# US 10,483,306 B2 · Photoelectric conversion element and photoelectric conversion device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,306 B2 - Document ID: US10483306B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/086,478 - Filed: 2017-02-06 - Published: 2019-03-07 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Shinya Yamakawa; Jun Komachi; Koji Nagahiro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483306B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - G01S 17/08: for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 25/131: including elements passing infrared wavelengths - H04N 25/133: including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light - H04N 25/134: {based on three different wavelength filter elements} - H04N 25/70: SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H10F 30/20: the devices having potential barriers, e.g. phototransistors - H10F 30/22: the devices having only one potential barrier, e.g. photodiodes - H10F 30/221: the potential barrier being a PN homojunction - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/184: {Infrared image sensors} - H10F 39/8033: {Photosensitive area} - H10F 55/00: Radiation-sensitive semiconductor devices covered by groups H10F10/00, H10F19/00 or H10F30/00 being structurally associated with electric light sources and electrically or optically coupled thereto - H10F 77/127: {comprising only Group IV-VI or only Group II-IV-VI chalcogenide materials, e.g. PbSnTe} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A photoelectric conversion element according to one embodiment of the disclosure includes a photoelectric conversion region inside a semiconductor layer. The photoelectric conversion region includes a region in which a depletion region is to be formed by voltage application to the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer has a first main surface and a second main surface. The depletion region converts light into a photoelectron, in which the light enters from side on which the first main surface is disposed. The photoelectric conversion element further includes an isoelectronic trap region in the region in which the depletion region is to be formed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photoelectric conversion element, comprising: a photoelectric conversion region inside a semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion region including a region in which a depletion region is to be formed by voltage application to the semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer having a first main surface and a second main surface, the depletion region converting light into a photoelectron, and the light entering from a side on which the first main surface is disposed; an isoelectronic trap region in the region in which the depletion region is to be formed; a pair of first impurity regions formed in the first main surface with a predetermined spacing, the pair of the first impurity regions having an identical electrical-conductivity type to an electrical-conductivity type of the semiconductor layer and having a relatively high impurity concentration; and a pair of second impurity regions formed in the first main surface, with the pair of the first impurity regions interposed between the pair of the second impurity regions, the pair of the second impurity regions having a different electrical-conductivity type from the electrical-conductivity type of the semiconductor layer, wherein the isoelectronic trap region is formed at least in the spacing between the pair of the first impurity regions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer includes silicon, germanium, or a mixed crystal thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 2, wherein the isoelectronic trap region includes aluminum and nitrogen as impurities. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion region comprises a photodiode in which a P-N structure or a P-I-N structure is formed in a stacking direction in the semiconductor layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 4, wherein the photodiode includes a cathode region on the first main surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, further comprising an element isolation region provided on the first main surface and above the isoelectronic trap region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 6, wherein the element isolation region includes silicon oxide. ### Claim 8 A photoelectric conversion device, comprising: one or more photoelectric conversion elements; and a driver section that drives the one or more photoelectric conversion elements, wherein the one or more photoelectric conversion elements each including: a photoelectric conversion region inside a semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion region including a region in which a depletion region is to be formed by voltage application to the semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer having a first main surface and a second main surface, the depletion region converting light into a photoelectron, and the light entering from a side on which the first main surface is disposed, an isoelectronic trap region in the region in which the depletion region is to be formed; a pair of first impurity regions formed in the first main surface with a predetermined spacing, the pair of the first impurity regions having an identical electrical-conductivity type to an electrical-conductivity type of the semiconductor layer and having a relatively high impurity concentration; and a pair of second impurity regions formed in the first main surface, with the pair of the first impurity regions interposed between the pair of the second impurity regions, the pair of the second impurity regions having a different electrical-conductivity type from the electrical-conductivity type of the semiconductor layer, wherein the isoelectronic trap region being formed at least in the spacing between the pair of the first impurity regions, and wherein the driver section applying pulsed voltages having reverse phases to each other to the pair of the first impurity regions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 8, wherein the one or more photoelectric conversion elements include a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and wherein the plurality of the photoelectric conversion elements share the semiconductor layer with one another and are two-dimensionally disposed in the first main surface of the semiconductor layer shared by the plurality of the photoelectric conversion elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, further comprising: a color filter array of a plurality of colors, the color filter array including at least red color filters, wherein the isoelectronic trap region is formed at least at a position facing a corresponding one of the red color filters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein the color filter array includes at least blue color filters in addition to the red color filters, and wherein the isoelectronic trap region is formed to avoid at least positions facing the respective blue color filters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the isoelectronic trap region is formed at each of positions of an entrance of, at least, white light, infrared light, or near infrared light. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 8, further comprising: a light source that sends out infrared light or near infrared light; and a distance derivation section that derives a distance to a test object on a basis of a voltage obtained from the one or more photoelectric conversion elements and on a basis of a drive voltage that drives the light source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 8, further comprising element isolation regions provided on the first main surface and above the isoelectronic trap region, the element isolation regions electrically isolating adjacent photoelectric conversion elements from each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 14, wherein the element isolation regions include silicon oxide.