Indium Phosphide Photodetector Array Patents 2026
Indium Phosphide Photodetector Array Patents
InP and InGaAs/InP alloys enable high-sensitivity detection from 0.9–1.7 µm, spanning telecom, quantum communication, SWIR imaging, and LiDAR. This dataset spans filings from 1976 to 2026 across five decades of device development.
InP-Based Photodetector Arrays: Material Platform and Device Architectures
InP-based photodetector arrays exploit the direct bandgap of InGaAs absorption layers lattice-matched to InP substrates to detect photons in the 0.9–1.7 µm range with high quantum efficiency and low dark current. The InP substrate serves simultaneously as a transparent window layer and structural platform for epitaxial growth.
Foundational material science was established in 1976 when Varian Associates demonstrated lattice-matched quaternary III-V alloys covering bandgap energies from 0.35 to 2.23 eV, establishing a wavelength range of 0.55–3.5 µm accessible through InGaAsP engineering on InP substrates.
Core device architectures within this dataset span p-i-n photodiodes, SAGCM avalanche photodiodes (APDs), single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), focal plane arrays (FPAs), waveguide-coupled detectors, and nanostructured nanopillar phototransistors covering telecom, quantum, SWIR, and LiDAR application domains.
In retrieved records, Chinese institutions and companies are the most prolific recent filers, while US-based players such as Teledyne FLIR and L3Harris hold foundational FPA IP. China Resources Microelectronics is the only assignee in this dataset with consistent cross-jurisdictional coverage (CN/US/EP/KR) for a single InP-based device family.
Filing Activity, Jurisdiction Distribution, and Performance Benchmarks
Analysis of retrieved records reveals a concentration of recent filings from Chinese institutions alongside established US commercial IP, with key performance benchmarks spanning from early FPA commercialization to 2024 waveguide integration breakthroughs.
InP Photodetector Patent Filings by Assignee Jurisdiction (Dataset Snapshot)
In this dataset, Chinese filings (CN) represent the largest share of recent InP photodetector patents, with US filings concentrated in foundational FPA and defense-oriented IP from assignees such as Teledyne FLIR and L3Harris.
↗ Click bars to exploreInP Photodetector Key Performance Benchmarks by Publication Year
In this dataset, peak bandwidth performance progressed from 10 Gbps APD results in 2018 to 110 GHz waveguide-coupled InP detectors in 2024, while photon detection efficiency for SPADs reached 60% by 2020.
↗ Click bars to exploreKey Application Areas for InP Photodetector Arrays Across Markets
InP-based photodetector arrays serve distinct application domains that each impose different device architecture requirements, from telecom-band single-photon counting to large-format SWIR focal plane imaging.
Fiber-Optic and Silicon Photonics
InP/SOI monolithic platforms achieved 40 GHz bandwidth with 40 Gb/s eye diagrams and 0.55 nA dark current spanning 1240–1650 nm (2021 literature). Southwest Jiaotong University’s TFLN waveguide-coupled detector (US, 2024) reached 110 GHz bandwidth at 50 Ω load. The 2021 InP beyond-5G review frames UTC-PDs as critical for terahertz generation in next-generation communication networks.
Silicon PhotonicsQuantum Communication and QKD
InGaAs/InP SPADs dominate telecom-band single-photon detection for quantum key distribution systems. A 2020 study demonstrated 60% photon detection efficiency at 1550 nm using 1.25 GHz sine-wave gating with a dielectric-metal reflection layer increasing absorption efficiency by approximately 20%. China Resources Microelectronics’ SPAD family (CN/US/EP/KR, 2023–2024) targets aerospace communication and nuclear environments with InP’s radiation hardness as a key design advantage.
Quantum CommunicationSWIR Imaging and Remote Sensing
A 1280×1024 InGaAs SWIR focal plane array (2021) demonstrated D* = 1.1×10¹³ cm·Hz¹/²/W at room temperature with 88% quantum efficiency at 1550 nm and noise electrons as low as 48 e⁻ under correlated double sampling. Dual-band SWIR InGaAs FPAs with interference narrow-band filters (2019) achieved D* up to 5.82×10¹² cm·Hz¹/²/W using 800×2 linear push-broom arrays for ocean-color remote sensing. Sensors Unlimited’s 2021 patents cover visible-to-SWIR broadband hyperspectral InGaAs arrays with reduced dark current.
Remote SensingAutonomous Vehicles and LiDAR
A 2021 study on wireless sensor material fusion explicitly addressed InP single-photon integration on silicon chips for FMCW LiDAR targeting autonomous vehicle navigation. Optohub Co., Ltd.’s photo detection device patents (US, 2024 and 2025) provide InGaAs SPAD arrays for infrared photon detection in LiDAR systems operating at wavelengths ≥1 µm. The LiDAR application domain drives demand for detector arrays combining high photon detection efficiency with low timing jitter below 100 ps.
LiDAR SensingLeading Assignees in InP Photodetector Arrays — Dataset Snapshot
In this dataset, China Resources Microelectronics (Chongqing) is the only assignee with active multi-jurisdictional coverage of a single InP device family (CN/US/EP/KR), while Teledyne FLIR holds foundational but now inactive FPA IP. In retrieved records, Chinese institutions account for the majority of filings dated 2020 and later.
Top InP Photodetector Assignees by Filing Count in Retrieved Records (Dataset Snapshot)
↗ Click bars to exploreChina Resources Microelectronics (Chongqing)
China Resources Microelectronics holds a family of 4 active patents across CN (2023), US (2024), EP (2024), and KR (2023) — the only assignee in this dataset with cross-jurisdictional coverage of a single InP-based device. The core invention is a planar InP-based SPAD with an isolation ring design that prevents tunneling, reduces dark count rate, and provides radiation hardness for aerospace and nuclear applications. All four jurisdictional filings are currently active.
China — CNTeledyne FLIR, LLC
Teledyne FLIR holds 2 US patents (2004 and 2005) that pioneered InGaAs-on-InP focal plane arrays hybridized to Si CMOS ROICs via indium bump flip-chip bonding, with the 2005 continuation demonstrating InP substrate removal to eliminate scattering artifacts across the 0.9–1.7 µm spectral range. These patents represent foundational commercial FPA IP and are now inactive (expired), removing a key IP barrier for substrate thinning and removal processes. The filings established the commercialization phase of InGaAs/InP FPA technology.
United StatesEmerging Technology Signals in InP Photodetector Patents (2024–2026)
The most recent filings in this dataset (2024–2026) point to three material platform shifts and two device architecture evolutions that depart from conventional bulk InP wafer FPA paradigms.
InP on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate: 110 GHz Integration
Southwest Jiaotong University’s US patent (2024) demonstrates InP bonded to thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) chips, achieving 110 GHz bandwidth at 50 Ω load with 1 nA dark current and 0.4 A/W responsivity at 1550 nm. This InP-on-LN platform opens pathways for electro-optic modulators and detectors on the same substrate. This represents a performance bar that competing waveguide-integrated detector groups must benchmark against.
2D InP Nanosheets for Neuromorphic and Quantum Devices
Wuhan University’s 2026 pending CN patent describes 2D InP nanosheets in InP/graphene and InP/MoS₂ heterostructures with ultrafast photoresponse, high electron mobility, and single-photon emission capability. The patent claims potential for optoelectronic neuromorphic devices, a significant departure from bulk wafer-based FPA paradigms. This filing signals the earliest-stage exploration of 2D-material-hybridized InP for quantum and neuromorphic computing applications in this dataset.
InGaAs/InP p-i-n FPA vs. InGaAs/InP SPAD: Key Design Dimensions
Click any row to explore further.
| Dimension | InGaAs/InP p-i-n / APD FPA | InGaAs/InP SPAD Array |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Application | SWIR imaging, hyperspectral remote sensing, defense surveillance | Quantum key distribution, LiDAR, single-photon counting |
| Operating Mode | Linear analog detection (p-i-n) or linear multiplication (APD) | Geiger mode — single-photon triggered avalanche breakdown |
| Peak Performance | D* = 1.1×10¹³ cm·Hz¹/²/W; 88% QE at 1550 nm; 99.9% operability (1280×1024 FPA, 2021) | 60% photon detection efficiency at 1550 nm; 70 ps timing jitter at 210 K (2016–2020) |
| Array Format | Up to 1280×1024 pixels; also 800×2 linear push-broom for remote sensing | Discrete diodes to small arrays; Optohub provides multi-element SPAD arrays for LiDAR |
| Integration Architecture | Hybrid flip-chip bonding to Si CMOS ROIC via indium bumps; InP substrate removal optional | Planar InP structure with isolation ring (China Resources Microelectronics, 2023–2024); monolithic or hybrid |
| Key IP Status | Teledyne FLIR foundational patents (US, 2004–2005) now inactive/expired; L3Harris QWIP FPA patents active (2012–2013) | China Resources Microelectronics SPAD family active across CN/US/EP/KR (2023–2024) |
| Bandwidth / Speed | >10 Gbps APD (SAGCM structure, 2018); 40 GHz InP/SOI platform (2021) | 1.25 GHz sine-wave gating demonstrated for 60% PDE operation (2020) |
| Dark Current / Noise | 48 e⁻ noise under correlated double sampling (1280×1024 FPA, 2021); 0.55 nA for InP/SOI platform (2021) | Isolation ring design reduces dark count rate; InP preferred over Ge-on-Si for lower afterpulsing in QKD |
Frequently Asked Questions: InP Photodetector Array Patents
InGaAs absorption layers lattice-matched to InP substrates detect photons in the 0.9–1.7 µm range with high quantum efficiency. The broader InGaAsP alloy system on InP can cover 0.55–3.5 µm, as established by Varian Associates in 1976. Extensions using graphene Schottky contacts (Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, 2018–2023) broaden coverage toward near-UV wavelengths.
China Resources Microelectronics (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. is the only assignee in this dataset with consistent cross-jurisdictional coverage of a single InP-based device. Their planar InP SPAD with isolation ring design is filed and active in CN (2023), US (2024), EP (2024), and KR (2023).
Southwest Jiaotong University’s ultra-broadband waveguide-coupled photodetector on thin-film lithium niobate (US patent, 2024) achieved 110 GHz bandwidth at 50 Ω load with 1 nA dark current and 0.4 A/W responsivity at 1550 nm, representing the highest bandwidth result in this dataset.
A 1280×1024 InGaAs SWIR FPA (2021 literature) demonstrated D* = 1.1×10¹³ cm·Hz¹/²/W at room temperature with 88% quantum efficiency at 1550 nm, noise electrons as low as 48 e⁻ under correlated double sampling, and 99.9% operability.
No. Teledyne FLIR’s two foundational US patents (2004 and 2005) on InGaAs/InP FPA with InP substrate removal are now inactive and expired. This removes a key IP barrier to substrate thinning and removal processes for other FPA developers.
A 2020 study demonstrated 60% photon detection efficiency at 1550 nm for InGaAs/InP single-photon detectors using 1.25 GHz sine-wave gating, with a dielectric-metal reflection layer increasing absorption efficiency by approximately 20%. A 2016 study using InGaAs/InAlAs multiplication layers demonstrated 70 ps timing jitter at 210 K.
Data and insights on this page are based on a limited patent and literature dataset and are for reference only. Figures may not represent the complete technology landscape.