1981-11-30
1984-11-06
Edlow, Martin H.
357 13, 357 16, H01L 2714
Patent
active
044815239
ABSTRACT:
An avalanche photodiode sensitive to a wavelength range of from 1.2 to 1.65 micrometers is provided with a light absorbing layer, a middle layer and an active layer grown in order, on a substrate. All the layers contain impurities with the same conductivity but the impurity concentration is higher in the middle layer than in either of the light absorbing layer and the active layer. A p-n junction having a flat bottom and either a gradually inclined side or a step-shaped side is produced in the active layer, so that the breakdown voltage is made much less in the area facing the flat bottom of the p-n junction than in the area facing a side which has the aforementioned irregular shape. As a result, the side acts as a guard ring without being accompanied by a large amount of tunnel current flowing through the light absorbing layer in response to the intensity of the electric field. An alternative avalanche photodiode includes a light absorbing layer, an active layer and a surface layer grown in this order and having a well shaped p-n junction which penetrates the interface between the surface layer and the active layer to spread along the same interface in the active layer. Since the impurity concentration of the surface layer is extremely marginal, performance characteristics similar to those mentioned above are realized.
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Osaka Fukunobu
Shirai Tatsunori
Edlow Martin H.
Fujitsu Limited
Henn Terri M.
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