Patents by Inventor Gerald Meinhardt

Gerald Meinhardt 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).

  • Publication number: 20240105740
    Abstract: A photodiode device includes a semiconductor substrate with a main surface, the semiconductor substrate being of a first type of electric conductivity. The main surface includes at least one incidence area for electromagnetic radiation. A plurality of doped wells of a second type of electric conductivity are arranged at the main surface of the substrate, the second type of electric conductivity being opposite to the first type of electric conductivity. The doped wells and the substrate are electrically contactable. The doped wells are arranged along a perimeter of the at least one incidence area, such that a center region of the incidence area is free from the doped wells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: ams-Osram AG
    Inventors: Frederic Roger, Gerald Meinhardt, Ingrid Jonak-Auer, Eugene G. Dierschke
  • Patent number: 11923467
    Abstract: A semiconductor device for infrared detection comprises a stack of a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer and an optical coupling layer. The first semiconductor layer has a first type of conductivity and the second semiconductor layer has a second type of conductivity. The optical coupling layer comprises an optical coupler and at least a first lateral absorber region. The optical coupler is configured to deflect incident light towards the first lateral absorber region. The first lateral absorber region comprises an absorber material with a bandgap Eg in the infrared, IR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Ingrid Jonak-Auer, Gernot Fasching, Bernhard Löffler
  • Publication number: 20240030360
    Abstract: A photodiode device includes a semiconductor substrate with a main surface, the semiconductor substrate being of a first type of electric conductivity. At least one doped well of a second type of electric conductivity is arranged at the main surface of the substrate, the second type of electric conductivity being opposite to the first type of electric conductivity. The at least one doped well and the substrate are electrically contactable. A cover layer is arranged on the main surface of the substrate. The cover layer is at least one of an epi-layer of the first type of electric conductivity and a dielectric surface passivation layer comprising a plurality of space charges, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: ams-Osram AG
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Frederic Roger, Ingrid Jonak-Auer, Eugene G. Dierschke
  • Publication number: 20230175890
    Abstract: A spectrometer includes an emitter that is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, a sample area that is arranged at an outer face of the spectrometer, a modulation unit including an electrochromic material, an optical filter, an optical detector, an integrated circuit that has a main plane of extension, and an optical path for electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter towards the optical detector via the sample area, the modulation unit and the optical filter, wherein the electrochromic material is electrically connected with the integrated circuit, and the modulation unit is configured to modulate electromagnetic radiation temporally. Furthermore, a method for detecting electromagnetic radiation is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: ams-OSRAM AG
    Inventors: Deborah MORECROFT, Fernando Jesus CASTANO SANCHEZ, Richard HOPPER, Sophie BOUAL, Gerhard EILMSTEINER, Rafael SERRANO GOTARREDONA, Jozef PULKO, Gerald MEINHARDT
  • Publication number: 20220310857
    Abstract: A semiconductor device for infrared detection comprises a stack of a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer and an optical coupling layer. The first semiconductor layer has a first type of conductivity and the second semiconductor layer has a second type of conductivity. The optical coupling layer comprises an optical coupler and at least a first lateral absorber region. The optical coupler is configured to deflect incident light towards the first lateral absorber region. The first lateral absorber region comprises an absorber material with a bandgap Eg in the infrared, IR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Gerald MEINHARDT, Ingrid JONAK-AUER, Gernot FASCHING, Bernhard LÖFFLER
  • Patent number: 11335824
    Abstract: The near-infrared photodetector semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer (1) of a first type of conductivity with a main surface (10), a trench or a plurality of trenches (2) in the semiconductor layer at the main surface, a SiGe alloy layer (3) in the trench or the plurality of trenches, and an electrically conductive filling material of a second type of conductivity in the trench or the plurality of trenches, the second type of conductivity being opposite to the first type of conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventors: Ingrid Jonak-Auer, Gerald Meinhardt, Bernhard Löffler
  • Patent number: 10985291
    Abstract: The photodiode device comprises a substrate (1) of semiconductor material with a main surface (10), a plurality of doped wells (3) of a first type of conductivity, which are spaced apart at the main surface (10), and a guard ring (7) comprising a doped region of a second type of conductivity, which is opposite to the first type of conductivity. The guard ring (7) surrounds an area of the main surface (10) including the plurality of doped wells (3) without dividing this area. Conductor tracks (4) are electrically connected with the doped wells (3), which are thus interconnected, and further conductor tracks (5) are electrically connected with a region of the second type of conductivity. A doped surface region (2) of the second type of conductivity is present at the main surface (10) and covers the entire area between the guard ring (7) and the doped wells (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Ewald Wachmann, Martin Sagmeister, Jens Hofrichter
  • Publication number: 20200350447
    Abstract: The near-infrared photodetector semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer (1) of a first type of conductivity with a main surface (10), a trench or a plurality of trenches (2) in the semiconductor layer at the main surface, a SiGe alloy layer (3) in the trench or the plurality of trenches, and an electrically conductive filling material of a second type of conductivity in the trench or the plurality of trenches, the second type of conductivity being opposite to the first type of conductivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Ingrid Jonak-Auer, Gerald Meinhardt, Bernhard Löffler
  • Publication number: 20190319156
    Abstract: The photodiode device comprises a substrate (1) of semiconductor material with a main surface (10), a plurality of doped wells (3) of a first type of conductivity, which are spaced apart at the main surface (10), and a guard ring (7) comprising a doped region of a second type of conductivity, which is opposite to the first type of conductivity. The guard ring (7) surrounds an area of the main surface (10) including the plurality of doped wells (3) without dividing this area. Conductor tracks (4) are electrically connected with the doped wells (3), which are thus interconnected, and further conductor tracks (5) are electrically connected with a region of the second type of conductivity. A doped surface region (2) of the second type of conductivity is present at the main surface (10) and covers the entire area between the guard ring (7) and the doped wells (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Ewald WACHMANN, Martin Sagmeister, Jens Hofrichter
  • Patent number: 8227882
    Abstract: A light-sensitive component which has a semiconductor junction between a thin relatively highly doped epitaxial layer and a relatively lightly doped semiconductor substrate. Outside a light incidence window, an insulating layer is arranged between epitaxial layer and semiconductor substrate. In this case, the thickness of the epitaxial layer is less than 50 nm, with the result that a large proportion of the light quanta incident in the light incidence window can be absorbed in the lightly doped semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Hubert Enichlmair, Jochen Kraft, Bernhard Löffler, Gerald Meinhardt, Georg Röhrer, Ewald Wachmann
  • Patent number: 8134179
    Abstract: A photodiode in which a pn junction is formed between the doped region (DG) formed in the surface of a crystalline semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer (HS) deposited above said doped region. An additional doping (GD) is provided in the edge region of the doped zone, by means of which additional doping the pn junction is shifted deeper into the substrate (SU). With the greater distance of the pn junction from defects at phase boundaries that is achieved in this way, the dark current within the photodiode is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Jochen Kraft, Bernhard Löffler, Gerald Meinhardt
  • Patent number: 8110886
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit in a semiconductor body and a wafer bonding method for connecting the semiconductor circuit to another substrate, in which a diode is realized in a laminar structure. The semiconductor circuit is connected to the terminals of the diode by means of feedthroughs that extend through the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Franz Schrank, Verena Vescoli
  • Publication number: 20100193893
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit in a semiconductor body and a wafer bonding method for connecting the semiconductor circuit to another substrate, in which a diode is realized in a laminar structure. The semiconductor circuit is connected to the terminals of the diode by means of that extend through the semiconductor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Franz Schrank, Verena Vescoli
  • Publication number: 20100038678
    Abstract: A photodiode in which a pn junction is formed between the doped region (DG) formed in the surface of a crystalline semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer (HS) deposited above said doped region. An additional doping (GD) is provided in the edge region of the doped zone, by means of which additional doping the pn junction is shifted deeper into the substrate (SU). With the greater distance of the pn junction from defects at phase boundaries that is achieved in this way, the dark current within the photodiode is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Jochen Kraft, Bernhard Löffler, Gerald Meinhardt
  • Patent number: 7618871
    Abstract: For the production of an improved bipolar transistor comprising a low-resistance base terminal, a dielectric layer is deposited over the semiconductor substrate and is highly doped via an implantation mask. In a subsequent controlled thermal step, the dopant is then indiffused into the semiconductor substrate from the dielectric layer serving as a dopant repository. This gives rise to a low-resistance region with which the extrinsic base can be defined carefully.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Jochen Kraft
  • Publication number: 20080277749
    Abstract: A light-sensitive component which has a semiconductor junction between a thin relatively highly doped epitaxial layer and a relatively lightly doped semiconductor substrate. Outside a light incidence window, an insulating layer is arranged between epitaxial layer and semiconductor substrate. In this case, the thickness of the epitaxial layer is less than 50 nm, with the result that a large proportion of the light quanta incident in the light incidence window can be absorbed in the lightly doped semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Hubert Enichlmair, Jochen Kraft, Bernhard Loffler, Gerald Meinhardt, Georg Rohrer, Ewald Wachmann
  • Publication number: 20070269953
    Abstract: For the production of an improved bipolar transistor comprising a low-resistance base terminal, a dielectric layer is deposited over the semiconductor substrate and is highly doped via an implantation mask. In a subsequent controlled thermal step, the dopant is then indiffused into the semiconductor substrate from the dielectric layer serving as a dopant repository. This gives rise to a low-resistance region with which the extrinsic base can be defined carefully.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Gerald Meinhardt, Jochen Kraft