United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Rockwell International Corporation

John E Clarke

Joseph T Longo

Edward R Gertner

Austin M Andrews, Ii

John G Pasko

Richard C Eden

Cheng-Chi Wang

A low-leakage, heterojunction photodiode for use as a detector sensitive to infrared radiation is provided. The diode structure comprises a PbTe substrate of n-type conductivity with an n-type epitaxial buffer layer on the substrate and an epitaxial active layer on the buffer layer. The buffer layer is either Pb.sub.(1-x) S.sub.x Te or Pb.sub.1-x Se.sub.x Te with the atomic fraction of S or Se, x, being greater than 0 but less than 0.1. The active layer is Pb.sub.1-y Sn.sub.y Te with the atomic fraction of Sn, y, being greater than 0 but less than 0.3. There is a p-n junction created in the active layer with the n side of the junction being adjacent the buffer layer. Metal is deposited on the substrate and on the active layer to provide electrical contact to the diode.

Inverted heterojunction photodiode

A method of making a junction in semiconductive materials to improve the spectral response of the junction in photovoltaic detectors. A first layer of semiconductive material is grown, by epitaxy technique, on a substrate of semiconductive material of the same conductivity type. Growth of the first layer is discontinued and the temperature is changed. Then a second layer of opposite conductivity type is grown on the first layer.

Liquid phase epitaxy method of growing a junction between two

A high speed infrared detector for use as a receiver in a 10.6.mu.m communication system and being composed of a Pb.sub.0.8 Sn.sub.0.2 Te crystalline substrate, a 10.6.mu.m absorbing layer on said substrate composed of a p-type Pb.sub.0.8 Sn.sub.0.2 Te material and a 10.6.mu.m transparent layer disposed on said first layer and composed of a Pb.sub.0.9 Sn.sub.0.1 Te n-type material.

High speed infrared detector

An inverted heterojunction photodiode for use as a laser detector sensitive to the 8 - 14 .mu.m portion of the infrared spectrum and operable above 77.degree. K. The diode structure comprises a PbTe substrate, a first buffer layer of a Pb.sub..90 Sn.sub..10 Te material on said substrate and a second active layer of a Pb.sub..80 Sn.sub..20 Te material on said buffer layer. The first and second layers are grown by liquid phase epitaxy.

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Newbury Park, CA, United States of America

John E Clarke