Semiconductor device for detecting ultraviolet and infrared radiation and related manufacturing process
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsMassimo Cataldo Mazzillo, Antonella Sciuto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor device for flame detection, including: a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type conductivity, delimited by a front surface and forming a cathode region; an anode region having a second conductivity type conductivity, which extends within the semiconductor body, starting from the front surface, and forms, together with the cathode region, the junction of a photodiode that detect ultraviolet radiation emitted by the flames; a supporting dielectric region; and a sensitive region, which is arranged on the supporting dielectric region and varies its own resistance as a function of the infrared radiation emitted by the flames.
Claims25
A semiconductor device for flame detection, comprising:
- a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type and a front surface and including a cathode region;
- an anode region having a second conductivity type, which extends within said semiconductor body, starting from the front surface, and forms, together with the cathode region, a junction of a photodiode configured to detect ultraviolet radiation emitted by flames;
- a supporting dielectric region on the semiconductor body;
- and
- a sensitive region arranged on the supporting dielectric region and having a resistance that is configured to vary as a function of infrared radiation emitted by the flames.
An electronic device comprising:
- a semiconductor device for flame detection, the semiconductor device including:
- a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type and a front surface and including a cathode region;
- an anode region having a second conductivity type, which extends within said semiconductor body, starting from the front surface, and forms, together with the cathode region, a junction of a photodiode configured to detect ultraviolet radiation emitted by flames;
- a supporting dielectric region on the semiconductor body;
- and
- a sensitive region arranged on the supporting dielectric region and having a resistance that is configured to vary as a function of infrared radiation emitted by the flames;
- and
- a package containing the semiconductor device.
A flame-detection system, comprising:
- a semiconductor device that includes:
- a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type and a front surface and including a cathode region;
- an anode region having a second conductivity type, which extends within said semiconductor body, starting from the front surface, and forms, together with the cathode region, a junction of a photodiode configured to detect ultraviolet radiation emitted by flames;
- a supporting dielectric region on the semiconductor body;
- and
- a sensitive region arranged on the supporting dielectric region and having a resistance that is configured to vary as a function of infrared radiation emitted by the flames, wherein said photodiode is configured to generate avalanche currents in response to absorption of ultraviolet photons;
- a first electronic circuit electrically coupled to the semiconductor device and configured to generate a first electrical signal indicating that the avalanche currents generated by the photodiode have exceeded a current threshold;
- a second electronic circuit electrically coupled to the semiconductor device and configured to generate a second electrical signal indicating the resistance of the sensitive region;
- and
- a processing unit configured to determine quantities indicating detection of said ultraviolet radiation and of said infrared radiation as a function of the first and second electrical signals, respectively.
-25. (canceled)
A semiconductor device for flame detection, comprising:
- a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type and a front surface and including a cathode region;
- an anode region having a second conductivity type, which extends within said semiconductor body, starting from the front surface, and forms, together with the cathode region, a junction of a photodiode configured to detect ultraviolet radiation emitted by flames;
- a bridge dielectric structure that includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer, the first dielectric layer directly overlying and contacting the anode region, the second dielectric layer having a first portion directly overlying the first dielectric region and a second portion directly overlying a cavity arranged on the semiconductor body laterally of the first dielectric region;
- and
- a sensitive region arranged on the second portion of the second dielectric region, directly over the cavity, and having a resistance that is configured to vary as a function of infrared radiation emitted by the flames.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.