Abstract: An infrared radiation (“IR”) focal plane array (“FPA”) imager includes a detector array chip containing pixels having substantially one-hundred percent operability. Each of the pixels contains a plurality of interdigitated sub-detectors, where the sub-detectors are selectively operable to provide for collection of photogenerated minority charges representative of all or substantially all of the IR radiation absorbed by the detector array chip of the FPA imager.

Abstract: An infrared radiation (“IR”) focal plane array (“FPA”) imager includes a detector array chip containing pixels having substantially one-hundred percent operability. Each of the pixels contains a plurality of interdigitated sub-detectors, where the sub-detectors are selectively operable to provide for collection of photogenerated minority charges representative of all or substantially all of the IR radiation absorbed by the detector array chip of the FPA imager.

Abstract: An infrared radiation (“IR”) focal plane array (“FPA”) imager includes a detector array chip containing pixels having substantially one-hundred percent operability. Each of the pixels contains a plurality of interdigitated sub-detectors, where the sub-detectors are selectively operable to provide for collection of photogenerated minority charges representative of all or substantially all of the IR radiation absorbed by the detector array chip of the FPA imager.

Abstract: An imager, an image sensor included in the imager and a method of fabricating the image sensor are provided. The image sensor having a substrate with front and back sides to produce image data, includes a transparent conductive coating arranged on the back side of the substrate, a first well region of a first conductive type having first and second opposite sides, the first side being arranged adjacent with the front side of the image sensor; and a second well region of a second conductive type, different from the first conductive type and having a deep well region provided adjacent with the second side of the first well region, the transparent conductive coating configured to develop or to receive a first potential and the first well region configured to receive a second potential to substantially deplete a region between the transparent conductive coating and the first well region.

Abstract: Electromagnetic energy is detected with high efficiency in the spectral range having wavelengths of about 1–2 microns by coupling an absorber layer having high quantum efficiency in the spectral range having wavelengths of about 1–2 microns to an intrinsic semiconducting blocking region of an impurity band semiconducting device included in a solid state photon detector.

Abstract: An imager, an image sensor included in the imager and a method of fabricating the image sensor are provided. The image sensor having a substrate with front and back sides to produce image data, includes a transparent conductive coating arranged on the back side of the substrate, a first well region of a first conductive type having first and second opposite sides, the first side being arranged adjacent with the front side of the image sensor; and a second well region of a second conductive type, different from the first conductive type and having a deep well region provided adjacent with the second side of the first well region, the transparent conductive coating configured to develop or to receive a first potential and the first well region configured to receive a second potential to substantially deplete a region between the transparent conductive coating and the first well region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multicolor detection employing the natural chromatic aberration of a diffractive microlens to detect two or more colors or light. In the preferred embodiment the diffractive microlens detects two colors in the VLWIR spectral region and is focused on a two-part detector having a central region to detect the shorter bandwidth and a concentrically disposed region to detect the long band, VLWIR radiation. These detectors are arranged in a multicolor focal plane array to allow imaging.

Abstract: Electromagnetic energy is detected by providing an extrinsic impurity-band semiconducting region with a first conductivity type impurity concentration high enough to create an impurity energy band. An intrinsic semiconducting blocking region is provided with first and second conductivity type impurity concentrations which are low enough that substantially no charge transport occurs by an impurity conduction mechanism. An electrical potential is applied to the impurity-band and blocking regions to create an electric field across the regions, then the regions are exposed to electromagnetic energy to generate intrinsic charge carriers in the regions. The electrical current induced in the regions as a result of the intrinsic charge carrier generation is measured.

Abstract: A semiconductor diode is designed to operate at a temperature where the thermal generation of free charge carriers is negligible. The diode includes a first semiconducting layer with a sufficient concentration of first conductivity type impurities to exhibit metallic type conductivity, a second semiconducting layer with a sufficient first conductivity type concentration to create an impurity energy band and with a second conductivity type impurity concentration less than half the first, and a blocking layer between the first and second layers with a sufficiently low impurity concentration that substantially no charge transport can occur by an impurity conduction mechanism. First and second ohmic contacts are deposited on the first and second layers opposite the blocking layer. The same types of layers are used to construct transistors.

Abstract: A solid state photon detector includes a semiconducting blocking layer with sufficiently low donor and acceptor concentrations that substantially no charge transport can occur by an impurity conduction mechanism. A semiconducting buffered layer is provided with a sufficiently high donor impurity concentration to create an impurity energy band and with a sufficiently high acceptor impurity concentration that an electron cannot be injected into and drift through the layer without recombining with ionized donors. A semiconducting active layer is positioned between the blocking and buffered layers with a sufficiently high donor concentration to create an impurity energy band. The acitve layer also includes a sufficiently low acceptor impurity concentration that a photogenerated electron can drift through the active layer without recombining with ionized donors.

Abstract: Disclosed is a blocked-impurity-band detector, including an active layer which is doped with a sufficient amount of either a donor or an acceptor impurity that significant charge transport can occur in an impurity band in addition to the charge transport of electrons in the conduction band of the layer and of holes in the valence band of the layer. A blocking layer is disposed on the active layer and contains a sufficiently low concentration of impurities that significant charge transport cannot occur in the blocking layer except by means of electrons in the conduction band of the layer or holes in the valence band of the layer. First and second electrodes are provided for applying a bias potential across the active and blocking layers.