Disclosed are phototransistors, and more specifically a detector that includes two or more phototransistors, conductively isolated from each other. Embodiments also relate to methods of making the detector.

A method and a sensing device are provided. The sensing device may include a readout circuit, a bulk, a holding element and a heterojunction bipolar transistor; wherein heterojunction bipolar transistor is configured to generate detection signals responsive to a temperature of at least a portion of the heterojunction bipolar transistor; wherein the holding element is configured to support the heterojunction bipolar transistor; wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor is thermally isolated from the bulk; wherein the readout circuit is electrically coupled to the heterojunction bipolar transistor; and wherein the readout circuit is configured to receive the detection signals and to process the detection signals to provide information about electromagnetic radiation that affected the temperature of the at least portion of the heterojunction bipolar transistor.

Semiconductor devices, such as photonics devices, employ substantially curved-shaped Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) structures and are fabricated using zero-change CMOS fabrication process technologies. In one example, a closed-loop resonator waveguide-coupled photodetector includes a silicon resonator structure formed in a silicon substrate, interdigitated n-doped well-implant regions and p-doped well-implant regions forming multiple silicon p-n junctions around the silicon resonator structure, and a closed-loop SiGe photocarrier generation region formed in a pocket within the interdigitated n-doped and p-doped well implant regions. The closed-loop SiGe region is located so as to substantially overlap with an optical mode of radiation when present in the silicon resonator structure, and traverses the multiple silicon p-n junctions around the silicon resonator structure. Electric fields arising from the respective p-n silicon junctions significantly facilitate a flow of the generated photocarriers between electric contact regions of the photodetector.

An electro-optically triggered power switch is disclosed utilizing a wide bandgap, high purity III-nitride semiconductor material such as BN, AlN, GaN, InN and their compounds. The device is electro-optically triggered using a laser diode operating at a wavelength of 10 to 50 nanometers off the material's bandgap, and at a power level of 10 to 100 times less than that required in a conventionally triggered device. The disclosed device may be configured as a high power RF MOSFET, IGBT, FET, or HEMT that can be electro-optically controlled using photons rather than an electrical signal. Electro-optic control lowers the power losses in the semiconductor device, decreases the turn-on time, and simplifies the drive signal requirements. It also allows the power devices to be operated from the millisecond to the sub-picosecond timeframe, thus allowing the power device to be operated at RF frequencies (i.e., kilohertz to terahertz range) and at high temperatures where the bandgap changes with temperature.

A method and system for optoelectronic receivers utilizing waveguide heterojunction phototransistors (HPTs) integrated in a wafer are disclosed and may include receiving optical signals via optical fibers operably coupled to a top surface of the chip. Electrical signals may be generated utilizing HPTs that detect the optical signals. The electrical signals may be amplified via voltage amplifiers, or transimpedance amplifiers, the outputs of which may be utilized to bias the HPTs by a feedback network. The optical signals may be coupled into opposite ends of the HPTs. A collector of the HPTs may comprise a silicon layer and a germanium layer, a base may comprise a silicon germanium alloy with germanium composition ranging from 70% to 100%, and an emitter including crystalline or poly Si or SiGe. The optical signals may be demodulated by communicating a mixer signal to a base terminal of the HPTs.

A photo-current amplification apparatus is provided. The photo-current amplification apparatus includes a photo-detecting device including: a substrate; an absorption region comprising germanium, the absorption region supported by the substrate and configured to receive an optical signal and to generate a first electrical signal based on the optical signal; an emitter contact region of a conductivity type; and a collector contact region of the conductivity type, wherein at least one of the emitter contact region or the collector contact region is formed outside the absorption region, and wherein a second electrical signal collected by the collector contact region is greater than the first electrical signal generated by the absorption region.

A switching device includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or MOSFET having a gate, an emitter, and a collector configured to allow current to pass between the emitter and the collector based on voltage applied to the gate. A stack of alternating layers of photo-sensitive p-n junction layers and insulating layers stacked on the gate for optical switching control of voltage through the IGBT or MOSFET.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to lateral phototransistors and methods of manufacture. The structure includes a lateral bipolar transistor; and a T-shaped photosensitive structure vertically above an intrinsic base of the lateral bipolar transistor.

A method of trimming the light sensitivity of phototransistors that are produced in a wafer-based semiconductor process is disclosed. The phototransistors each have a rear-side collector, a base embedded in the collector, an emitter embedded in the base, and a front-side metallization that includes at least one bond pad for the emitter, and in particular a trimming structure. The regions of the front-side covered by the metallization define a light-insensitive area of the respective phototransistor, and the metal-free regions of the front-side define a light-sensitive area of the respective phototransistor. The method includes the steps of measuring the collector-emitter current of the phototransistors, and changing, in particular increasing, the size of the light-sensitive area by changing the size of the area covered by the metallization, in particular by removing at least a part of the trimming structure, in dependence on the measured collector-emitter current.

A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion unit which includes a phototransistor having a collector region, an emitter region, and a base region to generate an output current according to an intensity of incident light to the phototransistor, and a base potential setting unit which is configured to set up a base potential of the phototransistor so that the output current from the photoelectric conversion unit is equal to a predetermined current value.