IP Library Granted Patent US 7,888,765
Granted Patent B2
US 7,888,765 · App. 12/173,429 · Granted Feb 15, 2011

Optical semiconductor device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,888,765
App. No.
12/173,429
Granted
Feb 15, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical semiconductor device includes a phototransistor for receiving incident light. The phototransistor includes a collector layer of a first conductivity type formed on a semiconductor substrate, a base layer of a second conductivity type formed on the collector layer, and an emitter layer of a first conductivity type formed on the base layer. A thickness of the emitter layer is equal to or less than an absorption length of the incident light in the semiconductor substrate.

Claims (8)

1. An optical semiconductor device, comprising a phototransistor for receiving incident light,

wherein the phototransistor includes a N-type buried layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a collector layer of a first conductivity type formed directly on the buried layer, a base layer of a second conductivity type formed on the collector layer, an emitter layer of a first conductivity type buried in the base layer, and an insulating layer extending to the N-type buried layer from a surface of the emitter layer, and

a part of the base layer covering the emitter layer has a thickness equal to or larger than an absorption length of the incident light in the semiconductor substrate.

2. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the emitter layer has such a planar shape that a part of the emitter layer and a part of the base layer are alternately arranged in a main-surface direction of the semiconductor substrate.

3. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein the emitter layer has a comb shape, a ladder shape, or a grid planar shape.

4. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein in the part of the base layer located on the emitter layer, a concentration of impurities of a second conductivity type is reduced toward a surface.

5. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 , the part of the base layer located on the emitter layer is made of a semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than that of the semiconductor substrate.

6. The optical semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the incident light is blue light.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 6, 2009
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022363/0306 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2008
From: TANIGUCHI, MASAKI; YASUKAWA, HISATADA; IWAI, TAKAKI
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021544/0725 →