Optoelectronic device
Patent 5631489 Issued on May 20, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date: 
February 15, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
February 15, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesUltra-high-speed photoconductive devices using semi-insulating layers Patent #: 5332918 InventorApplicationNo. 388726 filed on 02/15/1995US Classes:257/449, Schottky barrier (e.g., a transparent Schottky metallic layer or a Schottky barrier containing at least one of indium or tin (e.g., SnO 2 , indium tin oxide))250/338.4, Semiconducting type257/431, Light257/459, With particular contact geometry (e.g., ring or grid, or bonding pad arrangement)257/464, With particular layer thickness (e.g., layer less than light absorption depth)257/E31.032, Characterized by semiconductor body shape, relative size, or disposition of semiconductor regions (EPO)257/E31.065Schottky potential barrier (EPO)ExaminersPrimary: Jackson, JeromeAssistant: Kelley, Nathan K. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassH01L 031/00Foreign Application Priority Data1994-09-13 DEAbstractAn optoelectronic device based on a conduction constriction through which charge carriers pass ballistically. The constriction has a cross-sectional area of 2 square microns or less and a thickness D and is made of doped semiconductor material with a carrier mobility μ. The thickness D is selected to be near to a characteristic path length Dmes defined by D2mes =(h/2e)*μ where h is Planck's constant and e the elementary charge. The device can be used as a heterodyne radiation detector for detecting radiation in the frequency range between 3 GHz and 3 THz and is capable of detecting signals with a power of less than 10-14 watts in room temperature operation. The device can also be operated as the front end of a spectrometer. Other applications of the device include use as a high frequency AC current source or oscillator for microelectronics, for instance in the 100 to 500 GHz range.Other References
Field of SearchSchottky barrier (e.g., a transparent Schottky metallic layer or a Schottky barrier containing at least one of indium or tin (e.g., SnO 2 , indium tin oxide))With particular layer thickness (e.g., layer less than light absorption depth) Light With particular contact geometry (e.g., ring or grid, or bonding pad arrangement) Semiconducting type | |
