IP Library Granted Patent US 8,405,020
Granted Patent B2
US 8,405,020 · App. 12/786,209 · Granted Mar 26, 2013

Scintillator and detector assembly including a single photon avalanche diode and a device of a quenching circuit having a same wide band-gap semiconductor material

Inventor: Peter R. Menge (Chagrin Falls, OH)
Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,405,020
App. No.
12/786,209
Granted
Mar 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A detector comprising a photodetector including a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), wherein the SPAD comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material, and a quenching circuit electrically coupled to the photodetector comprising a first device, wherein the first device comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material having a band-gap of at least about 1.7 eV at about 26° C.

Claims (28)

1. A detector comprising:

a photodetector comprising a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), wherein the SPAD comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material; and

a quenching circuit electrically coupled to the photodetector comprising a first device, wherein the first device comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material having a band-gap of at least about 1.7 eV at about 26° C.

2. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector comprises an array of SPAD devices.

3. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material comprises a band-gap of at least about 1.2 eV at a temperature of at least about 150° C.

4. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material comprises a band-gap of at least about 2.0 eV at a temperature of at least about 150° C.

5. The detector of claim 4 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material comprises a band-gap within a range between about 2.0 eV and about 4.0 eV at a temperature of at least about 150° C.

6. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the first device is a same material as the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the SPAD.

7. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the first device comprises a material selected from the Groups of the Periodic Table of Elements consisting of Group IV elements, Group IV compounds, Group III-V compounds, Group II-VI compounds, and a combination thereof.

8. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a device selected from the group of devices consisting of a transistor and a diode.

9. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the quenching circuit comprises a second device comprising a wide band-gap semiconductor material.

10. The detector of claim 9 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the second device is the same as the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the first device.

11. The detector of claim 9 , wherein the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the second device is the same as the wide band-gap semiconductor material of the SPAD.

12. The detector of claim 1 , wherein the quenching circuit has a quenching time of not greater than about 200 ns at a temperature of at least about 150° C.

13. The detector of claim 1 , further comprising an amplifier device electrically connected to the photodetector.

14. The detector of claim 13 , wherein the amplifier device comprises at least one electronic device comprising a wide band-gap semiconductor material.

15. A detector comprising:

a photodetector comprising an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), wherein each of the SPADs comprise a wide band-gap semiconductor material;

a quenching circuit electrically coupled to the photodetector comprising a first transistor having a first current electrode electrically coupled to a control electrode of a second transistor, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor comprise a same wide band-gap semiconductor material as the SPADs of the photodetector; and

a calibration module electrically coupled to the photodetector, the calibration module comprising a SPAD including a wide band-gap semiconductor material.

16. The detector of claim 15 , wherein the SPAD of the calibration module comprises a same wide band-gap semiconductor material as the SPADs of the photodetector.

17. The detector of claim 15 , wherein the first transistor has a first conductivity type and the second transistor comprises a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type.

18. The detector of claim 15 , wherein the quenching circuit further comprises a first resistor electrically coupled to the first transistor and the second transistor.

19. The detector of claim 15 , wherein the quenching circuit further comprises a second resistor electrically coupled to the first transistor and the second transistor.

20. A detector comprising:

a photodetector comprising a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), wherein the SPAD comprises a wide band-gap semiconductor material;

a quenching circuit electrically coupled to the photodetector comprising a first device including a same wide band-gap semiconductor material as the SPAD of the photodetector; and

a calibration module electrically coupled to the quenching circuit and contained in a dark box separate from the photodetector, wherein the calibration module comprises a calibration SPAD including a wide band-gap semiconductor material.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 18, 2023
From: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
To: LUXIUM SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 062419/0232 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2022
From: LUXIUM SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 062049/0300 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2010
From: MENGE, PETER R.
To: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 024442/0662 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61185855 · Jun 10, 2009
Related Publication 20100314531A1 · Dec 16, 2010