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. 26, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 11, 2000
Sumio Koiwa, Chiba, JP;
Seiko Instruments Inc., Chiba, JP;
Abstract
A photodiode comprises an optical detection portion for detecting an optical signal and outputting a photoelectric conversion signal. The optical detection portion has a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type and semiconductor layers of a second conductive type formed in spaced-apart relation in a surface of the semiconductor subtrate. A depletion layer is formed in the semiconductor subtrate by application of a reverse bias to the photodiode so as to surround the semiconductor layers. An etched surface portion of the depletion layer is disposed between the semiconductor layers so that an interface level region of the surface of the semiconductor substrate does not exist between the semiconductor layers.