An electrical device includes a counterdoped heterojunction selected from a group consisting of a pn junction or a p-i-n junction. The counterdoped junction includes a first semiconductor doped with one or more n-type primary dopant species and a second semiconductor doped with one or more p-type primary dopant species. The device also includes a first counterdoped component selected from a group consisting of the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor. The first counterdoped component is counterdoped with one or more counterdopant species that have a polarity opposite to the polarity of the primary dopant included in the first counterdoped component. Additionally, a level of the n-type primary dopant, p-type primary dopant, and the one or more counterdopant is selected to the counterdoped heterojunction provides amplification by a phonon assisted mechanism and the amplification has an onset voltage less than 1 V.
H01L 31/109 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier being of the PN heterojunction type
H01L 29/08 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions with semiconductor regions connected to an electrode carrying current to be rectified, amplified, or switched and such electrode being part of a semiconductor device which comprises three or more electrodes
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 29/10 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions with semiconductor regions connected to an electrode not carrying current to be rectified, amplified, or switched and such electrode being part of a semiconductor device which comprises three or more electrodes
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 29/165 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group in different semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0352 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/105 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier being of the PIN type
H01L 31/11 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by two potential barriers or surface barriers, e.g. bipolar phototransistor
H01S 5/34 - Structure or shape of the active regionMaterials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers
2.
Electrical devices making use of counterdoped junctions
An electrical device includes a counterdoped heterojunction selected from a group consisting of a pn junction or a p-i-n junction. The counterdoped junction includes a first semiconductor doped with one or more n-type primary dopant species and a second semiconductor doped with one or more p-type primary dopant species. The device also includes a first counterdoped component selected from a group consisting of the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor. The first counterdoped component is counterdoped with one or more counterdopant species that have a polarity opposite to the polarity of the primary dopant included in the first counterdoped component. Additionally, a level of the n-type primary dopant, p-type primary dopant, and the one or more counterdopant is selected to the counterdoped heterojunction provides amplification by a phonon assisted mechanism and the amplification has an onset voltage less than 1 V.
H01L 31/109 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier being of the PN heterojunction type
H01L 29/08 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions with semiconductor regions connected to an electrode carrying current to be rectified, amplified, or switched and such electrode being part of a semiconductor device which comprises three or more electrodes
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 29/10 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions with semiconductor regions connected to an electrode not carrying current to be rectified, amplified, or switched and such electrode being part of a semiconductor device which comprises three or more electrodes
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 29/165 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group in different semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0352 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/105 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier being of the PIN type
H01L 31/11 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by two potential barriers or surface barriers, e.g. bipolar phototransistor
H01S 5/34 - Structure or shape of the active regionMaterials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers
A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.
H01L 27/12 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
H01L 31/101 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
H01L 31/0352 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
H01L 29/78 - Field-effect transistors with field effect produced by an insulated gate
H01L 29/68 - Types of semiconductor device controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified, or switched
H01L 29/165 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group in different semiconductor regions
H01L 29/161 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 29/04 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes
4.
Electrical devices making use of counterdoped junctions
An electrical device includes a counterdoped heterojunction selected from a group consisting of a pn junction or a p-i-n junction. The counterdoped junction includes a first semiconductor doped with one or more n-type primary dopant species and a second semiconductor doped with one or more p-type primary dopant species. The device also includes a first counterdoped component selected from a group consisting of the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor. The first counterdoped component is counterdoped with one or more counterdopant species that have a polarity opposite to the polarity of the primary dopant included in the first counterdoped component. Additionally, a level of the n-type primary dopant, p-type primary dopant, and the one or more counterdopant is selected to the counterdoped heterojunction provides amplification by a phonon assisted mechanism and the amplification has an onset voltage less than 1 V.
H01L 31/109 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier being of the PN heterojunction type
H01L 31/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 29/08 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions with semiconductor regions connected to an electrode carrying current to be rectified, amplified, or switched and such electrode being part of a semiconductor device which comprises three or more electrodes
H01L 29/10 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions with semiconductor regions connected to an electrode not carrying current to be rectified, amplified, or switched and such electrode being part of a semiconductor device which comprises three or more electrodes
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 29/165 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group in different semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0352 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/105 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier being of the PIN type
H01L 31/11 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by two potential barriers or surface barriers, e.g. bipolar phototransistor
H01S 5/34 - Structure or shape of the active regionMaterials used for the active region comprising quantum well or superlattice structures, e.g. single quantum well [SQW] lasers, multiple quantum well [MQW] lasers or graded index separate confinement heterostructure [GRINSCH] lasers
A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0328 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, semiconductor materials provided for in two or more of groups
H01L 21/00 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid-state devices, or of parts thereof
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 29/68 - Types of semiconductor device controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified, or switched
H01L 31/101 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
H01L 29/04 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes
H01L 29/161 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group
H01L 27/12 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
H01L 29/165 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group in different semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0352 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/18 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
H01L 29/78 - Field-effect transistors with field effect produced by an insulated gate
6.
Pixel for use with light having wide intensity range
A light-sensing device includes a pixel array. Multiple pixels in the pixel array each includes pixel electronics. The pixel electronics include low light level electronics in communication with a light sensor and high light level electronics in communication with the same light sensor. The pixel electronics acquire data from the light sensor. During the data acquisition, the pixel electronics can transition between using the high light level electronics to acquire the data and using the low light level electronics to acquire the data.
A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0328 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, semiconductor materials provided for in two or more of groups
H01L 21/00 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid-state devices, or of parts thereof
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 29/165 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group in different semiconductor regions
H01L 29/04 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes
H01L 27/12 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
8.
ELECTRICAL DEVICES MAKING USE OF COUNTERDOPED JUNCTIONS
An electrical device includes a counterdoped heterojunction selected from a group consisting of a pn junction or a p-i-n junction. The counterdoped junction includes a first semiconductor doped with one or more n-type primary dopant species and a second semiconductor doped with one or more p-type primary dopant species. The device also includes a first counterdoped component selected from a group consisting of the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor. The first counterdoped component is counterdoped with one or more counterdopant species that have a polarity opposite to the polarity of the primary dopant included in the first counterdoped component. Additionally, a level of the n-type primary dopant, p-type primary dopant, and the one or more counterdopant is selected to the counterdoped heterojunction provides amplification by a phonon assisted mechanism and the amplification has an onset voltage less than 1 V.
H01L 21/04 - Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 21/265 - Bombardment with wave or particle radiation with high-energy radiation producing ion implantation
A light-sensing device includes a pixel array. Multiple pixels in the pixel array each includes pixel electronics. The pixel electronics include low light level electronics in communication with a light sensor and high light level electronics in communication with the same light sensor. The pixel electronics acquire data from the light sensor. During the data acquisition, the pixel electronics can transition between using the high light level electronics to acquire the data and using the low light level electronics to acquire the data.
A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.
H01L 29/06 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the shapes, relative sizes, or dispositions of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/0328 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, semiconductor materials provided for in two or more of groups
H01L 21/00 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid-state devices, or of parts thereof
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
H01L 29/68 - Types of semiconductor device controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified, or switched
H01L 31/101 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
H01L 29/04 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes
H01L 29/161 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic System in uncombined form including two or more of the elements provided for in group
H01L 27/12 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
H01L 29/78 - Field-effect transistors with field effect produced by an insulated gate
11.
CMOS pixels comprising epitaxial layers for light-sensing and light emission
Photonic devices monolithically integrated with CMOS are disclosed, including sub-100 nm CMOS, with active layers comprising acceleration regions, light emission and absorption layers, and optional energy filtering regions. Light emission or absorption is controlled by an applied voltage to deposited films on a pre-defined CMOS active area of a substrate, such as bulk Si, bulk Ge, Thick-Film SOI, Thin-Film SOI, Thin-Film GOI.
H01L 27/15 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, specially adapted for light emission
H01L 31/0352 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
H01L 31/18 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
H01L 33/06 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
H01L 31/02 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof - Details
H01L 31/107 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiode
A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.
H01L 33/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 33/04 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
H01L 29/15 - Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. multiple quantum wells, superlattices
The pixel circuitry of the invention enables light sensing through a photo-current mode with logarithmic compression and through accumulation of charges, with a seamless transition between the modes that depends only on the light signal strength, and not on external control signals. The pixel circuitry of the invention also allows said photo-current mode for a pixel matrix operated in the electronic global shutter mode, provides anti-blooming capability, and allows for sharing of certain pixel circuit elements between a plurality of pixels.
The present invention provides a method of forming CMOS pixels, with the light-sensing region comprising vertically aligned dual photo-diodes, in which the bottom photo-diode is formed either by a well-to-substrate junction, or by a deep-well-to-substrate junction, wherein said well and deep-well are independently biased from surrounding wells and deep-wells of the same polarity. Said independently biased well is a common region to the top and bottom photo-diodes and overlaps the source/drain region of a MOSFET formed on a well with the opposite polarity, that of the substrate. The photo-diodes can be electrically connected in parallel, or the top photo- diode can be biased separately from the bottom photo-diode, said bias can be such that avalanche mode operation is possible, including the single-photon detection (Geiger) mode.
Photonic passive structure to couple and guide light between photonic active devices (101), such as photo-diodes, light emitting devices and light-valves, which may be arranged into 2D arrays, and the top of the metallization layer stack (110,111,112) interconnecting said devices, with said photonic passive structure comprising a hole (116) between the near surface of said photonic active Ndevices and the top of said metallization stack, said hole being filled with a dielectric (113) having embedded metal films (117) and in which the embedded metal thin films are connected to a planar perforated metal film (123,124) formed on top of the metallization stack.
An analog-to-digital converter apparatus for analog source signals of one polarity, includes one comparator formed from transistors, a block of digitally addressable voltage sources to set a reference voltage of the comparator, an asynchronous n-bit digital counter, a block of digitally addressable voltage sources to set the potential to be applied to the signal source, a digital control unit, a block storing the calibration data for an input capacitor of the comparator, and a base-2 multiplier block, being interconnected by lines, including a line connecting the input analog signal to the drain of a pass transistor, a line connecting the block of voltage sources to be connected to the signal source, a line connecting the digital control unit to transistor gates, and a line carrying the signal Vref from the block of digitally addressed voltage sources to the comparator.
Photonic devices monolithically integrated with CMOS are disclosed, including sub-100 nm CMOS, with active layers comprising acceleration regions, light emission and absorption layers, and optional energy filtering regions. Light emission or absorption is controlled by an applied voltage to deposited films on a pre-defined CMOS active area of a substrate, such as bulk Si, bulk Ge, Thick-Film SOI, Thin-Film SOI, Thin-Film GOI.
H01L 27/15 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, specially adapted for light emission
H01L 29/18 - Selenium or tellurium only, apart from doping materials or other impurities
H01L 31/12 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof structurally associated with, e.g. formed in or on a common substrate with, one or more electric light sources, e.g. electroluminescent light sources, and electrically or optically coupled thereto
H01L 33/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 31/107 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiode
An epitaxial device module monolithically integrated with a CMOS structure in a bulk or thick-film SOI substrate, comprising an active area on which epitaxial layers are formed by selective or non-selective epitaxial growth and a separate active area in which the CMOS structure is formed. A hard mask for epitaxy having an opening therein provides self-alignment for optional ion implants into the substrate. The ion-implanted region overlaps the active region underneath the epitaxial layer, a portion of the source/drain region of the CMOS structure and the isolation region separating the two active areas, thereby establishing a conductive path underneath the isolation region between the two active areas.
H01L 27/088 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the substrate being a semiconductor body including only semiconductor components of a single kind including field-effect components only the components being field-effect transistors with insulated gate
19.
Layouts for the monolithic integration of CMOS and deposited photonic active layers
Several detailed layout designs are disclosed, for the monolithic integration of avalanche devices in large arrays, that can be operated as Avalanche Photo-Diodes (APDs) or Avalanche Light Emitting Diodes (ALEDs) depending only on the applied bias conditions, which can be software-controlled from peripheral circuitry. If the deposited films have direct bandgaps, then the devices can emit light even in the absence of avalanche operation. In particular, the layouts according to the invention comprise a sensor/emitter matrix achieved through the replication of basic Pixel/Lixel cells.
H01L 31/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 31/107 - Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation characterised by only one potential barrier or surface barrier the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiode
20.
Multi-mode ADC and its application to CMOS image sensors
An analog-to-digital converter apparatus for analog source signals of one polarity, includes one comparator formed from transistors, a block of digitally addressable voltage sources to set a reference voltage of the comparator, an asynchronous n-bit digital counter, a block of digitally addressable voltage sources to set the potential to be applied to the signal source, a digital control unit, a block storing the calibration data for an input capacitor of the comparator, and a base-2 multiplier block, being interconnected by lines, including a line connecting the input analog signal to the drain of a pass transistor, a line connecting the block of voltage sources to be connected to the signal source, a line connecting the digital control unit to transistor gates, and a line carrying the signal Vref from the block of digitally addressed voltage sources to the comparator.
A new methodology is disclosed to convert analog electric signals into digital data. The method provides a serial scheme without pre-definition of the number of bits (dynamic range). It allows digital processing of the input signal without sampling and holding of the input signal. Processing of the input signal is clock-less and asynchronously dependent on the time-evolution of the input signal itself. Thereby, a programmable, dynamic adjustment of bandwidth (product of dynamic range and speed of conversion) of the analog-to-digital conversion process can be achieved depending on the characteristics of the input signal. Dynamic adjustment of the bandwidth is accomplished by digitally controlling a “threshold” value at the input capacitor of the comparator, which when met by the input signal, triggers a transition at the output of the comparator.
A method of fabricating heterojunction devices, in which heterojunction devices are epitaxially formed on active area regions surrounded by field oxide regions and containing embedded semiconductor wells. The epitaxial growth of the heterojunction device layers may be selective or not and the epitaxial layer may be formed so as to contact individually each one of a plurality of heterojunction devices or contact a plurality of heterojunction devices in parallel. This method can be used to fabricate three-terminal devices and vertically stacked devices.
patents
