PRINCETON LIGHTWAVE, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150192676 | LiDAR System Comprising A Single-Photon Detector - A method for developing a map of objects in a region surrounding a location is disclosed. The method includes interrogating the region along a detection axis with a series of optical pulses and detecting reflections of the optical pulses that originate at objects located along the detection axis. A multi-dimensional map of the region is developed by scanning the detection axis about the location in at least one dimension. The reflections are detected via a single-photon detector that is armed using a sub-gating scheme such that the single-photon detector selectively detects photons of reflections that originate only within each of a plurality of zones that collectively define the detection field. In some embodiments, the optical pulses have a wavelength within the range of 1350 nm to 1390 nm, which is a spectral range having a relatively high eye-safety threshold and a relatively low solar background. | 07-09-2015 |
20140061443 | TWO-STATE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AVALANCHE DIODE - A negative feedback avalanche diode for detecting the receipt of a single photon is described. The photodetector comprises a load element having two load states, one characterized by high impedance and the other characterized by low impedance. The load state of the load element is controlled by a control signal generated within the negative feedback avalanche diode itself. | 03-06-2014 |
20140027607 | High-Repetition-Rate Single-Photon Receiver and Method Therefor - A single-photon receiver and method for detecting a single-photon are presented. The receiver comprises a SPAD that receives a gating signal having a fundamental frequency in the 100 MHz to multiple GHz range. The receiver further comprises a two-stage frequency filter for filtering the output of the SPAD, wherein the filter has: (1) a notch filter response at the fundamental frequency; and (2) a low-pass filter response whose cutoff frequency is less than the first harmonic of the fundamental frequency. As a result, the frequency filter removes substantially all the frequency components in the SPAD output without significant degradation of the signal quality but with reduced complexity, cost, and footprint requirement relative to receivers in the prior art. | 01-30-2014 |
20130334434 | Dual-SPAD-Based Single-Photon Receiver - A single-photon receiver is presented. The receiver comprises two SPADs that are monolithically integrated on the same semiconductor chip. Each SPAD is biased with a substantially identical gating signal. The output signals of the SPADs are combined such that capacitive transients present on each output signal cancel to substantially remove them from the output signal from the receiver. | 12-19-2013 |
20130207217 | METHOD FOR FORMING A BURIED P-N JUNCTION AND ARTICLES FORMED THEREBY - Methods for forming a buried p-n junction and avalanche photodiodes incorporating same are disclosed. The method includes forming a well in a semiconductor layer, wherein a depth of the well is selected as a function of the desired shape of the p-n junction in the edge region of the avalanche photodiode. A diffusion mask is then formed on the semiconductor layer, wherein the diffusion mask includes at least two openings per APD formed, wherein one opening is a diffusion window and the other is a diffusion sink. The depth of the p-n junction in the active region of the APD is based, in part, on an attribute of the diffusion mask relating to the diffusion sink. | 08-15-2013 |
20130153645 | Process for Hybrid Integration of Focal Plane Arrays - A method for aligning a first substrate relative to a second substrate by enabling reflow of low-melting-temperature solder bumps is disclosed. Reflow of the solder bumps induces a force that moves one substrate relative to the other to improve alignment accuracy between bond pads located on each substrate. The method further enables reduction of surface oxide on the solder bumps that would otherwise inhibit reliable solder joint formation. | 06-20-2013 |
20120133014 | Avalanche Photodiode Having Controlled Breakdown Voltage - Avalanche photodiodes and methods for forming them are disclosed. The breakdown voltage of an avalanche photodiode is controlled through the inclusion of a diffusion sink that is formed at the same time as the device region of the photodiode. The device region and diffusion sink are formed by diffusing a dopant into a semiconductor to form a p-n junction in the device region. The dopant is diffused through a first diffusion window to form the device region and a second diffusion window to form the diffusion sink. The depth of the p-n junction is based on an attribute of the second diffusion window. | 05-31-2012 |
20120009727 | AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE HAVING CONTROLLED BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE - Avalanche photodiodes and methods for forming them are disclosed. The breakdown voltage of an avalanche photodiode is controlled through the inclusion of a diffusion sink that is formed at the same time as the device region of the photodiode. The device region and diffusion sink are formed by diffusing a dopant into a semiconductor to form a p-n junction in the device region. The dopant is diffused through a first diffusion window to form the device region and a second diffusion window to form the diffusion sink. The depth of the p-n junction is based on an attribute of the second diffusion window. | 01-12-2012 |
20110204210 | Single-Photon Avalanche Detector-Based Focal Plane Array - An imaging sensor having sensitivity at the single-photon level is disclosed. The sensor comprises an array of pixels, each of which comprises a negative-feedback avalanche diode and a read-out circuit that includes a counter. The counter keeps track of the number of photons detected by the diode during a given time period. | 08-25-2011 |
20100301194 | Optical Receiver Comprising Breakdown-Voltage Compensation - The present invention enables the detection of light using an APD that has high gain and/or a wide range of operating temperature. A first APD is biased with a voltage bias that is controlled based on the breakdown voltage of a second APD, which is thermally coupled with the first APD. Changes in the breakdown voltage of the second APD due to aging, temperature chances, and the like, are reflective of changes in the breakdown voltage of the first APD. As a result, the first APD can be operated with greater stability and reliability at high gain and over larger temperature excursions than APDs known in the prior art. | 12-02-2010 |
20100193412 | Beam splitter - A device for splitting light between the visible light spectrum and the near infrared light spectrum, particularly for separating reflected light between the visible light spectrum and the near infrared light spectrum, in determining multiple characteristics of product in a product scanning system. The invention also pertains to sorting machines that optically sort or separate nonstandard fungible objects from standard objects as they pass a viewing station by viewing such objects in at least two different wavelength spectrums and particularly to such sorting machines utilizing detector elements comprised of two or more different photo-sensitive devices and to the optical detection system used therein. The device includes a hermetically-sealed device with two transparent prisms between which is sandwiched indium tin oxide (ITO) selected to exhibit dielectric behavior in the VIS/NIR and metallic behavior in the NIR band. | 08-05-2010 |
20100176477 | Negative Feedback Avalanche Diode - A single-photon avalanche detector is disclosed that is operable at wavelengths greater than 1000 nm and at operating speeds greater than 10 MHz. The single-photon avalanche detector comprises a thin-film resistor and avalanche photodiode that are monolithically integrated such that little or no additional capacitance is associated with the addition of the resistor. | 07-15-2010 |
20100051809 | Monolithic Dual Band Imager - An imaging sensor for imaging scenes based on both shortwave infrared and midwave infrared radiation is disclosed. The imaging sensor comprises pixels that include a photodiode that is selectively sensitive to shortwave infrared radiation based upon its bias voltage. | 03-04-2010 |
20100025798 | Apparatus Comprising a Single Photon Photodetector Having Reduced Afterpulsing and Method Therefor - A single-photon detector is disclosed that provides reduced afterpulsing without some of the disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. An embodiment of the present invention provides a stimulus pulse to the active area of an avalanche photodetector to stimulate charges that are trapped in energy trap states to detrap. In some embodiments of the present invention, the stimulus pulse is a thermal pulse. | 02-04-2010 |
20100019128 | Focal Plane Array Imager - An imaging sensor having sensitivity at the single-photon level is disclosed. The sensor comprises an array of pixels, each of which comprises a negative-feedback avalanche diode and a read-out circuit that includes a counter. The counter keeps track of the number of photons detected by the diode during a given time period. | 01-28-2010 |
20090256059 | Solid state focal plane array for hyperspectral imaging applications - A focal plane array suitable for use in hyperspectral imaging applications is provided. The focal plane array comprises pixels comprising arrays of photodiodes, wherein each photodiode in each array is selectively sensitive to a different wavelength of a set of wavelengths. | 10-15-2009 |
20090026494 | Avalanche Photodiode Having Controlled Breakdown Voltage - Avalanche photodiodes and methods for forming them are disclosed. The breakdown voltage of an avalanche photodiode is controlled through the inclusion of a diffusion sink that is formed at the same time as the device region of the photodiode. The device region and diffusion sink are formed by diffusing a dopant into a semiconductor to form a p-n junction in the device region. The dopant is diffused through a first diffusion window to form the device region and a second diffusion window to form the diffusion sink. The depth of the p-n junction is based on an attribute of the second diffusion window. | 01-29-2009 |
20080283953 | Negative Feedback Avalanche Diode - A single-photon avalanche detector is disclosed that is operable at wavelengths greater than 1000 nm and at operating speeds greater than 10 MHz. The single-photon avalanche detector comprises a thin-film resistor and avalanche photodiode that are monolithically integrated such that little or no additional capacitance is associated with the addition of the resistor. | 11-20-2008 |
20080220598 | Method for Dopant Diffusion - A method for controlling dopant diffusion is disclosed. Using certain control parameters that are not used in the prior art, the method provides an unprecedented measure of control over the dopant diffusion process. The control parameters include, among others, the size of the diffusion windows in the diffusion mask and the proximity of the diffusion windows to a dopant sink. In some embodiments, the diffusion process is conducted in an epi-reactor. | 09-11-2008 |