Patent ID: 7268339

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor-detection device configured to detect photons and/or particles and provide internal gain from detected photons and/or a detected particle, the method comprising: forming a plurality of bottom trenches in a bottom surface of an n-doped semiconductor wafer, forming a second plurality of top trenches in a top surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the bottom surface and the top surface are opposed surfaces, and each of the bottom trenches is substantially parallel to and substantially juxtaposed to an associated one of the top trenches; doping the semiconductor wafer with at least one p-type dopant to form a p-region that defines at least one n-well within the p-region, wherein a p-n junction is formed substantially at an interface of the n-well and the p-region; and removing a portion of the bottom surface to form a remaining-bottom surface, wherein a portion of the n-well forms a portion of the remaining-bottom surface.