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:
Oct. 10, 1995
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1994
Kenko Taguchi, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The invention provides an avalanche photodiode multilayer structure comprising an absorption layer for absorbing photons and subsequent generation of electron hole pairs, a field relaxation layer in contact with the absorption layer and a multiplication layer in contact with the field relaxation layer. The multiplication layer comprises a plurality of periods of first and second layers. The first layer has a first graded energy band gap being gradually increased in a direction toward which traveling electrons are being accelerated by a predetermined electric field. The second layer has a second graded energy band gap being gradually decreased in the same direction. Both a conduction band edge and a valance band edge are free from any discontinuities and are sloped down toward the same direction through the first and second layers when the first and second layers are being applied with the electric field.