# US 10,483,299 B2 · Light-receiving element, method of manufacturing light-receiving element, imaging device, and electronic apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,483,299 B2
- Document ID: US10483299B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/778,940
- Filed: 2016-09-14
- Published: 2018-12-06
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-11
- Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
- Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
- Inventors: Shinichi Yoshida; Shunsuke Maruyama; Ryosuke Matsumoto; Shuji Manda; Tomomasa Watanabe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483299B2

## CPC

- H10F 39/103: {the at least one element covered by H10F30/00 having potential barriers, e.g. integrated devices comprising photodiodes or phototransistors}
- H04N 23/20: for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
- H04N 25/70: SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
- H10F 30/22: the devices having only one potential barrier, e.g. photodiodes
- H10F 30/2215: {the devices comprising active layers made of only Group III-V materials}
- H10F 39/10: Integrated devices
- H10F 39/12: Image sensors
- H10F 39/184: {Infrared image sensors}
- H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes}
- H10F 77/20: Electrodes
- H10F 77/206: {for devices having potential barriers}
- H10F 77/306: {for devices having potential barriers}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

This light-receiving element includes: a substrate; a photoelectric conversion layer that is provided on the substrate and includes a first compound semiconductor, and absorbs a wavelength in an infrared region to generate electric charges; a semiconductor layer that is provided on the photoelectric conversion layer and includes a second compound semiconductor, and has an opening in a selective region; and an electrode that buries the opening of the semiconductor layer and is electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light-receiving element, comprising:
a substrate;
a photoelectric conversion layer on the substrate, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first compound semiconductor, and
the photoelectric conversion layer absorbs a wavelength in an infrared region to generate electric charges;
a semiconductor layer on the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein
the semiconductor layer includes a second compound semiconductor,
the semiconductor layer has an opening in a first selective region of the semiconductor layer, and
a side face of the opening of the semiconductor layer includes an inclined face; and
a first electrode that buries the opening of the semiconductor layer, wherein the first electrode is electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light-receiving element according to claim 1, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first conductivity-type layer in a second selective region of the photoelectric conversion layer,
the second selective region is on a side of the photoelectric conversion layer on which the semiconductor layer is located, and
the semiconductor layer further includes:
a first conductivity-type region that faces the first conductivity-type layer, wherein the opening is in the first conductivity-type region; and
a second conductivity-type region around the first conductivity-type region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The light-receiving element according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein
the first conductivity-type layer and the first conductivity-type region are for each of the plurality of pixels, and
adjacent pixels of the plurality of pixels are electrically separated by a boundary between the first conductivity-type region and the second conductivity-type region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The light-receiving element according to claim 2, wherein a type of impurity in the first conductivity-type layer is same as a type of impurity in the first conductivity-type region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The light-receiving element according to claim 1, further comprising a protective layer that includes an insulating material on the semiconductor layer, wherein a bandgap of the second compound semiconductor is larger than a bandgap of the first compound semiconductor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The light-receiving element according to claim 5, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first conductivity-type layer in a second selective region of the photoelectric conversion layer,
the second selective region is on a side of the photoelectric conversion layer on which the semiconductor layer is located,
the semiconductor layer further includes:
a first conductivity-type region that faces the first conductivity-type layer, wherein the opening is in the first conductivity-type region; and
a second conductivity-type region around the first conductivity-type region, and
a boundary between the first conductivity-type region and the second conductivity-type region is in contact with the protective layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The light-receiving element according to claim 1, further comprises an insulating film that covers an inner face of the opening of the semiconductor layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The light-receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the first compound semiconductor includes InxGa(1-x)As(x:0<x≤1).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The light-receiving element according to claim 8, wherein the second compound semiconductor includes one of InP or InAIAs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The light-receiving element according to claim 1, further comprising a second electrode electrically coupled to the substrate.

### Claim 11

A method of manufacturing a light-receiving element, the method comprising:
forming, on a substrate,
a photoelectric conversion layer that includes a first compound semiconductor, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer absorbs a wavelength in an infrared region to generate electric charges, and
a semiconductor layer that includes a second compound semiconductor, wherein
the semiconductor layer has an opening in a first selective region of the semiconductor layer, and
a side face of the opening of the semiconductor layer includes an inclined face; and
forming, on the substrate, an electrode that buries the opening of the semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of manufacturing the light-receiving element according to claim 11, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first conductivity-type layer in a second selective region of the photoelectric conversion layer,
the second selective region is on a side of the photoelectric conversion layer on which the semiconductor layer is located,
the semiconductor layer further includes:
a first conductivity-type region that faces the first conductivity-type layer, wherein the opening is in the first conductivity-type region; and
a second conductivity-type region around the first conductivity-type region.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of manufacturing the light-receiving element according to claim 11, wherein
a protective layer is on the semiconductor layer,
the protective layer includes an insulating material, and
a bandgap of the second compound semiconductor is larger than a bandgap of the first compound semiconductor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of manufacturing the light-receiving element according to claim 13, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first conductivity-type layer in a second selective region of the photoelectric conversion layer,
the second selective region is on a side of the photoelectric conversion layer on which the semiconductor layer is located,
the semiconductor layer further includes:
a first conductivity-type region that faces the first conductivity-type layer, wherein the opening is in the first conductivity-type region; and
a second conductivity-type region around the first conductivity-type region, and
a boundary between the first conductivity-type region and the second conductivity-type region is in contact with the protective layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of manufacturing the light-receiving element according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprising:
forming the first compound semiconductor and the second compound semiconductor in order on the substrate, followed by forming the protective layer thereon, and
forming, with the protective layer as a mask, the first conductivity-type layer and the first conductivity-type region by diffusing an impurity in selective regions of the first compound semiconductor and the second compound semiconductor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of manufacturing the light-receiving element according to claim 15, comprising:
forming the opening by etching the semiconductor layer with the protective layer as a mask.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of manufacturing the light-receiving element according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprising forming an insulating film that covers an inner face of the opening of the semiconductor layer.

### Claim 18

An imaging device, comprising:
a plurality of pixels;
a substrate;
a photoelectric conversion layer on the substrate, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first compound semiconductor, and
the photoelectric conversion layer absorbs a wavelength in an infrared region to generate electric charges;
a semiconductor layer on the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein
the semiconductor layer includes a second compound semiconductor, and
the semiconductor layer has a respective opening for each of the plurality of pixels; and
a plurality of electrodes, wherein
each of the plurality of electrodes buries the respective opening of the semiconductor layer, and
each of the plurality of electrodes is electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion layer.

### Claim 19

An electronic apparatus, comprising:
an imaging device, wherein the imaging device comprises:
a plurality of pixels;
a substrate;
a photoelectric conversion layer on the substrate, wherein
the photoelectric conversion layer includes a first compound semiconductor, and
the photoelectric conversion layer absorbs a wavelength in an infrared region to generate electric charges;
a semiconductor layer on the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein
the semiconductor layer includes a second compound semiconductor, and
the semiconductor layer has a respective opening for each of the plurality of pixels; and
a plurality of electrodes, wherein
each of the plurality of electrodes buries the respective opening of the semiconductor layer, and
each of the plurality of electrodes electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion layer.