# US 10,121,927 B2 · Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 10,121,927 B2
- Document ID: US10121927B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/656,212
- Filed: 2017-07-21
- Published: 2018-03-29
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-28
- Assignees: Renesas Electronics Corporation
- Applicants: Renesas Electronics Corporation
- Inventors: Tomoo Nakayama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121927B2

## CPC

- H10F 30/2235: {the devices comprising Group IV amorphous materials}
- H10F 71/121: {The active layers comprising only Group IV materials}
- H10F 77/122: comprising only Group IV materials
- H10F 77/14: Shape of semiconductor bodies; Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of semiconductor regions within semiconductor bodies
- H10F 77/306: {for devices having potential barriers}
- H10F 77/413: {directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42)}
- H10F 77/933: {for devices having potential barriers}
- G02B 6/12002: {Three-dimensional structures}
- G02B 6/43: Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
- G02B 2006/12061: {Silicon}
- Y02E 10/547: Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A provided semiconductor device includes a Ge photodiode having proper diode characteristics. A groove is provided on a germanium growth protective film, a p-type silicon layer, and a first insulating film from the top surface of the germanium growth protective film without reaching the major surface of a semiconductor substrate. An i-type germanium layer and an n-type germanium layer are embedded in the groove with a seed layer interposed between the layers and the groove, the seed layer being made of amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or silicon germanium. The i-type germanium layer and the n-type germanium layer do not protrude from the top surface of the germanium growth protective film, thereby forming a flat second insulating film having a substantially even thickness on the n-type germanium layer and the germanium growth protective film.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film formed over an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a silicon layer formed over the first insulating film;
a protective film formed over the silicon layer;
a groove formed in the protective film, the silicon layer, and the first insulating film starting from a top surface of the protective film and without reaching the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a seed layer formed over inner bottom and side surfaces of the groove;
a germanium layer embedded in the groove with the seed layer interposed between the germanium layer and the bottom and side surfaces of the groove; and
a second insulating film formed over the germanium layer and the protective film.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
wherein the groove has a depth of at least 1 μm from the top surface of the protective film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
wherein the seed layer is made of amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or silicon germanium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
wherein the silicon layer includes a p-type semiconductor, and the germanium layer has an underside of an intrinsic semiconductor and a top surface of an n-type semiconductor, and
wherein the semiconductor device has a pin structure including the silicon layer, the underside of the germanium layer, and the top surface of the germanium layer.

### Claim 5

A semiconductor device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a first insulating film formed over an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a silicon layer formed over the first insulating film;
a protective film formed over the silicon layer;
a groove formed in the protective film, the silicon layer, and the first insulating film starting from a top surface of the protective film and so as to reach the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a seed layer formed over portions of inner side surfaces of the groove;
a germanium layer embedded in the groove; and
a second insulating film formed over the germanium layer and the protective film,
wherein the germanium layer is in contact with the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed at a bottom of the groove and is in contact with the seed layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor device according to claim 5,
wherein the groove has a depth of at least 1 μm from the top surface of the protective film.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor device according to claim 5,
wherein the seed layer is made of amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or silicon germanium.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor device according to claim 5,
wherein, in portions of the side surfaces of the groove where the seed layer is not formed, the silicon layer is exposed, and the germanium layer is in contact with the exposed silicon layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor device according to claim 5,
wherein the silicon layer includes a p-type semiconductor, and the germanium layer has an underside of an intrinsic semiconductor and a top surface of an n-type semiconductor, and
wherein the semiconductor device has a pin structure including the silicon layer, the underside of the germanium layer, and the top surface of the germanium layer.

### Claim 10

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
(a) preparing a SOI substrate including a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed over an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a silicon layer of a first conductivity type over the first insulating film;
(b) forming a protective film over the silicon layer;
(c) processing the protective film, the silicon layer, and the first insulating film in sequence so as to form a groove in the protective film, the silicon layer, and the first insulating film, starting from a top surface of the protective film and without reaching the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate;
(d) forming a seed layer over the protective film and inner a bottom and side surfaces of the groove;
(e) removing the seed layer formed over the protective film so as to leave the seed layer formed over the bottom and side surfaces of the groove;
(f) forming a germanium layer in the groove by epitaxial growth; and
(g) forming a second insulating film over the germanium layer and the protective film.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 10,
wherein the groove has a depth of at least 1 μm from the top surface of the protective film.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 10,
wherein the seed layer is an amorphous silicon film or a polysilicon film that is formed by LPCVD or plasma CVD.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:
(h) ion-implanting an impurity of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type over the germanium layer between the steps (f) and (g).

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:
(i) heating the germanium layer at 800° C. or higher after the step (f).

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising, after the step (g), the steps of:
(j) forming a first coupling hole in the second insulating film and the protective film so as to reach the silicon layer, and forming a second coupling hole in the second insulating film so as to reach the germanium layer; and
(k) forming a first wire electrically coupled to the silicon layer through the first coupling hole and a second wire electrically coupled to the germanium layer through the second coupling hole.