摘要 |
A charge carrier multiplier is disclosed in which a carrier that passes through a high-field region lying entirely within the depleted semiconductor volume causes a single-step impact ionization without avalanching. By spacing the high-field region sufficiently away from any substrate region that is not depleted of carriers of opposite polarity than the ionizing carrier, generation of unwanted spurious charge is minimized. Preferably the cell includes a depleted channel formed in a substrate, a gate structure insulatively disposed over and transverse to the channel having an aperture formed therein, and a charge multiplication gate electrode insulatively disposed over the aperture. In one embodiment, the gate electrode structure includes a first aperture gate electrode having the aperture formed therethrough, and in another embodiment, the gate electrode structure includes first and second aperture gate electrodes having respective first and second reticulations therein so as to frame the aperture.
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