US Patent 7663202 - Nanowire photodiode

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7663202.html

This patent from HP teaches a way to integrate fiber optics technology with semiconductor nanowires in order to create nanoscale photodiodes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanowire photodiode, comprising:

a first optical waveguide comprising a tapered first end including a first tip;

a second optical waveguide comprising a tapered second end including a second tip spaced from the first tip; and

at least one nanowire comprising at least one semiconductor material, the nanowire connecting the first tip and the second tip in a bridging configuration.