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. 03, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 24, 2004
Gianlorenzo Masini, Rome, IT;
Lorenzo Colace, Rome, IT;
Gaetano Assanto, Rome, IT;
Google Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
A photodetector structure includes a silicon-based waveguide in which optical signals to be detected travel in a given direction and are confined therein and a germanium layer disposed in contact with a portion of the silicon-based waveguide so that an evanescent tail of the propagating optical signal in the waveguide is coupled into the germanium layer. In addition, the germanium layer includes a mesa having a length along the signal propagating direction and a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to the propagating direction, in which the width of said mesa is smaller than its length. The photodetector also comprises a first and a second metal contacts, the first metallic contact being located on the germanium layer, the said second metallic contact being located on the silicon-based waveguide, the first and second contacts being used to collect electrons generated by light absorption to obtain an output electric signal.