Patent ID: 6420707
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An infra-red detector for detecting photons of infrared radiation having a wavelength within an operating band, said detector comprising a doped semiconductor substrate, said substrate comprising:a detector region having a dopant concentration and a plurality of sub-band energy levels; a collector region having a dopant concentration; and a barrier region having a dopant concentration less than said detector region dopant concentration, said detector region, barrier region and collector region are laterally displaced with respect to one another over a surface region of said semiconductor substrate, said barrier region located between said detector region and said collector region, wherein said incident infra-red radiation of a wavelength within said operating band excites electrons within the detector region to an excited state in which the electrons have an energy corresponding to said sub-band energy levels such that said electrons cross the barrier region and are detectable in the collector region.