JPH08204226A - Light receiving element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a light receiving element for detecting the incident light onto the surface of a light absorbing member interposed between a pair of voltage applying members formed on one surface of the light absorbing member in which high speed and high sensitivity are achieved by increasing the voltage applicable to the pair of voltage applying members. CONSTITUTION: A pair of voltage applying members 12, 12 are formed on one surface of a light absorbing member 11. An optical guide member 13 having width W shorter than the wavelength of incident light Ip and dielectric three- dimensional structure is formed on the surface of the light absorbing member 11 between the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a light receiving element for converting an optical signal into an electric signal, which is required in the fields of communication and information processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a light receiving element for converting an optical signal into an electric signal, a light receiving element 50 having the principle structure shown in FIG. The source is "IEEE Journal of QUANTUM ELECTORONICS,
Vol. 28, pp. 2358-2368, 1992 ”, a pair of facing voltage applying portions 12 and 12 are formed of a metal thin film on the surface of a semiconductor light absorbing member 11 which can be generally formed as a substrate. The exposed surface 11a of the light absorbing member 11 between the electrodes 12, 12 is used as the incident window of the light Ip to be detected.

In such a structure, when an appropriate voltage is applied between the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12, the light Ip is incident on the light incident window (light absorbing portion exposed surface) 11a, so that the light absorbing member is exposed. Excited carriers (electrons and holes) are generated in 11
Among them, holes indicated by white circles in the figure are relatively negative potential (−).
, And the electrons indicated by black circles are respectively attracted toward the voltage applying member 12 having a relatively positive potential (+), whereby light is transmitted through the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12. A conduction current (light detection current) flows, and it is detected that there is incident light Ip.

[0004]

The conventional element 50 shown in FIG. 8 is generally called an MSM (metal / semiconductor / metal) type light receiving element. In principle, a pair of voltage applying members 12,
The distance W between the two 12, that is, the light absorbing member serving as the light incident window
The narrower the width W of the exposed surface 11a of 11 is, the faster the speed is. The higher the applied voltage is, the faster and the higher the sensitivity is. Further, in particular, when the W of the exposed surface 11a is set to be equal to or less than the wavelength of the light Ip to be detected, the light Ip incident on the light absorbing member 11 has a near optical electric field (so-called evanescent optical electric field). The incident light Ip is absorbed near the surface of the light absorbing member 11, while the electric field strength by the voltage applying members 12, 12 is higher on the surface than inside the light absorbing member 11, so that the light absorbing member 11 is Since the photoexcited carriers generated near the surface of can be quickly extracted toward the voltage applying members 12, 12, a higher speed operation can be performed and the influence of carrier recombination can be reduced.

In fact, even in the conventional light receiving element 50 shown in FIG. 8, the distance W between the voltage applying members 12, 12 is reduced to about 300 nm by applying the electron beam exposure technology which is an existing fine processing technology. As a result, the full width at half maximum of the pulse response is 870fs. This is considerably faster than other existing light receiving elements. However, at the same time, this is already at the limit for the following reasons, and it is difficult to make it faster.

First, since the surface 11a of the light absorbing member 11 between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 is exposed to the space, when a larger voltage is applied between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12, A creeping discharge is generated along the exposed surface 11a or a discharge is generated through the air gap, so that it cannot be used as an element. In other words, the separation distance W between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 is almost at the limit,
If you try to get closer, dielectric breakdown will occur even at low voltage. On the contrary, under the limitation of not more than the wavelength of the incident light Ip, the width W of the incident window or the exposure surface 11a may be made a little larger in some cases, but in such a case, the applied voltage is still largely restricted. There is. Also,
There is a limit in terms of processing technology, and it is difficult to reduce the processing accuracy to 100 nm or less with existing electron beam exposure technology.

The present invention is basically made in view of these points. As an improvement of the light receiving element 50 as shown in FIG. 8, the distance between the voltage applying members 12, 12 (the light absorbing member 11) is improved.
The width W of the exposed surface 11a) and restrictions on the applied voltage are alleviated to provide a faster light receiving element.

Further, in addition to achieving the above-mentioned basic object, the present invention also intends to provide a more highly functional or multifunctional light receiving element.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention forms a pair of conductive voltage applying members on one surface of a light absorbing member, and absorbs light between the pair of voltage applying members. In a light receiving element that uses the exposed surface of the member as a light incident part on which the light to be detected can enter, (a) is transparent to the light to be detected (that is, transparent or semi-transparent), (b)
It has a width dimension less than or equal to the wavelength of the light to be detected, and (c) is at least between a pair of voltage applying members and exhibits higher resistance than the light absorbing member. (D) A light guide member that is a three-dimensional structure It is proposed to provide it on the exposed surface of the light absorbing member in.

Under such a basic structure, in the present invention, as a subordinate aspect, the light guide member is composed of an insulator, and in this case, the insulator comprises the pair of voltage applying members. It is also proposed that it is formed by oxidizing the material thin film to be formed. In some cases, as long as the requirements in (c) above are met, the light guide member is a semiconductor (including materials that are generally called "semi-insulating").
It can also be configured by.

As another aspect of the present invention, the light guide member may be composed of materials having a plurality of types of physical properties. For example, the light guide member may have a refractive index, an absorption coefficient, or the like.
It is also possible to include a variable mechanism that changes the optical properties such as the deflection direction. In the latter case, the light guide member may have a control voltage applying member to which a voltage is applied in order to change the optical property, and at least one of the control voltage applying members is provided with It can also be configured by one of the voltage applying members.

In particular, the variable mechanism for changing the optical properties of the light guide member can typically be configured to include a semiconductor superlattice structure or, alternatively, a Fabry-Perot type resonator structure.

In any of the above embodiments, the thickness of the light guide member as the three-dimensional structure incorporated according to the present invention is made thicker than the thickness of the pair of voltage applying members so that the pair of voltage It is desirable to increase the creepage distance between the applying members.

Further, according to a particular aspect of the present invention, the light guide member is composed of a plurality of light-guiding members arranged between the pair of voltage applying members and arranged in parallel with each other, and the plurality of light-guiding members are adjacent to each other. A configuration in which a light-impermeable intermediate member that does not transmit the light to be detected is provided between the light guide members can also be proposed.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional structure of a light receiving element 10 which is an element of one embodiment constructed according to the present invention. In the figure, the conventional element 50 already described with reference to FIG.
For ease of understanding, the reference numerals attached to the respective constituent elements are used for corresponding elements also in the element 10 of the present invention. Also, in other examples described later,
Corresponding components are assigned the same reference numerals.

However, a pair of voltage applying members 12, 12 are formed on the surface of the light absorbing member 11 made of a suitable semiconductor including a so-called semi-insulating material such as GaAs. The light receiving element is between the members 12 and 12.
It is a substantial light incident part 30 in 10. The material of the voltage applying members 12, 12 is generally metal such as titanium, but may be semiconductor such as silicon having suitable conductivity by introducing appropriate impurities. Further, in general, the light absorbing member 11 can be used as it is as a construction substrate of the present light receiving element 10, but this is not a limitation, and the structure shown on another physical supporting substrate (not shown) can be used. You can build it.

In the case of the conventional element 50, the light incident part 30 is the exposed surface 11a (FIG. 8) exposed to the space, and this is the light incident window as it is. In this embodiment element 10, the light incident portion 30 is provided with a light guide member 13 as a three-dimensional structure made of a suitable insulating material such as titanium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, etc. The exposed surface of the light absorbing member 11 is covered with the member 13. However, the light guide member 13 needs to be at least light transmissive, that is, transparent or at least semitransparent to the light Ip to be detected. Of course, the material group described above is an example that can be handled as transparent for most light wavelength regions.

With such a structure, since the surface of the light absorbing member 11 between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 is not exposed to the space, as described above, the light absorbing member 11 has a problem in the related art. The problem of creeping discharge along the exposed surface 11a of the absorbing member 11 is solved or alleviated, and a larger voltage is applied to the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12 when the same separation distance W as in the conventional example is taken. be able to. Particularly, if the thickness of the light guide member 13 is made thicker than the thickness of the voltage applying member 12, the creeping surface between the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12 along the outer side surface of the light guiding member 13 becomes thicker as the thickness increases. Since the distance becomes long, it has been easy to cause discharge through the air gap between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 in the related art, but sufficient withstand voltage can be expected. Therefore, in the conventional element 50, even if the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 are tried to be closer to each other, substantial limitation is generated due to the problem of such dielectric breakdown, and the upper limit value of the applied voltage is also limited. In the light receiving element 10 of the present invention, such restrictions are dramatically improved.

As described above, when the width W of the light incident portion 30 defined between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 is set to be equal to or less than the wavelength of the light Ip to be detected, the light absorbing member 11 is The incident light Ip is represented by a near optical field (evanescent optical field), and the optical field strength increases only near the surface of the light absorbing member 11, and the incident light Ip is the surface of the light absorbing member 11. It will be absorbed in the vicinity. Therefore, in the light-receiving element 10 according to the present invention that can apply a larger voltage than the conventional voltage between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12, the excited carriers generated near the surface of the light absorbing member 11 due to the incidence of the light Ip. (Electrons and holes) are generated by the surface electric field, which has a higher electric field strength than the inside due to being close to the voltage applying members 12, 12.
Electrons are relatively positive potential (+) side voltage applying member 12, and holes are relatively negative potential (−) side voltage applying member 12,
Each will be pulled out at high speed. In other words, this is a faster photoelectric conversion operation (light detection operation) than before.
It also means that it is possible to pull out faster than the lifetime of the excited carriers by applying a high voltage, so it is possible to reduce the effect of recombination of the excited carrier pairs and increase the sensitivity. Contribute to higher output.

In particular, according to the present invention, a pair of voltage applying members
The separation distance W between 12 and 12, that is, the width W of the light guide member 13
Can be sufficiently narrowed, so if the width is narrower than the limit of the conventional element, the above high speed and high sensitivity operation is further promoted. In this case, if there is a limit in the fine processing technology in semiconductor device processing such as the existing electron beam exposure method, the “scanning probe processing method” recently developed by the present applicant can be used.

FIG. 2 shows the principle of this scanning probe processing method. This is a tunneling microscope (STM: Scanning
Tunnel Microscope) or atomic force microscope (AFM: At
omicForce Microscope) is used as a sample processing device. A tip of a scanning probe P of, for example, an STM is brought close to a conductive thin film B (for example, a titanium thin film) formed on a substrate A, and a power source V is used to conduct the conductivity with the tip. When a probe P is relatively scanned as indicated by an arrow S while applying a high electric field between the thin films B, the conductive thin film B is oxidized according to the locus, and oxide thin wires C (for example, titanium oxide thin wires) are formed by an electrochemical reaction. To be done. The same result can be obtained by using the AFM. Rather, the AFM has an advantage that the thin film to be processed is not limited to the conductive thin film.

According to such a method, it is possible to form a titanium oxide fine wire having a maximum resolution of 18 nm on GaAs. Therefore, the present inventor also utilizes this, and the light receiving element of the present invention whose principle structure is shown in FIG. I actually made 10. An example of this manufacturing process is shown in FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a light absorbing member
Conductive thin film 1 on semi-insulating GaAs substrate 11 chosen as 11.
A titanium thin film 12 'was vapor-deposited as 2'. This titanium thin film 1
The STM scanning probe P is brought close to the surface of a predetermined portion of 2 ', and a potential of 5 V is applied between the probe P and the titanium thin film 12' in an atmospheric environment (that is, an environment containing water) as shown in FIG. 3 (B). The probe S was relatively scanned along the scanning direction orthogonal to the drawing sheet surface while applying a tunnel current. At this time, the scanning speed is such that the width of the titanium oxide thin wire 13 formed is 10
It was set to 0 nm. By adjusting the applied voltage and the scanning speed, the width and thickness of the titanium oxide formed can be adjusted quite freely.

Titanium oxide thin wire 13 formed by this
Serves as the light guide member 13 in the light incident portion 30 of the light receiving element 10 of the present invention, and the titanium thin film portions on both sides thereof that remain unoxidized serve as the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12. In other words, this method is also a rational method for uniformly forming the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12 and the light guide member 13 to be provided therebetween.

After that, as shown in FIG. 3C, for example, on a desired area portion on the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12, for convenience of making an electrical connection with an external circuit as needed, for example, Ti /
The Au attachment electrodes 14 and 14 are formed. Furthermore, in order to make it a practical element, as shown in FIG.
For example, Ti / Au grounding electrodes 15 and 15 are formed in parallel with the stripes including 12 and 12 and the light guide member 13. The width of each stripe and the dimension between adjacent stripes were set to 5 μm in this prototype device. Thereby, the pair of voltage applying members 1
A bias line Lb for applying a bias voltage Vb may be connected to one of 2 and 12, and a signal line Lr to a load R schematically shown by a resistor R may be connected to the other voltage applying member 12. Therefore, the ground wire Le can be connected to each of the pair of ground electrodes 15 and 15 forming the shield structure.

An electro-optical sampling method was used for evaluation of the prototype device 10 thus manufactured. This is a method that can measure the electrical signal with a time resolution in the femtosecond (fs) region by detecting the change in the polarization of the laser light that is proportional to the change in the electric field in the electro-optic crystal placed on the circuit under test. However, for the evaluation of the prototype device 10, a measurement system as shown in FIG. 4 was constructed.

The light source receives collision light from the Argon ion laser 21 and is colliding mode locked (CPM).
de-locked) dye laser 22 with a laser output of about 10 m
W, output pulse width is 40fs, wavelength is 620nm. The light guide member 13 made of titanium oxide in the prototype device 10 shows sufficient transparency with respect to the light having the wavelength of 620 nm, and is an electrically satisfactory insulator. The output of the CPM dye laser 22 is divided into 9: 1 by a beam splitter 23. The former is used as an excitation beam Ip and the latter is used as a sampling beam Is, and the excitation beam Ip is used as a variable delay device 32 for adjusting an optical path difference from the sampling beam Is side. After passing through the light guide member 13 of the light receiving element 10 of the present invention, while the sampling beam Is enters the polarizer 25 via the 2 / λ wave plate 24 for adjusting the polarization direction, electro-optical (EO: Electro-Optical) Probe 31 is made incident. The EO probe 31 has an electro-optic coefficient of 35.8 pm / V.
This is a LiTaO ₃ plate with a dielectric multilayer coating on the back surface of the crystal that contacts the light-receiving element side.
m, width 250 μm, thickness 50 μm. Further, the crystal orientation of the EO probe 31 and the polarization direction of the sampling beam Is are set so that the sensitivity to the lateral electric field on the stripe line becomes maximum.

The sampling beam Is, which has been phase-modulated by the seeping-out electric field into the EO probe 31 and reflected, is phase-compensated by the Soleil-Babinet phase compensating plate 26, and is then passed through the polarization beam splitter 27. 28a, b
Is received by being modulated by intensity modulation, and the output of the photodetector is applied to the prototype device 10 after passing through the differential amplifier 29, and is lock-in detected by the lock-in amplifier 34 at the same cycle of 1 MHz.

The measurement results plotted based on the output of the lock-in amplifier 34 are shown in FIG. The measurement was performed at a point 70 μm away from the prototype device 10, and we succeeded in obtaining 570 fs as the full width at half maximum of the electric pulse. This is 3 dB
It corresponds to a band of 790 GHz and is arguably the fastest value in the world at the present time for this type of photoconductive light receiving element.

As described above, according to the present invention, as compared with the conventional light receiving element 50 described with reference to FIG.
Even if the distance W between the pair of voltage applying members 12, 12 is further shortened, such as about nm, it can be operated without causing dielectric breakdown. By using, it is possible to construct an extremely small-sized, high-speed, highly sensitive light-receiving element. However, conversely, even if the separation distance W between the pair of voltage applying members 12 is increased under the limitation that the wavelength is less than the wavelength of the light Ip to be detected, rather than about 300 nm in the conventional element, this effect can be increased. Since there is little risk of dielectric breakdown, a larger voltage can be applied between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12, and as a result, it can be said that a light receiving element having higher speed and higher sensitivity than the conventional element can be provided. In this case, the burden on the manufacturing process is lightened, and it goes without saying that the above-mentioned scanning probe processing method may be applied to the formation of the light guide member 13 (for example, the scanning of the probe P may be slightly moved in the lateral direction). It is also possible to draw an arbitrary wide oxide line by repeating it while shifting it.) However, the advantage is that other existing fine processing technologies such as electron beam exposure technology and selective growth technology can be used as they are. to be born.

Another modified example of the present invention will be described below. First, the light guide member 13 is not limited to the above-mentioned insulator, and is located at least between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 and more than the light absorbing member 11. A semiconductor can also be used as long as it has a sufficiently high resistance and is desirably an insulator.
In this case, if the light absorption portion 11 is, for example, GaAs, in order to show light transmittance (to prevent absorption as much as possible therein), it is a semiconductor having a band gap larger than that of GaAs.
AlAs, GaP, etc. can be used. However, in order to ensure complete insulation, a slight gap is provided between the light guide member 13 which is a three-dimensional structure made of these semiconductor materials and at least one of the voltage applying members 12, and a space is required between them. For example, insert an insulator. The latter case corresponds to one of the examples in which the light guide member 13 is made of a material having a plurality of types of physical properties.

Next, in the light incident portion 30 of the light receiving element of the present invention,
As can be seen from the element 10A of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, although only two are shown in the drawing, two or more light guide members 13 are provided, and light is guided between these adjacent light guide members 13 and 13. A light non-transmissive intermediate member 35 that does not pass can be provided. In such a light receiving element 10A, since there are a plurality of light guide members 13 having a width dimension equal to or less than the wavelength of the light to be detected,
The detection sensitivity can be increased. Light non-transmissive intermediate member 35
May be conductive or insulative in principle, but is preferably conductive. In this case, a pair of voltage applying members 12 on both sides are used.
It can be formed of the same material thin film. The formation of each light guide member 13 may be performed by an arbitrary fine processing technique. For example, in the case of the above-described scanning probe processing method, a pair of voltages on both sides are simultaneously applied by the process of forming each light guide member 13, 13. The members 12, 12 and the intermediate member 35 can be formed at one time, which is extremely rational. of course,
The number of light guide members 13 is arbitrary.

The light guide member 13 in the light receiving element of the present invention contains a mixture of plural kinds of materials having different physical properties such as an insulator and a semiconductor, as described above, as long as the conditions are not deviated from the limiting condition in the constitution of the present application. You can think of something you did. It is also possible to propose a configuration in which the light guide member 13 includes a variable mechanism that makes the optical property of itself variable. FIG. 7 shows an element 10B according to the present invention in such a case.

To explain, a part of the light guide member 13 formed in the light incident portion 30 is, in order from the side in contact with the surface of the light absorbing portion 11, the n-type (or p-type) semiconductor layer 37, GaAs / AlGaAs or GaAs / AlGaAs. InAs / InGaAs superlattice structure layer 39, p-type (or n
Type) semiconductor layer 38, and a light-transmissive insulating member 13 ′ made of a single insulator or a single semiconductor similar to that described above is provided on the insulating structure 1.
A control voltage applying member 36 made of a metal or a semiconductor for controlling the optical properties from the outside is formed so as to penetrate the 3 ′ so as to make ohmic contact with the semiconductor layer 38. A control voltage applying member is also attached to the other semiconductor layer 37, but this is not a dedicated one in this embodiment, and one of the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 (the left side in the drawing) attaches this. Also serves as.

In such a structure, one of the voltage applying members is
An electric field is applied to the superlattice structure layer 39 by externally applying a voltage between the control voltage applying member 36 and the control voltage applying member 36, and the quantum confined Stark effect causes the vicinity of the band edge depending on the magnitude of the electric field (applied voltage). It is possible to control the absorption peak due to excitons, which is characteristic in the quantum structure, by changing the absorptance or the refractive index with respect to the wavelength. Thereby, the spectrum of the incident light Ip can be known from the change of the absorption coefficient with respect to each wavelength, which can contribute to the enhancement or multifunction of the light receiving element. Also, in the light guide member 13
If the Perot type resonator structure is incorporated, the electrodes 12, 36
When the refractive index is controlled by the voltage applied to the resonator, the resonance wavelength of the resonator can be controlled, and the light receiving element 10B having wavelength selectivity can be provided. In this case, the superlattice structure layer 39 in FIG. 7 may be read as an internal optical waveguide required in the Fabry-Perot type resonator structure, and the upper and lower semiconductor layers 37 and 38 serve as a refractive index control voltage which also serves as a reflecting mirror. It can be regarded as an application member. In addition, inclusion of another variable mechanism for variable control of other optical properties does not hinder the present invention.

In the case of the structure shown in FIG. 7, in order to prevent an electrical short circuit between the pair of voltage applying members 12 and 12 via the lower semiconductor layer 37, the voltage applying member 12 on the right side of the drawing is
The insulating layer 40 is sandwiched between and the light guide member 13 including the superlattice structure layer 39, but this may be replaced by a void. However, such an insulating layer 40 is substantially the insulating member 1
It can be formed in the same step as 3 ', and the provision of this does not generally complicate the step.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art are free to make arbitrary modifications as long as they conform to the gist of the present invention.

[0038]

According to the present invention, a pair of conductive voltage applying members are formed on one surface of a light absorbing member, and the exposed surface of the light absorbing member sandwiched by the pair of voltage applying members is the object of detection. In the light receiving element used as the light incident part, since the light incident part has an insulating material or a property similar thereto, and a light transmissive light guide member having a width dimension equal to or less than the wavelength of the light to be detected exists, it is higher than the conventional one. A voltage can be applied or a pair of electrodes can be brought closer together without fear of dielectric breakdown.
Therefore, photoexcited carriers can be extracted at high speed by applying a high electric field, and the influence of recombination of excited carriers can be reduced, so that a high-speed and highly sensitive light-receiving element can be provided. In addition, the light guide member also functions as a protective layer that covers the surface of the light absorbing portion, and the labor of separately forming a protective layer can be omitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a basic embodiment of a light receiving element of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a scanning probe processing method that can be used for manufacturing the light receiving element of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a manufacturing process in the case where the light receiving element of the present invention is manufactured by using a scanning probe processing method.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a prototype measurement system of the light receiving element of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a result of measuring a prototype light receiving element of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a light receiving element as another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a light receiving element as still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional MSM type light receiving element.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10,10A, 10B Photoreceptor of the present invention, 11 Light absorbing member, 12 Voltage applying member, 13 Light guide member, 30 Light incident part, 35 Light non-transmissive intermediate member, 36 Control voltage applying member, 37, 38 Semiconductor layer, 39 Superlattice structure layer, 40 insulating layers.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Satoshi Nakagawa 1-1-4 Umezono, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki Electronic Technology Research Institute, Industrial Technology Institute (72) Inventor Yoshinobu Sugiyama 1-1-ume, Umezono, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 4 Industrial Technology Institute of Electronics Technology

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A pair of conductive voltage applying members are formed on one surface of the light absorbing member, and an exposed surface of the light absorbing member sandwiched by the pair of voltage applying members is used as an incident portion of light to be detected. A light-receiving element; having a width dimension that is light transmissive to the light to be detected and is equal to or less than the wavelength of the light to be detected, on the exposed surface of the light absorbing member in the light incident portion, A light guide element, which is a three-dimensional structure having a higher resistance than the light absorbing member, is provided between the pair of voltage applying members. 2. The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the light guide member is made of an insulator. 3. The light receiving element according to claim 2, wherein the insulator is formed by oxidizing a material thin film forming the pair of voltage applying members. . 4. The light-receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the light guide member is made of a semiconductor. 5. The light-receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the light guide member includes a material having a plurality of types of physical properties. 6. The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the light guide member includes a variable mechanism for changing the optical property of the light guide member. 7. The light-receiving element according to claim 6, wherein the variable mechanism has a control voltage application member that receives a voltage to vary the optical property of the light guide member. And a light receiving element. 8. The light receiving element according to claim 6 or 7, wherein at least one of the control voltage applying members is constituted by one of the pair of voltage applying members;
A light receiving element characterized by. 9. The light-receiving element according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the variable mechanism includes a semiconductor superlattice structure. 10. The light-receiving element according to claim 6, 7, or 8; wherein the variable mechanism includes a Fabry-Perot resonator structure. 11. Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8. The light receiving element according to 8, 9, or 10; wherein the thickness of the light guide member is thicker than the thickness of the pair of voltage applying members. 12. The method according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8. The light-receiving element according to 8, 9, 10, or 11, wherein the light guide member is composed of a plurality of the voltage guide members, which are arranged in parallel with each other; A light-impermeable intermediate member that does not transmit the light to be detected is provided between the light guide members.