Nippon Kokan Kabushiki Kaisha

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Ntt Electronics Corporation

Nippon Kokan K.k.

Seigo Ando

Takeo Yamada

Tadao Ishibashi

Katsujiro Watanabe

Yoshifumi Muramoto

Haruki Yokoyama

Yoshihiro Kawase

Ken Tsuzuki

Masahiro Nada

Toshihiro Mori

Yukihiro Hirota

Toshiaki Hosoe

Naoki Kobayashi

Fumito Nakajima

Kazuo Sano

Toshihide Yoshimatsu

Tadashi Saitoh

Masahisa Tate

Yoshio Miyashita

Katsuhiko Murakami

Tetsuya Akasaka

Toshiro Mori

Akira Kameyama

Kiyoshi Mizui

Hironobu Akuzawa

Tomohisa Yamamoto

Toshio Nishida

An APD is provided with the semi-insulating substrate, a first mesa having a first laminate constitution in which a p-type electrode layer, a p-type light absorbing layer, a light absorbing layer with a low impurity concentration, a band gap inclined layer, a p-type electric field control layer, an avalanche multiplier layer, an n-type electric field control layer, and an electron transit layer with a low impurity concentration are stacked in this order on a surface of the semi-insulating substrate, a second mesa having an outer circumference provided inside an outer circumference of the first mesa as viewed from the laminating direction and having a second laminate constitution in which an n-type electrode buffer layer and an n-type electrode layer are stacked in this order on a surface on the electron transit layer side, and a depletion control region that is provided in layers on the second mesa side relative to the p-type electric field control layer, formed in an encircling portion provided inside an outer circumference of the first mesa and encircling an outer circumference of the second mesa, and prevents the encircling portion of the p-type electric field control layer from being depleted when bias is applied.

Avalanche photodiode

A layer in which the potential level difference normally unrequired for device operation is generated is positively inserted in a device structure. The potential level difference has such a function that even if a semiconductor having a small bandgap is exposed on a mesa side surface, a potential drop amount of the portion is suppressed, and a leakage current inconvenient for device operation can be reduced. This effect can be commonly obtained for a heterostructure bipolar transistor, a photodiode, an electroabsorption modulator, and so on. In the photodiode, since the leakage current is alleviated, the device size can be reduced, so that in addition to improvement of operating speed with a reduction in series resistance, it is advantageous that the device can be densely disposed in an array.

Semiconductor device

An APD is provided with a semi-insulating substrate, a first mesa having a first laminate constitution in which a p-type electrode layer, a p-type light absorbing layer, a light absorbing layer with a low impurity concentration, a band gap inclined layer, a p-type electric field control layer, an avalanche multiplier layer, an n-type electric field control layer, and an electron transit layer with a low impurity concentration are stacked in this order on a surface of the semi-insulating substrate, a second mesa having an outer circumference provided inside an outer circumference of the first mesa as viewed from the laminating direction and having a second laminate constitution in which an n-type electrode buffer layer and an n-type electrode layer are stacked in this order on a surface on the electron transit layer side of the first mesa, and in the APD, a total donor concentration of the n-type electric field control layer is lower than a total acceptor concentration of the p-type electric field control layer in a range of 2&#xd7;10to 1&#xd7;10/cm.

An electron injected APD with an embedded n electrode structure in which edge breakdown can be suppressed without controlling the doping profile of an n-type region of the embedded n electrode structure with high precision. The APD comprising a buffer layer with a low ionization rate is inserted between an n electrode connecting layer and an avalanche multiplication layer. Specifically, the APD is an electron injected APD in which an n electrode layer, the n electrode connecting layer, the buffer layer, the avalanche multiplication layer, an electric field control layer, a band gap gradient layer, a low-concentration light absorbing layer, a p-type light absorbing layer, and a p electrode layer are sequentially stacked, and a light absorbing portion that includes at least the low-concentration light absorbing layer and the p-type light absorbing layer forms a mesa shape.

In an electron-injection type APD, it is necessary to prevent a dark current increase and to secure the life time of the device. It is demanded to improve reliability of the APD with a lower production cost. With the InP buffer layer having an n-type doping region on the inside of a region defined by an optical absorption layer, a predetermined doping profile is achieved by ion implantation. Thus, electric field concentration in the avalanche multiplication layer is relaxed. Furthermore, a low-concentration second optical absorption layer is provided between the optical absorption layer and the avalanche multiplication layer. Responsivity of the optical absorption layer is maximized, and depletion of the lateral surface of the optical absorption layer is prevented; thus, electric field concentration is prevented. Preventing edge breakdown, the device improves its reliability.

Avalanche photodiode having doping region with monotonically increasing concentration distribution

The present invention relates to a semiconductor optoelectronic waveguide having a nin-type hetero structure which is able to stably operate an optical modulator. On the upper and lower surfaces of the core layer determined for the structure so that electro-optical effects are effectively exerted at an operating light wavelength and are provided with intermediate clad layers having a band gap which is greater than that of the core layer. Respectively on the upper and the lower surface of the intermediate clad layer are provided the clad layers having the band gap which is greater than those of the intermediate clad layers. On the upper surface of the clad layer are sequentially laminated a p-type layer and an n-type layer. In the applied voltage range used under an operating state, a whole region of the p-type layer and a part or a whole region of the n-type layer are depleted.

Semiconductor optoelectronic waveguide

An ultra high speed APD capable of realizing reduction in an operating voltage and quantum efficiency enhancement at the same time is provided. Under operating conditions APD, a doping concentration distribution of each light absorbing layer is determined so that a p-type light absorbing layer () maintains a p-type neutrality except a part thereof, and a low concentration light absorbing layer () is depleted. Moreover, a ratio between a layer thickness Wof the p-type light absorbing layer () and a layer thickness Wof the low concentration light absorbing layer () is determined so that W&#x3e;0.3 &#x3bc;m and a delay time of an element response accompanying a transit of carriers generated in the light absorbing layer by light absorption takes on a local minimum under a condition that a layer thickness W(=W+W) of the light absorbing layer is constant.

A masking material, which includes stripe-like openingsparallel to the [1-100] direction of a nitride semiconductor thin film, is formed on a substrate. Nitride semiconductor thin filmsdoped with Mg are grown on the openingsby selective-area growth. The nitride semiconductor thin filmsare composed of a portionformed as a result of the growth in the direction perpendicular to a (0001) principal plane, and a portionformed as a result of the growth of {11-2x} facets (x=0, 1, 2). The Mg concentration of the portionis made lower than that of the portion

Thin film deposition method of nitride semiconductor and nitride semiconductor light emitting device

An apparatus for detecting a surface flaw of each pipe constituting a pipeline, including a pig capable of travelling along pipeline and being provided with the following elements: a cylindrical primary coil coaxial with the pipe, the density of a magnetic flux of an AC magnetic field of the primary coil varying in response to an inner surface flaw of the pipe; a plurality of cylindrical secondary coils arranged at prescribed intervals in the circumferential direction of the pipe between a peripheral surface of the primary coil and a confronting peripheral surface of the pipe, each secondary coil having an axis parallel to the axis of the primary coil, and producing an AC voltage proportional to the density of a component parallel to the axis of each secondary coil, of the magnetic flux of the AC magnetic field of the primary coil; and a signal processing circuit for processing the AC voltage signals from the secondary coils to detect the presence and the depth of a surface flaw of the pipe.

Apparatus for detecting surface flaw of pipeline by electromagnetic

Eddy current distance measuring apparatus includes a multiplier connected to one secondary coil of a pair of secondary coils in an eddy current sensor. The secondary coil outputs are inputted to a differential amplifier, and the resulting difference is adjusted to be zero when an object the distance to which is to be measured is not present. Thereafter, the sensor is located within measuring distance of, e.g., a steel plate, and the output of the differential amplifier is combined by an amplifier circuit with an oscillator output supplying a current to the primary coil of the sensor. An eddy current distance signal output is thus obtained.

Eddy current distance signal apparatus with temperature change

An apparatus for measuring the level of molten metal in the oscillating mold of a continuous casting machine in operation by an eddy-current type distance measuring device. The oscillation signal component due to the oscillation of the mold is extracted from the output signal of the distance measuring device and the detection sensitivity of the distance measuring device is compensated and controlled so as to maintain the amplitude value of the oscillation signal component at a constant value thereby linearizing the molten metal surface level versus output characteristic.

Apparatus for measuring the level of the molten metal in the mold of a

The distance between the tip of a probe and a high-temperature object of measurement is continuously and accurately measured by arranging the probe comprising a primary coil and a pair of secondary coils substantially vertically to the object of measurement; inducing an AC voltage (e.sub.1) and an AC voltage (e.sub.2) respectively in the pair of secondary coils by means of an AC magnetic field of the primary coil excited by an output voltage (e.sub.out) of a positive feedback amplifier; generating an eddy current in the object of measurement by means of the AC magnetic field of the primary coil to generate another AC magnetic field in the direction opposite to that of the AC magnetic field of the primary coil; impressing an equal DC voltage onto each of the pair of secondary coils to detect respectively a DC voltage (E.sub.1) and a DC voltage (E.sub.2) of the pair of secondary coils; calculating an error voltage (e.sub.4) corresponding to the difference in temperature between the pair of secondary coils, on the basis of the output voltage (e.sub.out) and a value of difference (E.sub.3) between the DC voltages (E.sub.1) and (E.sub.2); and feeding a value of difference (e.sub.3') between the error voltage (e.sub.4) and a value of difference (e.sub.3) between the AC voltages (e.sub.1) and (e.sub.2), back to the positive feedback amplifier, thereby determining the output voltage (e.sub.out) of the positive feedback amplifier, from which the influence of the difference in temperature between the pair of secondary coils has been eliminated.

Method and apparatus for continuously measuring distance utilizing eddy

A method for continuously measuring the steepness of a defective flatness of a metal strip during rolling, which comprises: detecting a variation in the relative distance between a metal strip during rolling and a distance-detecting means arranged adjacent to the surface of said metal strip, during the travel thereof between two support rolls arranged at a prescribed spacing, by means of said distance-detecting means, as a vibration including a vibration corresponding to a defective flatness produced in said metal strip; calculating the natural vibration frequency of said metal strip during the travel thereof between said two support rolls, from the detected value of the tension applied to said metal strip during the travel thereof between said two support rolls, the specific weight of said metal strip, and the distance between said two support rolls; cutting off the frequency components, which are below said calculated value of the frequency of said metal strip, from said detected value of the vibration of said metal strip obtained by said distance-detecting means, to detect the vibration of said metal strip, which corresponds to only the defective flatness of said metal strip; detecting, from said detected value thus obtained of the vibration of said metal strip, which corresponds to only said defective flatness, the amplitude and the frequency of said vibration; and, continuously calculating the ratio amplitude/(travelling speed/frequency) of said vibration, i.e., the accurate steepness of the defective flatness of said metal strip, from the detected values thus obtained of the amplitude and the frequency of said vibration, and the separately determined travelling speed of said metal strip.

Method for continuously measuring steepness of defective flatness of

An apparatus first magnitizes a base metal with an alternating flux to cross the welded seam of the base metal and the resulting leakage flux from the welded seam is detected by at least one flux search element to generate an AC signal. The fundamental harmonic component corresponding to the magnetizing signal used for the alternating magnetization is eliminated from the AC signal and the resulting signal voltage is sampled at a fixed period corresponding to the period of the magnetizing signal, thus detecting the center position of the welded seam from the result of the sampling. The apparatus comprises a magnetizing coil arranged adjacent to the base metal for the alternating magnetization thereof, at least one flux search element disposed adjacent to the base metal for leakage flux detecting purposes, means for eliminating from the detected AC output signal of the element the fundamental harmonic component corresponding to the magnetizing signal used for the alternating magnetization and a sampling circuit for sampling the output signal voltage of the eliminating means at a predetermined period, whereby the relative positional relation between the flux search element and the center of the welded seam is determined in accordance with the polarity and the amplitude value of the output voltage of the sampling circuit.

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Yokohama, Japan

Seigo Ando