletion zone (Z1 ) having a thickness greater than the thickness of the second depletion zone (Z2); said first potential barrier (Vzi) being associated with said first depletion zone (Z 1 ), and said second potential barrier (Vz2) being associated with said second depletion zone (Z2). Said layer doped p/n (3) is dimensioned in such a way that said double potential barrier has a value such as to allow said layer doped p/n (3) being completely deprived of holes/electrons, so that, when a variable electric field is induced by said electromagnetic signal received by said antenna (4), said double metallurgical junction n-p-n/p-n-p is subjected to said variable electric field, and a first potential difference (AV^) and a second potential difference (AVZ2) are generated, through the first depletion zone (Z1 ) and through the second depletion zone (Z2) respectively, where each potential difference (ΔVzi, ΔVz2) is proportional to the thickness of the respective depletion zone (Z1, Z2) and is added algebraically to the respective potential barrier (Vz1, Vz2). The present invention relates also to a charge gathering system comprising said rectifier. |
