The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2020
Filed:
Dec. 22, 2015
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Hideaki Kawahara, Plano, TX (US);
Henry Litzmann Edwards, Garland, TX (US);
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A photodetector cell includes a substrate having a semiconductor surface layer, and a trench in the semiconductor surface layer. The trench has tilted sidewalls including a first tilted sidewall and a second tilted sidewall. A pn junction, a PIN structure, or a phototransistor includes an active p-region and an active n-region that forms a junction including a first junction along the first tilted sidewall to provide a first photodetector element and a second junction spaced apart from the first junction along the second tilted sidewall to provide a second photodetector element. At least a p-type anode contact and at least an n-type cathode contact contacts the active p-region and active n-region of the first photodetector element and second photodetector element. The tilted sidewalls provide an outer exposed or optically transparent surface for passing incident light to the first and second photodetector elements for detection of incident light.