Color-sensitive photodetectors in standard CMOS and BiCMOS technologies

The authors present a novel technique for color detection by using a buried double pn junction (B.D.J.) and a buried triple pn junction (B.T.J.) structure. For the B.D.J. wavelength-dependent photocurrents I1 and I2 can be measured. The wavelength of monochromatic incident light can be identified from the ratio I2/I1. In the case of the B.T.J. with wavelength dependent photocurrents the three colorimetric components of the incident light can be extracted. These structures can be implemented in standard CMOS and BiCMOS technology respectively.