# US 11,114,490 B2 · Light receiving element, ranging module, 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 11,114,490 B2 - Document ID: US11114490B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/504,961 - Filed: 2019-07-08 - Published: 2020-01-23 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-18 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: Yoshiki Ebiko; Koji Neya; Takuya Sano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114490B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/486: Receivers - G01S 7/4914: of detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates - G01S 17/10: using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) - G01S 17/36: with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications - G01S 17/894: Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - H10F 39/018: {of hybrid image sensors} - H10F 39/024: {of coatings or optical elements} - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 39/184: {Infrared image sensors} - H10F 39/1865: {Overflow drain structures} - H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes} - H10F 39/8057: {Optical shielding} - H10F 39/8067: {Reflectors} - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - H10F 39/809: {of hybrid image sensors} - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - 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 ## Abstract Disclosed is a light receiving element including an on-chip lens, a wiring layer, and a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer. The semiconductor layer includes a photodiode, a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge generated in the photodiode to a first charge storage portion, a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge generated in the photodiode to a second charge storage portion, and an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels from each other, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in the depth direction. The wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member. The light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light receiving element comprising: an on-chip lens; a wiring layer; and a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes: a photodiode; a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a first charge storage portion; a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a second charge storage portion; and an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layer from semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in a depth direction, wherein the wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member, and wherein the light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the interpixel separation portion penetrates the semiconductor layer in the depth direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer further includes: a first additional capacitor; a first switch transistor that connects the first additional capacitor to the first charge storage portion; a second additional capacitor; and a second switch transistor that connects the second additional capacitor to the second charge storage portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light receiving element according to claim 3, wherein the first additional capacitor and the second additional capacitor include a wiring capacitor of the wiring layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The light receiving element according to claim 4, wherein the wiring layer includes a layer in which the light blocking member is formed, and a layer in which the wiring capacitor is formed, and the wiring capacitor is formed in a layer farther from the semiconductor layer than the light blocking member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the light blocking member includes two layers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light receiving element according to claim 1, further comprising: an interpixel light blocking film at a pixel boundary portion of the semiconductor layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein a region of the semiconductor layer located above the photodiode is a moth-eye structure in which minute concavities and convexities are formed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The light receiving element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer is formed with a second semiconductor layer and the wiring layer that are bonded to each other, the second semiconductor layer being another semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer includes at least an amplification transistor and a selection transistor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The light receiving element of claim 1, wherein the first and second transfer transistors are disposed directly under the on-chip lens. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The light receiving element of claim 1, wherein the first and second charge storage portions are disposed directly under the on-chip lens. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The light receiving element of claim 1, wherein the photodiode is disposed between the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor in a cross-sectional view. ### Claim 13 A ranging module comprising: a light receiving member; a light source that emits irradiation light having periodically varying brightness; and a light emission controller that controls timing to emit the irradiation light, wherein the light receiving member includes: an on-chip lens; a wiring layer; and a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes: a photodiode; a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a first charge storage portion; a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a second charge storage portion; and an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layer from semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in a depth direction, wherein the wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member, and wherein the light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ranging module of claim 13, wherein the first and second charge storage portions are disposed directly under the on-chip lens. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The ranging module of claim 13, wherein the photodiode is disposed between the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor in a cross-sectional view. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The ranging module of claim 13, wherein the first and second transfer transistors are disposed directly under the on-chip lens. ### Claim 17 An electronic apparatus comprising: a ranging module including: a light receiving member; a light source that emits irradiation light having periodically varying brightness; and a light emission controller that controls timing to emit the irradiation light, wherein the light receiving member includes: an on-chip lens; a wiring layer; and a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes: a photodiode; a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a first charge storage portion; a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a second charge storage portion; and an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels from each other, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in the depth direction, wherein the wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member, and wherein the light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electronic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the photodiode is disposed between the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor in a cross-sectional view. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The electronic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second transfer transistors are disposed directly under the on-chip lens. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The electronic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second charge storage portions are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.