公开(公告)号：US11105679B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-31

申请号：US16711832

申请日：2019-12-12

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited

Inventor： Mohammed Al-Rawhani ,  Bruce Rae

IPC: H01L31/107 ,  G01J1/44

Abstract: A photodetection circuit includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), and an active quenching circuit coupling the SPAD to an intermediate node and having a variable RC constant. The variable RC constant provides a first RC constant during an idle state so that when the SPAD detects a photon, the SPAD avalanches to begin quenching to set a magnitude of a voltage at a terminal of the SPAD to a quench voltage, the quench voltage being greater than a threshold voltage; a second RC constant greater than the first RC constant during a hold off period during which the quenching occurs so as to maintain the voltage at the terminal of the SPAD at a magnitude that is above the threshold voltage during the hold off period; and a third RC constant less than the second RC constant but greater than the first RC constant during a recharge period during which the SPAD is recharged.

公开(公告)号：US20190097075A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-28

申请号：US15712673

申请日：2017-09-22

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited

Inventor： Bruce Rae

IPC: H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/144 ,  H01L31/02

CPC classification number: H01L31/1075 ,  H01L27/1443 ,  H01L31/02027 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: A semiconductor on insulator substrate includes a semiconductor support layer, a buried insulating layer over the semiconductor support layer and an epitaxial semiconductor layer over the buried insulating layer. A deep trench isolation penetrates completely through the epitaxial semiconductor layer to the buried insulating layer to electrically insulate a first region of the epitaxial semiconductor layer from a second region of the epitaxial semiconductor layer. A single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) includes an anode formed by the first region of the epitaxial semiconductor layer and a cathode formed by a well located within the first region of the epitaxial semiconductor layer. An ancillary circuit for the SPAD is located in the second region of the epitaxial semiconductor layer and electrically coupled to the SPAD.

公开(公告)号：US20180026058A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-25

申请号：US15709791

申请日：2017-09-20

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS ,  STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited

Inventor： Pascal Mellot ,  Stuart McLeod ,  Bruce Rae ,  Marc Drader

IPC: H01L27/144 ,  H01L31/0216 ,  H01L27/148 ,  G01S7/497 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L31/107 ,  G01S7/486

CPC classification number: H01L27/1443 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/497 ,  H01L27/1446 ,  H01L27/14623 ,  H01L27/14818 ,  H01L31/02164 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: A circuit may include an array of single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) cells, each SPAD cell configured to be selectively enabled by an activation signal. The circuit may include a control circuit configured to selectively enable a subset of the array of SPAD cells based on a measured count rate of the array of SPAD cells.

公开(公告)号：US20170176578A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-22

申请号：US15168535

申请日：2016-05-31

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited ,  STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Bruce Rae ,  Pascal Mellot ,  John Kevin Moore ,  Graeme Storm

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  H01L31/16 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/144 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/88

CPC classification number: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/487 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/003 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/102 ,  G01S17/58 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L27/1443 ,  H01L27/1446 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L31/165

Abstract: A ranging apparatus includes an array of light sensitive detectors configured to receive light from a light source which has been reflected by an object. The array includes a number of different zones. Readout circuitry including at least one read out channel is configured to read data output from each of the zones. A processor operates to process the data output to determine position information associated with the object.