| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090020782 | Avalanche Photodiode With Edge Breakdown Suppression - The invention relates to an avalanche photodiode having enhanced gain uniformity enabled by a tailored diffused p-n junction profile. The tailoring is achieved by a two stage doping process incorporating a solid source diffusion in combination with conventional gas source diffusion. The solid source diffusion material is selected for its solubility to the dopant compared to the solubility of the multiplication layer to dopant. The solid source has a diameter between the first and second diffusion windows. Thus, there are three distinct diffusion regions during the second diffusion. The dopant in the multiplication layer at the edge region, the dopant from the solid source material with a relatively higher dopant concentration (limited by the solubility of the dopant in the solid source material) at the intermediate region, and the central region exposed to an infinite diffusion source from the solid source material as it is continually charged with new dopant from the external gas source. The result is that both the dopant concentration and the diffusion depth decrease gradually from the center to the edge of the device. This tailored diffusion profile enables control of the electric field distribution such that edge breakdown is suppressed. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090121305 | Front-Illuminated Avalanche Photodiode - The present invention provides a front-illuminated avalanche photodiode (APD) with improved intrinsic responsivity, as well as a method of fabricating such a front-illuminated APD. The front-illuminated APD comprises an APD body of semiconductor material, which includes a substrate and a layer stack disposed on a front surface of the substrate. The layer stack includes an absorption layer, a multiplication layer, and a field-control layer. Advantageously, a back surface of the APD body is mechanically and chemically polished, and a reflector having a reflectance of greater than 90% at the absorption wavelength band is disposed on the back surface of the APD body. Thus, incident light that is not absorbed in a first pass through the absorption layer is reflected by the reflector for a second pass through the absorption layer, increasing the intrinsic responsivity of the front-illuminated APD. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20100181651 | SEALED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A sealed semiconductor device having reduced delamination of the sealing layer in high temperature, high humidity conditions is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a stack of device layers on the substrate sealed with a sealing layer. The upper surface of a street area of the substrate is oxidized so that the oxidized region extends under the sealing layer. The presence of the oxidized region of the upper surface of the substrate helps reduce the delamination, because the oxidized surface does not react with water to the same extent as a non-oxidized surface. The semiconductor devices remain sealed after dicing through the street area because the oxidized surface does not delaminate. | 07-22-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090174687 | User Interface System - The user interface system of the preferred embodiment includes: a layer defining a surface, a substrate supporting the layer and at least partially defining a cavity, a displacement device coupled to the cavity and adapted to expand the cavity thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, a touch sensor coupled to the substrate and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the particular region of the surface, and a display coupled to the substrate and adapted to output images to the user. The user interface system of the preferred embodiments has been specifically designed to be incorporated into an electronic device, such as the display of a mobile phone, but may be incorporated in any suitable device that interfaces with a user in both a visual and tactile manner. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20100103137 | USER INTERFACE SYSTEM AND METHOD - The user interface system of the preferred embodiments includes a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a cavity on an opposite side; a volume of a fluid contained within the cavity; a displacement device that modifies the volume of the fluid to expand the cavity, thereby outwardly deforming a particular region of the surface; and a sensor that detects a force applied by a user that inwardly deforms the particular region of the surface. The user interface system has been specifically designed to be used as the user interface for an electronic device, more preferably in an electronic device that benefits from an adaptive user interface, but may alternatively be used in any suitable application. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20110001613 | METHOD FOR ADJUSTING THE USER INTERFACE OF A DEVICE - A method adjusting a user interface experience for a device that includes providing a user interface to retrieve a user input, providing a tactile interface layer that defines a surface and includes a volume of fluid and a displacement device | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110012851 | User Interface Enhancement System - A user interface enhancement system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid contained within the fluid vessel that cooperates with the sheet to transmit an image through the sheet without substantial obstruction, a displacement device that influences the volume of fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and retract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and an attachment component that couples the sheet to the device is disclosed. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110148793 | User Interface System - A user interface system for receiving a user input that includes sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel, a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and retract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and an electrical sensor coupled to the sheet that receives an input provided by a user that inwardly deforms the surface of the sheet and that includes a first conductor and a second conductor that are electrically coupled to each other with an electrical property that changes as the distance between the first and second conductors changes. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110157080 | User Interface System - Disclosed is a user interface system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel, a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and a sensor system that is configured to receive a user input on the surface with a first sensitivity and configured to receive a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at with second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity. | 06-30-2011 |