Patent ID: 6995444
Filing Date: 2006-02-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A photodetector device comprising: a semiconductor substrate of a first type of conductivity; a first electrode connected to said semiconductor substrate; a plurality of second electrodes; and an active region of a second type of conductivity, said active region being formed on a surface of said semiconductor substrate, said active region being operable to receive an optical signal to be detected, and said active region being comprised of a plurality of semiconductor sub-regions of the second type of conductivity which are electrically insulated from each other by portions of said semiconductor substrate and which are independently connected to said plurality of second electrodes, respectively; wherein each of said plurality of second electrodes is separated from each other, and an independently controlled selectable bias voltage is respectively applied between each of said plurality of second electrodes and said first electrode so as to be able to produce avalanche multiplication of charge carriers under the corresponding semiconductor sub-regions and a resulting electrical output signal which is indicative of the optical signal to be detected.