公开(公告)号：US09236519B2

公开(公告)日：2016-01-12

申请号：US14788643

申请日：2015-06-30

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.

Inventor： Massimo Cataldo Mazzillo ,  Delfo Nunziato Sanfilippo

IPC: H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/144 ,  H01L31/18 ,  H01L31/0224 ,  H01L31/0352

CPC classification number: H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/1443 ,  H01L27/1446 ,  H01L31/022408 ,  H01L31/0352 ,  H01L31/18

Abstract: An embodiment of a geiger-mode avalanche photodiode includes: a body of semiconductor material, having a first surface and a second surface; a cathode region of a first type of conductivity, which extends within the body; and an anode region of a second type of conductivity, which extends within the cathode region and faces the first surface, the anode and cathode regions defining a junction. The anode region includes at least two subregions, which extend at a distance apart within the cathode region starting from the first surface, and delimit at least one gap housing a portion of the cathode region, the maximum width of the gap and the levels of doping of the two subregions and of the cathode region being such that, by biasing the junction at a breakdown voltage, a first depleted region occupies completely the portion of the cathode region within the gap.

公开(公告)号：US09209336B2

公开(公告)日：2015-12-08

申请号：US14281529

申请日：2014-05-19

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Delfo Nunziato Sanfilippo ,  Piero Giorgio Fallica

IPC: H01L29/49 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L25/16

CPC classification number: H01L31/107 ,  H01L25/167 ,  H01L27/14629 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

Abstract: An embodiment of array of Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes, wherein each photodiode is formed by a body of semiconductor material, having a first conductivity type and housing an anode region, of a second conductivity type, facing a top surface of the body, a cathode-contact region, having the first conductivity type and a higher doping level than the body, facing a bottom surface of the body, an insulation region extending through the body and insulating an active area from the rest of the body, the active area housing the anode region and the cathode-contact region. The insulation region is formed by a first mirror region of polycrystalline silicon, a second mirror region of metal material, and a channel-stopper region of dielectric material, surrounding the first and second mirror regions.

Abstract translation: Geiger型雪崩光电二极管阵列的一个实施例，其中每个光电二极管由半导体材料体形成，具有第一导电类型并且容纳阳极区，第二导电类型面向主体的顶表面，阴极 接触区域，其具有第一导电类型和比主体更高的掺杂水平，面向主体的底表面;绝缘区域，其延伸穿过主体并将活动区域与身体的其余部分隔离;活动区域容纳 阳极区域和阴极接触区域。 绝缘区域由多晶硅的第一反射镜区域，金属材料的第二反射镜区域和电介质材料的通道停止区域形成，围绕第一和第二反射镜区域。

公开(公告)号：US12007482B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-11

申请号：US17011867

申请日：2020-09-03

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Delfo Nunziato Sanfilippo

IPC: G01S17/36 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02B1/11 ,  G02B3/00 ,  G02B5/20

CPC classification number: G01S17/36 ,  G01J1/4204 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G02B1/11 ,  G02B3/0056 ,  G02B5/20

Abstract: An optical proximity sensor comprises a solid-state photo-electric converter, a biasing circuit for biasing the solid-state photo-electric converter, and a drive circuit. The drive circuit is configured to control the biasing circuit to apply to the photo-electric converter a bias signal modulated between a first value and a second value, the second value different from the first value, wherein a modulated optical signal is emitted by the solid-state photo-electric converter towards a target object. The drive circuit is configured to receive an electrical output signal from the solid-state photo-electric converter, the electrical output signal being a function of a modulated optical signal received at the solid-state photo-electric converter as a result of reflection of the emitted modulated optical signal at the target object. The drive circuit is configured to perform a phase comparison of the modulated bias signal against the electrical output signal and produce, as a result of the phase comparison, a phase shift signal. The drive circuit is configured to compute a distance between the optical proximity sensor and the target object as a function of the phase shift signal.