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(11)

EP 0 993 687 A1

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(43) Date of publication: 19.04.2000 Bulletin 2000/16 (21) Application number: 98930496.9 (22) Date of filing: 25.06.1998

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H01L 27/146 (86) International application number: PCT/US9813/166 (87) International publication number: WO 9859/373 (30.12.1998 Gazette 1998/52)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE (30) Priority: 25.06.1997 US 882055 25.06.1997 US 881906 (71) Applicant: ADVANCED PHOTONIX, INC. Camarillo, CA 93012 (US)	(72) Inventors: DABROWSKI, Andrzej, J. Los Angeles, CA 90077 (US) EREMIN, Vladimir K. St.Petersburg, 191187 (RU) SIDOROV, Anatoly I. Moscow, 125413 (RU) (74) Representative: Patentanwälte Schaad, Balass, Menzl & Partner AG  Dufourstrasse 101Postfach 8034 Zürich 8034 Zürich (CH)