Single photon detector and associated methods for making the same
AssigneesSTMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, The University Court of the University of Edinburgh, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
InventorsJustin Richardson, Lindsay Grant, Marek Gersbach, Edoardo Charbon, Christiano Niclass, Robert Henderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a photon avalanche detector in the semiconductor substrate. The photon avalanche detector includes an anode of a first conductivity type and a cathode of a second conductivity type. A guard ring is in the semiconductor substrate and at least partially surrounds the photon avalanche detector. A passivation layer of the first conductivity type is in contact with the guard ring to reduce an electric field at an edge of the photon avalanche detector.
Claims23
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a photon avalanche detector in said semiconductor substrate, and comprising an anode of a first conductivity type and a cathode of a second conductivity type;
- a guard ring in said semiconductor substrate and at least partially surrounding said photon avalanche detector;
- and
- a passivation layer of the first conductivity type in contact with said guard ring to reduce a dark count rate (DCR) by said photon avalanche detector.
An imaging device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- at least one photon avalanche detector in said semiconductor substrate, and comprising an anode of a first conductivity type and a cathode of a second conductivity type, said at least one photon avalanche detector being circular shaped;
- at least one guard ring in said semiconductor substrate and at least partially surrounding said at least one photon avalanche detector, said at least one guard ring being circular shaped;
- and
- at least one passivation layer of the first conductivity type in contact with said at least one guard ring.
A method for reducing a dark count rate (DCR) by a photon avalanche detector in a semiconductor substrate, the photon avalanche detector comprising an anode of a first conductivity type and a cathode of a second conductivity type, the method comprising:
- forming a guard ring in the semiconductor substrate that at least partially surrounds the photon avalanche detector;
- and
- forming a passivation layer of the first conductivity type in contact with the guard ring to reduce the dark count rate by the photon avalanche detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.