Patent ID: 7227145
Filing Date: 2007-06-05
Classification: B82Y,G01J,H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A detector for detecting a polarization of infrared radiation, the detector comprising: one or more first contacts, the first contacts being electrically interconnected by a first interconnect; one or more second contacts, the second contacts being electrically interconnected by a second interconnect; an infrared absorbing layer for absorbing the infrared radiation, the infrared absorbing layer having first and second opposing surfaces, the first contacts and the second contacts being in electrical contact with the first surface of the infrared absorbing layer; a contact layer for making electrical contact to the second surface of the infrared absorbing layer; one or more first patches for coupling infrared radiation of a first polarization to the infrared absorbing layer, each of the first patches extending in a first direction and a second, orthogonal direction, a length of the first patches in the first direction being greater than a length of the first patches in the second direction, each of the first patches being disposed on a surface of a respective first contact opposite the infrared absorbing layer; one or more second patches for coupling infrared radiation of a second polarization to the infrared absorbing layer, each of the second patches extending in the first and second directions, a length of the second patches in the first direction being less than a length of the second patches in the second direction, each of the second patches being disposed on a surface of a respective second contact opposite the infrared absorbing layer; and a groundplane being disposed on a surface of the contact layer opposite the infrared absorbing layer, wherein the detector generates a first signal between the first contacts and the contact layer when infrared radiation of the first polarization is absorbed by the infrared absorbing layer, and wherein the detector generates a second signal between the second contacts and the contact layer when infrared radiation of the second polarization is absorbed by the infrared absorbing layer.