High Speed Photosensitive Devices and Associated Methods

Abstract

High speed optoelectronic devices and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a high speed optoelectronic device can include a silicon material having an incident light surface, a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material, and a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation. The optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.

1 . A high speed optoelectronic device, comprising:
 a silicon material having an incident light surface;   a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material; and   a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;   wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon material has a thickness of from about 1 μm to about 100 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic device has a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.5 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic device has a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.45 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 850 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 1 nanosecond. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first doped region has a surface area of from about 0.1 μm 2  to about 32 μm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic device has a data rate greater than or equal to about 1 Gbs. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first contact is opposite in voltage polarity from the second contact. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein a reverse bias is applied across the first and second contacts. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the reverse bias is from about 0.001 V to about 20 V. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein a bias is not applied across the first and second contacts during use. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein dark current of the device during operation is from about 100 pA/cm 2  to about 10 nA/cm 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein maximum dark current of the device during operation is less than about 1 nA/cm 2 . 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the textured region is positioned on an opposite side of the silicon material from the incident light surface. 
     
     
         15 . A high speed optoelectronic device, comprising:
 a silicon material having an incident light surface;   a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material; and   a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;   wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.3 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 940 nm.   
     
     
         16 . A high speed optoelectronic device, comprising:
 a silicon material having an incident light surface;   a first doped region and a second doped region forming a semiconductive junction in the silicon material; and   a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;   wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.05 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of about 1060 nm.   
     
     
         17 . A photodiode array, comprising
 a silicon material having an incident light surface;   at least two photodiodes in the silicon material, each photodiode including a first doped region and a second doped region forming a junction; and   a textured region coupled to the silicon material and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;   wherein the photodiode array has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.   
     
     
         18 . The array of claim ' 7 , wherein the silicon material has a thickness of from about 1 μm to about 100 μm. 
     
     
         19 . The array of claim ' 7 , wherein the at least two photodiodes are four photodiodes forming a quad array. 
     
     
         20 . The array of claim ' 9 , wherein the four photodiodes of the quad array are selective to a single wavelength range. 
     
     
         21 . The array of  claim 17 , wherein the array is an image sensor. 
     
     
         22 . The array of  claim 17 , wherein the array is operable to detect a phase delay between a reflected and an emitted optical signal. 
     
     
         23 . The array of  claim 17 , wherein the array is operable to detect pulsed optical signals. 
     
     
         24 . The array of  claim 17 , wherein the at least two photodiodes are operable to transmit data at a rate of at least 1 Gbps. 
     
     
         25 . A method of increasing the speed of an optoelectronic device, comprising:
 doping at least two regions in a silicon material to form at least one junction; and   texturing the silicon material to form a textured region positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation;   wherein the optoelectronic device has a response time of from about 1 picosecond to about 5 nanoseconds and a responsivity of greater than or equal to about 0.4 A/W for electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength from about 800 nm to about 1200 nm.