ULTRA-WIDEBAND VACUUM TUNNEL PHOTODIODE FOR DETECTING ULTRAVIOLET, VISIBLE AND INFRARED OPTICAL RADIATION AND METHOD FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF Russian patent published in 2014 - IPC H01L31/09 H01L31/18 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention can be used in designing ultra-wideband photodetectors in the ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared region for optical spectroscopy and diagnosis, optical communication and imaging systems. The ultra-wideband vacuum tunnel photodiode, which detects optical radiation in the UV, visible and infrared region, is characterised by that the shape of the surface of the photoemitter is a 3D nano-gradient structure with a given gain coefficient of local electrostatic field strength, the distance between the photoemitter and the anode is in the micro- or nanometre range. The photodiode is based on an array of diode cells of planar-end autoemission structures with α-carbon edges. Also disclosed is a method of making the ultra-wideband vacuum tunnel photodiode in the UV, visible and infrared region, characterised by that the surface of the photoemitter, having a work function A, is in form of a 3D nano-gradient structure with a given gain coefficient of local electrostatic field strength β, the distance between the photoemitter and the anode is in the micro- or nanometre range, wherein the boundary value of voltage across the anode U_max, which corresponds to the maximum tunnel photoemissive current when detecting optical radiation with a given wavelength λ, is determined from a given relationship.

EFFECT: designing an ultra-wideband vacuum tunnel photodiode which enables to detect optical radiation in the UV, visible and infrared region using one nano-structured emitter with controlled, variable electrostatic field strength and the photoemission threshold.

3 cl, 7 dwg