Photosensor including multiple detection mode and method of operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9923104-B2
Application number	US-201514701766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2015
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Provided are a photosensor and a method of operating the same. The photosensor includes a lower electrode, a semiconductor layer, a 2-dimensional material layer, and an upper electrode. Photocurrent generated due to externally radiated light may be operated in a multiple detection mode including a lateral detection mode and a vertical detection mode. The upper electrode may include a plurality of electrode elements, which may be formed of the same conductive material or different conductive materials.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photosensor for light detection, comprising:
a lower electrode;
a semiconductor layer formed on the lower electrode;
a 2-dimensional material layer formed on the semiconductor layer, the 2-dimensional material layer having one continuous layer of a 2-dimensional material; and
an upper electrode that contacts the 2-dimensional material layer, the upper electrode including at least two electrode elements, each of the electrode elements being in contact with the one continuous layer of the 2-dimensional material, the electrode elements being spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction on the one continuous layer.

2. The photosensor of claim 1 , wherein the upper electrode includes a first upper electrode and a second upper electrode, each of which is in contact with the 2-dimensional material layer.

3. The photosensor of ciaim 1 , wherein the upper electrode includes a first upper electrode, a second upper electrode, a third upper electrode, and a fourth upper electrode,
wherein the first upper electrode and the second upper electrode are formed of a first conductive material, and
the third upper electrode and the fourth upper electrode are formed of a second conductive material.

4. The photosensor of claim 3 , wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are different conductive materials.

5. The photosensor of claim 3 , wherein the first upper electrode and the second upper electrode are spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and
wherein the third upper electrode and the fourth upper electrode are spaced apart from each other in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The photosensor of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating layer formed under the upper electrode and that separates the upper electrode from the semiconductor layer and the lower electrode.

7. The photosensor of claim 1 , wherein the 2-dimensional material layer is formed of graphene or a metal chalcogenide-based material.

8. The photosensor of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer is configured to generate photocurrent due to the light incident on the photosensor.

9. The photosensor of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer includes an oxide semiconductor.

10. The photosensor of claim 9 , wherein the oxide semiconductor includes at least one of a zinc (Zn) oxide semiconductor, an indium (In) oxide semiconductor, and a gallium (Ga) oxide semiconductor.

11. The photosensor of claim 1 , wherein the photosensor is configured to detect light in both of a lateral detection mode and a vertical detection mode, and
wherein the photosensor is configured to detect charges by using the at least two electrode elements of the upper electrode in the lateral detection mode, and configured to detect photocurrent by using the lower electrode and the upper electrode in the vertical detection mode.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Heejeong
• Kyoung Jisoo
• Lee Changwon
• Heo Jinseong

Classifications

• Y02E10/547

  Monocrystalline silicon PV cells · CPC title

• H01L31/036

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/109

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/028

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0224 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic