Patent
US 11,322,640Ge-GaAs HETEROJUNCTION-BASED SWIR PHOTODETECTOR
Vincent Immer
US
Copyright © 2026 Matter42. All rights reserved.
Patent
Atlas literature
Patent
US 11,322,640Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN GaAs homojunction;
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN Ge homojunction;
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically in a side view the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction;
FIG. 4 shows the calculation of reverse current of GaAs PN homojunction, Ge PN homojunction and the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 5 shows the calculation of the electric field at the Ge and GaAs interface of the disclosed Ge- GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 6 shows the calculated conduction and valence edges along with the Fermi level at the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction at equilibrium;
FIG. 7 shows the calculated reverse dark and light current of the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction while being illuminated by 1.31 u m light signal at …
Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.
A photodetector, comprising: a heterojunction comprising a P type Germanium (Ge) layer having a first layer thickness and a first doping concentration; and a N type Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) layer having a second layer thickness and a second doping concentration smaller than the first doping concentration by at least one order of magnitude, wherein the Ge layer is adjacent to the GaAs layer and wherein the photodetector is a short wave infrared (SW I R) photodetector that serves as a component in a SWIR imaging system. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is between 10"cm- 3 and 10 20 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3 and wherein the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3, the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³, the first la yer thickness is about 1 p m and the second layer thickness is about 10 pm. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the photodetector has a dark current that is smaller by about three orders of magnitude than a dark current of a Ge homojunction with similar doping concentrations under a reverse bias of between -0.1V and 1V. Currently amended
Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.
Ge-GaAs heterojunction SWIR photodetector
Materials described outside the worked examples.
P type Germanium
Ge
N type Gallium Arsenide
GaAs
Measurements and analyses referenced in the patent, with their drawing references.
n exemplary optical power density of 100mW/cm 2. One can easily see that the photo-responsivity is good even at zero bias. The photo-respons
Performance values and ranges asserted in the specification or claims.
| Property | Value | Material |
|---|---|---|
Dark current reduction of Ge-GaAs heterojunction vs Ge homojunction | — | GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 0V |
Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.
Patent
Atlas literature
Patent
US 11,322,640Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN GaAs homojunction;
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN Ge homojunction;
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically in a side view the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction;
FIG. 4 shows the calculation of reverse current of GaAs PN homojunction, Ge PN homojunction and the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 5 shows the calculation of the electric field at the Ge and GaAs interface of the disclosed Ge- GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 6 shows the calculated conduction and valence edges along with the Fermi level at the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction at equilibrium;
FIG. 7 shows the calculated reverse dark and light current of the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction while being illuminated by 1.31 u m light signal at …
Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.
A photodetector, comprising: a heterojunction comprising a P type Germanium (Ge) layer having a first layer thickness and a first doping concentration; and a N type Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) layer having a second layer thickness and a second doping concentration smaller than the first doping concentration by at least one order of magnitude, wherein the Ge layer is adjacent to the GaAs layer and wherein the photodetector is a short wave infrared (SW I R) photodetector that serves as a component in a SWIR imaging system. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is between 10"cm- 3 and 10 20 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3 and wherein the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3, the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³, the first la yer thickness is about 1 p m and the second layer thickness is about 10 pm. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the photodetector has a dark current that is smaller by about three orders of magnitude than a dark current of a Ge homojunction with similar doping concentrations under a reverse bias of between -0.1V and 1V. Currently amended
Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.
Ge-GaAs heterojunction SWIR photodetector
Materials described outside the worked examples.
P type Germanium
Ge
N type Gallium Arsenide
GaAs
Measurements and analyses referenced in the patent, with their drawing references.
n exemplary optical power density of 100mW/cm 2. One can easily see that the photo-responsivity is good even at zero bias. The photo-respons
Performance values and ranges asserted in the specification or claims.
| Property | Value | Material |
|---|---|---|
Dark current reduction of Ge-GaAs heterojunction vs Ge homojunction | — | GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 0V |
Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.
Patent
Atlas literature
Patent
US 11,322,640Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN GaAs homojunction;
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN Ge homojunction;
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically in a side view the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction;
FIG. 4 shows the calculation of reverse current of GaAs PN homojunction, Ge PN homojunction and the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 5 shows the calculation of the electric field at the Ge and GaAs interface of the disclosed Ge- GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 6 shows the calculated conduction and valence edges along with the Fermi level at the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction at equilibrium;
FIG. 7 shows the calculated reverse dark and light current of the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction while being illuminated by 1.31 u m light signal at …
Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.
A photodetector, comprising: a heterojunction comprising a P type Germanium (Ge) layer having a first layer thickness and a first doping concentration; and a N type Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) layer having a second layer thickness and a second doping concentration smaller than the first doping concentration by at least one order of magnitude, wherein the Ge layer is adjacent to the GaAs layer and wherein the photodetector is a short wave infrared (SW I R) photodetector that serves as a component in a SWIR imaging system. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is between 10"cm- 3 and 10 20 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3 and wherein the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3, the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³, the first la yer thickness is about 1 p m and the second layer thickness is about 10 pm. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the photodetector has a dark current that is smaller by about three orders of magnitude than a dark current of a Ge homojunction with similar doping concentrations under a reverse bias of between -0.1V and 1V. Currently amended
Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.
Ge-GaAs heterojunction SWIR photodetector
Materials described outside the worked examples.
P type Germanium
Ge
N type Gallium Arsenide
GaAs
Measurements and analyses referenced in the patent, with their drawing references.
n exemplary optical power density of 100mW/cm 2. One can easily see that the photo-responsivity is good even at zero bias. The photo-respons
Performance values and ranges asserted in the specification or claims.
| Property | Value | Material |
|---|---|---|
Dark current reduction of Ge-GaAs heterojunction vs Ge homojunction | — | GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 0V |
Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.
Patent
Atlas literature
Patent
US 11,322,640Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN GaAs homojunction;
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically in a side view a PN Ge homojunction;
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically in a side view the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction;
FIG. 4 shows the calculation of reverse current of GaAs PN homojunction, Ge PN homojunction and the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 5 shows the calculation of the electric field at the Ge and GaAs interface of the disclosed Ge- GaAs PN heterojunction;
FIG. 6 shows the calculated conduction and valence edges along with the Fermi level at the disclosed PN Ge-GaAs heterojunction at equilibrium;
FIG. 7 shows the calculated reverse dark and light current of the disclosed Ge-GaAs PN heterojunction while being illuminated by 1.31 u m light signal at …
Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.
A photodetector, comprising: a heterojunction comprising a P type Germanium (Ge) layer having a first layer thickness and a first doping concentration; and a N type Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) layer having a second layer thickness and a second doping concentration smaller than the first doping concentration by at least one order of magnitude, wherein the Ge layer is adjacent to the GaAs layer and wherein the photodetector is a short wave infrared (SW I R) photodetector that serves as a component in a SWIR imaging system. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is between 10"cm- 3 and 10 20 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3 and wherein the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³. Original
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the first doping concentration is about 10 18 cm- 3, the second doping concentration is about 10 16 cm⁻³, the first la yer thickness is about 1 p m and the second layer thickness is about 10 pm. Currently amended
The photodetector of claim 1, wherein the photodetector has a dark current that is smaller by about three orders of magnitude than a dark current of a Ge homojunction with similar doping concentrations under a reverse bias of between -0.1V and 1V. Currently amended
Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.
Ge-GaAs heterojunction SWIR photodetector
Materials described outside the worked examples.
P type Germanium
Ge
N type Gallium Arsenide
GaAs
Measurements and analyses referenced in the patent, with their drawing references.
n exemplary optical power density of 100mW/cm 2. One can easily see that the photo-responsivity is good even at zero bias. The photo-respons
Performance values and ranges asserted in the specification or claims.
| Property | Value | Material |
|---|---|---|
Dark current reduction of Ge-GaAs heterojunction vs Ge homojunction | — | GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 0V |
Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.
| — |
GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 1V bias | — | GeGaAs |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GALLIUM ARSENIDE AND SILICON COMPOSITES AND DEVICES INCORPORATING SAME
| — |
GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 1V bias | — | GeGaAs |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GALLIUM ARSENIDE AND SILICON COMPOSITES AND DEVICES INCORPORATING SAME
| — |
GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 1V bias | — | GeGaAs |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GALLIUM ARSENIDE AND SILICON COMPOSITES AND DEVICES INCORPORATING SAME
| — |
GeGaAs |
Conduction band edge discontinuity at Ge-GaAs interface at 1V bias | — | GeGaAs |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GALLIUM ARSENIDE AND SILICON COMPOSITES AND DEVICES INCORPORATING SAME