An in-vacuum light sensor system, including a light sensor assembly comprising a photocathode configured for converting an impinging photon to a photoelectron, a semiconductor diode configured for multiplying the photoelectron impinging thereon, and a housing including vacuum-compatible materials configured for being placed in a vacuum chamber. The housing is configured for housing the photocathode and the semiconductor diode and for propagation of the photoelectron from the photocathode to the semiconductor diode. An electrical biasing subassembly is configured for electrically biasing at least the photocathode and the semiconductor diode, and the vacuum chamber is configured for positioning the light sensor apparatus therein.

A semiconductor photodiode (600) comprises a top side (602) with an active surface area (604) for light entry, a bottom side (606), a bulk structure (610) made of a single semiconductor material, the bulk structure comprising a p-type layer (612a) and an n-type layer (612b), which together form the p-n junction (612) of the photodiode, wherein one of the two layers of the p-n junction is an upper p-n junction layer (612a) and the other one is a lower p-n junction layer (612b), wherein the upper p-n junction layer (612a) is located proximate to the active surface area (604), and a semiconductor light absorption layer (614), wherein the light absorption layer (614) defines the active surface area (604) and is arranged on top of the bulk structure (610), above the upper p-n junction layer (612a), and the semiconductor material of the light absorption layer (614) is different from the semiconductor material of the bulk structure (610), the light absorption layer (614) and the upper p-n junction layer (612a) thus forming a heterojunction, and the photodiode (600) further comprises a precursor layer (620) arranged between the bulk structure (610) and the light absorption layer (614), the light absorption layer (614) being grown on the precursor layer.

A semiconductor photodiode (600) comprises a top side (602) with an active surface area (604) for light entry, a bottom side (606), a bulk structure (610) made of a single semiconductor material, the bulk structure comprising a p-type layer (612a) and an n-type layer (612b), which together form the p-n junction (612) of the photodiode, wherein one of the two layers of the p-n junction is an upper p-n junction layer (612a) and the other one is a lower p-n junction layer (612b), wherein the upper p-n junction layer (612a) is located proximate to the active surface area (604), and a semiconductor light absorption layer (614), wherein the light absorption layer (614) defines the active surface area (604) and is arranged on top of the bulk structure (610), above the upper p-n junction layer (612a), and the semiconductor material of the light absorption layer (614) is different from the semiconductor material of the bulk structure (610), the light absorption layer (614) and the upper p-n junction layer (612a) thus forming a heterojunction, and the photodiode (600) further comprises a precursor layer (620) arranged between the bulk structure (610) and the light absorption layer (614), the light absorption layer (614) being grown on the precursor layer.

A photoelectric conversion device having pixels lined up in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the photoelectric conversion device including: a semiconductor layer which has a front surface and a rear surface and which includes an avalanche photodiode; a wiring layer arranged on a side of the front surface of the semiconductor layer; and a trench arranged in a boundary portion between two pixels, wherein the trench has at least any of a metal or a metal compound arranged therein and extends from inside of the semiconductor layer to inside of the wiring layer.

A photoelectric conversion device having pixels lined up in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, the photoelectric conversion device including: a semiconductor layer which has a front surface and a rear surface and which includes an avalanche photodiode; a wiring layer arranged on a side of the front surface of the semiconductor layer; and a trench arranged in a boundary portion between two pixels, wherein the trench has at least any of a metal or a metal compound arranged therein and extends from inside of the semiconductor layer to inside of the wiring layer.

The present disclosure relates to an image sensor including a pixel along a substrate. The pixel includes a first semiconductor region having a first doping type. A second semiconductor region is directly over the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has a second doping type opposite the first doping type and meets the first semiconductor region at a p-n junction. A ring-shaped third semiconductor region laterally surrounds the first and second semiconductor regions. The ring-shaped third semiconductor region has the first doping type. A ring-shaped fourth semiconductor region laterally surrounds the ring-shaped third semiconductor region. The ring-shaped fourth semiconductor region has the second doping type. A ring-shaped fifth semiconductor region is directly over the ring-shaped third semiconductor region and has the second doping type.

The present disclosure relates to an image sensor including a pixel along a substrate. The pixel includes a first semiconductor region having a first doping type. A second semiconductor region is directly over the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has a second doping type opposite the first doping type and meets the first semiconductor region at a p-n junction. A ring-shaped third semiconductor region laterally surrounds the first and second semiconductor regions. The ring-shaped third semiconductor region has the first doping type. A ring-shaped fourth semiconductor region laterally surrounds the ring-shaped third semiconductor region. The ring-shaped fourth semiconductor region has the second doping type. A ring-shaped fifth semiconductor region is directly over the ring-shaped third semiconductor region and has the second doping type.

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The substrate has a first region containing a first circuit and a second region containing a second circuit. The first circuit operates at a first supply voltage. The second circuit operates at a second supply voltage. The second supply voltage is higher than the first supply voltage. The IC includes a through wafer trench (TWT) extending from the first surface of the substrate to the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The TWT separates the first region from the second region. A dielectric material is in the TWT. An interconnect region has layers of dielectric on the first surface of the substrate. The interconnect region is continuous over the first region, the second region, and the TWT. A non-galvanic communication channel is between the first and second circuits.

A light receiving element array includes one or more unit element blocks. Each of the unit element blocks includes different light receiving elements with different element structures.

A light receiving element array includes one or more unit element blocks. Each of the unit element blocks includes different light receiving elements with different element structures.