# US 12,119,421 B2 · Photodetector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,421 B2 - Document ID: US12119421B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/784,276 - Filed: 2020-12-18 - Published: 2023-02-09 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-25 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: Katsuhisa Tanaka; Yusuke Otake - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119421B2 ## CPC - H10F 30/225: the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes - H10F 77/413: {directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42)} - G01J 1/02: Details - G01J 1/42: using electric radiation detectors (optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10) - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H10F 77/206: {for devices having potential barriers} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract A photodetector including: an amplification region that includes a PN junction provided in a depth direction in a semiconductor layer and that is to be electrically coupled to a cathode; a separation region that defines a pixel region including the amplification region; a hole accumulation region that is provided along a side surface of the separation region and that is to be electrically coupled to an anode; and a gate electrode provided in a region between the amplification region and the hole accumulation region and stacked over the semiconductor layer with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photodetector, comprising: an amplification region that includes a PN junction provided in a depth direction in a semiconductor layer and that is to be electrically coupled to a cathode; a separation region that defines a pixel region including the amplification region; a hole accumulation region that is provided along a side surface of the separation region and that is to be electrically coupled to an anode; and a gate electrode provided in a region between the amplification region and the hole accumulation region and stacked over the semiconductor layer with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photodetector according to claim 1, wherein the amplification region and the pixel region each have a rectangular shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photodetector according to claim 1, wherein the gate electrode is provided in a region surrounding the amplification region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The photodetector according to claim 3, wherein the gate electrode is provided continuously in the region between the amplification region and the hole accumulation region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The photodetector according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the gate electrodes is provided in a respective plurality of regions spaced from each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The photodetector according to claim 5, wherein the gate electrodes are provided in the respective regions that are each between corresponding one of side parts of the rectangular shape of the amplification region and the hole accumulation region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The photodetector according to claim 5, wherein the gate electrodes are provided in the respective regions that are each between corresponding one of vertex parts of the rectangular shape of the amplification region and the hole accumulation region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The photodetector according to claim 5, wherein the gate electrodes are each provided across the separation region to be continuous with another one of the gate electrodes provided in adjacent one of a plurality of the pixel regions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The photodetector according to claim 8, wherein the gate insulating film provided in the separation region has a film thickness greater than a film thickness of the gate insulating film provided in the pixel region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The photodetector according to claim 1, wherein the gate electrode is provided to allow a negative bias voltage to be applied thereto. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The photodetector according to claim 10, wherein the gate electrode is provided to be embedded inside the semiconductor layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The photodetector according to claim 1, wherein an electrical conductivity type of the hole accumulation region is a P type. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The photodetector according to claim 1, wherein a contact that electrically couples to the amplification region and the cathode is provided at an end of the amplification region, and a P-type region is provided on a front surface of the semiconductor layer in a middle part of the amplification region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The photodetector according to claim 1, wherein the PN junction is provided by joining an N++-type region onto a P++-type region provided inside the semiconductor layer.