Abstract: A semiconducting structure configured to receive electromagnetic radiation, a method for manufacturing such a structure, and a semiconductor component, the semiconductor structure including: a first semiconducting area of a first type of conductivity, a second semiconducting area of a second type of conductivity opposite to the first type of conductivity, the second area being in contact with the first area to form a semiconducting junction. The second area includes a portion for which a concentration of majority carriers is at least ten times less than a concentration of majority carriers of the first area. The second area and its portion are essentially made in a first cavity configured to focus in the first cavity at least one portion of the electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: Avalanche diode-type semiconductor structure (1) intended to receive electromagnetic radiation in a given wavelength. The structure (1) comprises a semiconductor multiplication zone (310) including a majority carrier concentration, and delimitation means suitable for laterally delimiting the multiplication zone (310). The delimitation means comprise a semiconductor zone (410) surrounding the multiplication zone (310) and comprising a forbidden energy gap greater than the forbidden energy gap of the major part (320) of the multiplication zone (310), said zone (410) having a type of conductivity opposite that of the multiplication zone (310) with a majority carrier concentration at least 10 times greater than that of the multiplication zone (310). The invention also relates to a process for producing an avalanche photodiode-type semiconductor structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an avalanche photodiode-type semiconductor structure (1) intended to receive electromagnetic radiation in a given wavelength. The structure comprises a first semiconductor zone (210) with a first type of conductivity with a first longitudinal face (201), said first zone (210) being made of mercury-cadmium telluride of the CdxHg1-xTe type with a cadmium proportion x that is varied. The structure (1) also comprises at least one second semiconductor zone (310) in contact with the first zone (210), and a third semiconductor zone (410) in contact with the second zone (310). The first zone (210) comprises a doping element, such as arsenic, of which the concentration is varied alternately in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal face (201) between a so-called low concentration and a so-called high concentration. The invention also relates to a process for producing a structure (1) according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising a substrate supporting a matrix (70) of diodes (Di) organised in rows and columns, and a peripheral substrate contact (75) is arranged on at least one side of the matrix (70), characterised in that the substrate comprises one or several buried conducting lines (73) having no direct electrical connection with the peripheral substrate contact and being positioned between at least two adjacent columns of diodes and between at least two adjacent rows of diodes.

Abstract: A device includes a substrate carrying an array of diodes, organized in rows and columns, and a peripheral substrate contact is arranged on at least one side of the array. The substrate includes one or more buried conducting lines electrically connected to the peripheral substrate contact and being positioned between at least two neighbouring columns of diodes and/or between at least two neighbouring rows of diodes.

Abstract: A device including at least one heterostructure p/n diode, including a substrate based on HgCdTe including for each diode: a first part having a first cadmium concentration; a concentrated part, having a second cadmium concentration, greater than the first concentration, forming a heterostructure with the first part; a p+ doped zone situated in the concentrated part and extending into the first part, forming a p/n junction with an n-doped position of the first part, or a base plate; and the concentrated part is only located in the p+ doped zone and forms a substantially constant cadmium concentration well.

Abstract: Avalanche diode-type semiconductor structure (1) intended to receive electromagnetic radiation in a given wavelength. The structure (1) comprises a semiconductor multiplication zone (310) including a majority carrier concentration, and delimitation means suitable for laterally delimiting the multiplication zone (310). The delimitation means comprise a semiconductor zone (410) surrounding the multiplication zone (310) and comprising a forbidden energy gap greater than the forbidden energy gap of the major part (320) of the multiplication zone (310), said zone (410) having a type of conductivity opposite that of the multiplication zone (310) with a majority carrier concentration at least 10 times greater than that of the multiplication zone (310). The invention also relates to a process for producing an avalanche photodiode-type semiconductor structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an avalanche photodiode-type semiconductor structure (1) intended to receive electromagnetic radiation in a given wavelength. The structure comprises a first semiconductor zone (210) with a first type of conductivity with a first longitudinal face (201), said first zone (210) being made of mercury-cadmium telluride of the CdxHg1-xTe type with a cadmium proportion x that is varied. The structure (1) also comprises at least one second semiconductor zone (310) in contact with the first zone (210), and a third semiconductor zone (410) in contact with the second zone (310). The first zone (210) comprises a doping element, such as arsenic, of which the concentration is varied alternately in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal face (201) between a so-called low concentration and a so-called high concentration. The invention also relates to a process for producing a structure (1) according to the invention.

Abstract: A photodetector with internal gain comprising a semiconductor structure in which impact ionization events are produced mostly by minority charge carriers; a first biasing contact and a second biasing contact located in the semiconductor structure; a means of defining, in the semiconductor structure, a photon collection region close to first biasing contact; a P-N type junction formed in the semiconductor structure between the two biasing contacts and close to the second biasing contact; and a collector contact which is located in the P-N junction and used to collect current in the P-N junction.

Abstract: A photodiode capable of interacting with incident photons includes at least: a stack of three layers including an intermediate layer placed between a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; and a region that is in contact with at least the intermediate layer and the second layer and extends transversely relative to the planes of the three layers, the region having a conductivity type that is opposite to the first conductivity type. The intermediate layer is made of a semiconductor material having a second conductivity type and is capable of having a conductivity type that is opposite to the second conductivity type so as to form a P-N junction with the region, inversion of the conductivity type of the intermediate layer being induced by dopants of the first conductivity type that are present in the first and second layers.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode including: a structure in a semiconductor material of first conductivity type, wherein the structure has a first face of which a first region is in contact with a pad of semiconductor material having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and the diode further includes a first electric contact on the pad, a second electric contact-on the first face or on a second face of the structure, and a gate in electrically conductive material arranged on a second region of the first face and separated from the first face by an electrically insulating layer.

Abstract: A photodiode capable of interacting with incident photons includes at least: a stack of three layers including an intermediate layer placed between a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; and a region that is in contact with at least the intermediate layer and the second layer and extends transversely relative to the planes of the three layers, the region having a conductivity type that is opposite to the first conductivity type. The intermediate layer is made of a semiconductor material having a second conductivity type and is capable of having a conductivity type that is opposite to the second conductivity type so as to form a P-N junction with the region, inversion of the conductivity type of the intermediate layer being induced by dopants of the first conductivity type that are present in the first and second layers.

Abstract: A MESA-type photonic detection device, including at least one first junction, which itself includes a first receiving layer and sides formed or etched in the receiving layer. These sides at least partially include a layer with a doping opposite the doping of the first receiving layer.

Abstract: A method of detecting a light pulse reflected on an object, including steps of: emitting a light pulse of known intensity and duration towards the object; detecting a reflection signal of the light pulse on the object during a first integration time, wherein, the detecting is carried out with at least one gain sensor that amplifies the reflection signal; on detection during the first integration time, varying an amplification gain of the at least one sensor in a controlled manner so that the amplification gain at each instant of the first integration time is known; and determining a time of return of the reflection signal by evaluating the amplification gain of the reflection signal.

Abstract: A photodiode designed to capture incident photons includes a stack of at least three superposed layers of semiconductor materials having a first conductivity type. The stack includes: an interaction layer designed to interact with incident photons so as to generate photocarriers; a collection layer to collect the photocarriers; a confinement layer designed to confine the photocarriers in the collection layer. The collection layer has a band gap less than the band gaps of the interaction layer and confinement layer. The photodiode also includes a region which extends transversely relative to the planes of the layers. The region is in contact with the collection layer and confinement layer and has a conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type so as to form a p-n junction with the stack.

Abstract: A photodetector with internal gain comprising a semiconductor structure in which impact ionization events are produced mostly by minority charge carriers; a first biasing contact and a second biasing contact located in the semiconductor structure; a means of defining, in the semiconductor structure, a photon collection region close to first biasing contact; a P-N type junction formed in the semiconductor structure between the two biasing contacts and close to the second biasing contact; and a collector contact which is located in the P-N junction and used to collect current in the P-N junction.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a light-emitting diode comprising a structure (1) in semiconductor material of first conductivity type and means for electric polarisation of the diode. The structure (1) has a first face (2) of which a first region is in contact with a pad (5) in semiconductor material of second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, the polarisation means comprise: an electric contact (7) on the pad (5), an electric contact(8) on the first face or on a second face (9) of the structure (1), a gate (3) in electrically conductive material arranged on a second region of the first face and separated from the first face by an electrically insulating layer (4).

Abstract: This semiconductor photodetector consists of a diode with at least two heterojunctions comprising two external layers, a first layer with a given kind or type of doping and a second layer with a kind or type of doping opposite to that of the first layer, the bandgap width of these two layers being determined as a function of the energy and hence the wavelength or wavelength band that they are each intended to detect, these two layers being separated from each other by an intermediate layer having the same kind or type of doping as one of said first and second layers, said diode being subjected to a bias voltage of adjustable value between the two external layers. The bandgap width of the intermediate layer is greater than that of the layer that has the same type of doping as layer.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a real time active imaging method that is accurate and simple, and able to give distance information concerning the observed objects. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of detecting a light pulse reflected on an object (O1, O2, O3), comprising the following steps: c) emitting a light pulse of known intensity and duration towards the object (O1, O2, O3), then d) detecting a reflection signal (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) of the light pulse on the object (O1, O2, O3) during a determined integration time (?t), with at least one gain sensor able to amplify the reflection signal, wherein, on detection during the integration time (?t), the gain of the sensor or sensors is varied in a controlled manner in order to know the gain at each instant of the integration time (?t), and which also comprises the following step: i) determining the precise instant of return of the reflection signal by evaluating the amplification gain of the reflection signal.

Abstract: A photodiode designed to capture incident photons includes a stack of at least three superposed layers of semiconductor materials having a first conductivity type The stack includes: an interaction layer designed to interact with incident photons so as to generate photocarriers, a collection layer to collect the photocarriers; a confinement layer designed to confine the photocarriers in the collection layer. The collection layer has a band gap less than the band gaps of the interaction layer and confinement layer. The photodiode also includes a region which extends transversely relative to the planes of the layers. The region is in contact with the collection layer and confinement layer and has a conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type so as to form a p-n junction with the stack.