Patents by Inventor Erik K. Duerr

Erik K. Duerr has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10636929
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided with a substrate including an array of avalanche photodiodes. An optical interface surface of the substrate is arranged for accepting external input radiation. There is provided at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material including apertures positioned to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and including material regions positioned for attenuating radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. Alternatively at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material is disposed on the optical interface surface of the substrate to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and attenuate radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. At least one cross-talk filter layer of material can be disposed in the substrate adjacent to the photodiode structures, including a material that absorbs radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: K. Alexander McIntosh, David C. Chapman, Joseph P. Donnelly, Douglas C. Oakley, Antonio Napoleone, Erik K. Duerr, Simon Verghese, Richard D. Younger
  • Patent number: 10361334
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided with a substrate including an array of avalanche photodiodes. An optical interface surface of the substrate is arranged for accepting external input radiation. There is provided at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material including apertures positioned to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and including material regions positioned for attenuating radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. Alternatively at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material is disposed on the optical interface surface of the substrate to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and attenuate radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. At least one cross-talk filter layer of material can be disposed in the substrate adjacent to the photodiode structures, including a material that absorbs radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: K. Alexander McIntosh, David C. Chapman, Joseph P. Donnelly, Douglas C. Oakley, Antonio Napoleone, Erik K. Duerr, Simon Verghese, Richard D. Younger
  • Patent number: 10109671
    Abstract: There is provided an avalanche photodiode array that includes a plurality of avalanche photodiodes. Each avalanche photodiode in the array includes a stack of active photodiode materials. The stack of active photodiode materials includes a first electrical contact layer, a second electrical contact layer; an absorber material layer and an avalanche material layer each disposed between the first electrical contact layer and the second electrical contact layer; and an optical interface surface to the avalanche photodiode. The optical interface surface consists of an exposed surface of the first electrical contact layer, arranged for incident external radiation to directly enter the first electrical contact layer. Each avalanche photodiode stack of active photodiode materials is laterally isolated from the other avalanche photodiodes in the photodiode array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph P Donnelly, K Alexander McIntosh, Erik K Duerr, William D Goodhue, Robert J Bailey, Lisa A Wright
  • Publication number: 20180040663
    Abstract: There is provided an avalanche photodiode array that includes a plurality of avalanche photodiodes. Each avalanche photodiode in the array includes a stack of active photodiode materials. The stack of active photodiode materials includes a first electrical contact layer, a second electrical contact layer; an absorber material layer and an avalanche material layer each disposed between the first electrical contact layer and the second electrical contact layer; and an optical interface surface to the avalanche photodiode. The optical interface surface consists of an exposed surface of the first electrical contact layer, arranged for incident external radiation to directly enter the first electrical contact layer. Each avalanche photodiode stack of active photodiode materials is laterally isolated from the other avalanche photodiodes in the photodiode array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph P. Donnelly, K. Alexander McIntosh, Erik K. Duerr, William D. Goodhue, Robert J. Bailey, Lisa A. Wright
  • Publication number: 20160181458
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided with a substrate including an array of avalanche photodiodes. An optical interface surface of the substrate is arranged for accepting external input radiation. There is provided at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material including apertures positioned to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and including material regions positioned for attenuating radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. Alternatively at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material is disposed on the optical interface surface of the substrate to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and attenuate radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. At least one cross-talk filter layer of material can be disposed in the substrate adjacent to the photodiode structures, including a material that absorbs radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: K. Alexander McIntosh, David C. Chapman, Joseph P. Donnelly, Douglas C. Oakley, Antonio Napoleone, Erik K. Duerr, Simon Verghese, Richard D. Younger
  • Publication number: 20110169117
    Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided with a substrate including an array of avalanche photodiodes. An optical interface surface of the substrate is arranged for accepting external input radiation. There is provided at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material including apertures positioned to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and including material regions positioned for attenuating radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. Alternatively at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material is disposed on the optical interface surface of the substrate to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and attenuate radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. At least one cross-talk filter layer of material can be disposed in the substrate adjacent to the photodiode structures, including a material that absorbs radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: K. Alexander McIntosh, David C. Chapman, Joseph P. Donnelly, Douglas C. Oakley, Antonio Napoleone, Erik K. Duerr, Simon Verghese, Richard D. Younger