Patent ID: 7351997

Claim:
A photon receptor device comprising: a single quantum dot having a first side and an opposing second side, at least one drain electrode disposed adjacent to the first side of said quantum dot being separated therefrom separated by a first gap, a source electrode disposed adjacent the second side of said quantum dot being separated therefrom by a second gap, a collector region disposed opposite to said quantum dot being separated therefrom by a third gap, the third gap being greater than the first and second gap, an electron detection unit disposed between said collector region and said drain electrode, wherein applying a bias to said drain and source electrodes causes photoelectrons generated when light impinges on said quantum dot to flow from said quantum dot to said drain electrode, and from said drain electrode to said collector region through said detection unit to discriminate each photoelectron thus received or collected, wherein each of said source and drain electrodes is immediately adjacent to the first and second side of said quantum dot without any intervening quantum dots.