# US 12,009,442 B2 · Light detector, light detection system, lidar device, and moving body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,442 B2 - Document ID: US12009442B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/446,591 - Filed: 2021-08-31 - Published: 2022-07-14 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-14 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Honam Kwon; Mariko Shimizu; Kazuaki Okamoto; Kazuhiro Suzuki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009442B2 ## CPC - H10F 77/413: {directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42)} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/4863: 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) - H10F 30/225: the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - H10F 77/147: {Shapes of bodies} - H10F 77/959: {for devices working in avalanche mode} - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - 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 According to one embodiment, a light detector includes a junction region, a first insulating portion, and a quenching part. The junction region includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type. The second semiconductor region is provided on the first semiconductor region and forms a p-n junction surface with the first semiconductor region. The first insulating portion has an inclined surface inclined with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the p-n junction surface and includes void. The inclined surface is provided at a same height as at least a portion of the junction region and crosses the second direction from the junction region toward the first insulating portion. The quenching part is electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light detector comprising: a junction region including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, the second semiconductor region being provided on the first semiconductor region and forming a p-n junction surface with the first semiconductor region; a first insulating portion having an inclined surface inclined with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the p-n junction surface, a first insulating portion including void, the inclined surface facing the junction region in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a quenching part electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein a length in the second direction of a portion of the first insulating portion is shorter than a length in the second direction of another portion of the first insulating portion located above the portion of the first insulating portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, further comprising: a second insulating portion provided on the first insulating portion and including an insulating material, a first opening communicating with the void being provided in the second insulating portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light detector according to claim 3, wherein when viewed from the first direction, a position of the first opening is different from a position of the quenching part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating portion includes an insulating region provided between the inclined surface and the void, and the insulating region includes a resin, oxide, or nitride. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, further comprising: an insulating layer provided on the junction region and the first insulating portion; a lens provided on the insulating layer and including a resin; and an insulator surrounded by the insulating layer along a first plane perpendicular to the first direction and including the resin. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The light detector according to claim 6, wherein the first insulating portion includes an insulating region provided between the inclined surface and the void, and the insulating region includes the resin and is connected with the insulator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein an angle of the inclined surface with respect to the first direction is larger than 45 degrees and smaller than 74 degrees. ### Claim 9 A light detector comprising: a junction region including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, the second semiconductor region being provided on the first semiconductor region; a first insulating portion having an inclined surface inclined with respect to a first direction from the first semiconductor region toward the second semiconductor region, a refractive index of the first insulating portion being larger than 1.5 and smaller than 2.0, an angle of the inclined surface with respect to the first direction being larger than 45 degrees and smaller than 74 degrees, the inclined surface being provided at a same height as at least a portion of the junction region and crossing the second direction from the junction region toward the first insulating portion; and a quenching part electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first insulating portions are provided around the junction region on a first surface perpendicular to the first direction, and the first insulating portions are separated from each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The light detector according to claim 10, further comprising: a third insulating portion provided between the junction region and the first insulating portions and including an insulating material, a length of the third insulating portion in the first direction being longer than a length of the first insulating portion in the first direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The light detector according to claim 10, further comprising: a third insulating portion provided around the first insulating portions on the first surface and including an insulating material, a length of the third insulating portion in the first direction is longer than a length of the first insulating portion in the first direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of junction regions are provided in the second direction, the plurality of first insulating portions are provided in the second direction, and the junction regions and the first insulating portions are alternately provided in the second direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the inclined surface is provided at a same height as an interface between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein the junction region and the first insulating portion are provided on the semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer includes silicon, and a (100) plane of the silicon is perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The light detector according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region consist an avalanche photodiode operating in a Geiger mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A light detection system, comprising: the light detector according to claim 1; and a distance measuring circuit calculating a time-of-flight of light from an output signal of the light detector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A lidar device, comprising: a light source irradiating light onto an object; and the light detection system according to claim 17 detecting light reflected by the object. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The lidar device according to claim 18, further comprising: an image recognition system generating a three-dimensional image based on an arrangement relationship of the light source and the light detector. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) A moving body, comprising: the lidar device according to claim 18.