Semiconductor photo-detector converting light into electric current

摘要

The light impinges orthogonally against the substrate surface from top or bottom, and the conversion or absorption layer is laterally contacted. The electric field in the absorption layer is parallel to the substrate surface. The absorption paths for the impinging photons may be determined by the absorption layer thickness orthogonally to the substrate surface. The transit path for electron hole pairs, generated by light, can be determined by the absorption layer width between two contacts. Preferably, the adjacent absorption layers can be separated by contact layers. Typically Si, Ge, GaAs, InP, InGaAs, diamond, III-V or II-VI semiconductors are absorption layer material.