# US 2023/0276641 A1 · Photoelectric conversion element and imaging device

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- Number: US 2023/0276641 A1
- Document ID: US20230276641A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/006,569
- Filed: 2021-07-16
- Published: 2023-08-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-31
- Assignees: Sony Group Corporation
- Applicants: Sony Group Corporation
- Inventors: AYUMI KAI; YOSUKE SAITO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230276641A1

## CPC

- H10F 39/192: {Colour image sensors}
- H10F 39/1825: {Multicolour image sensors having stacked structure, e.g. NPN, NPNPN or multiple quantum well [MQW] structures}
- H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes}
- H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor}
- H10K 30/00: Organic devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10K39/00, H10K65/00; electrolytic light-sensitive devices H01G9/20)
- H10K 30/85: Layers having high electron mobility, e.g. electron-transporting layers or hole-blocking layers
- H10K 30/86: Layers having high hole mobility, e.g. hole-transporting layers or electron-blocking layers
- H10K 39/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic radiation-sensitive element covered by group H10K30/00
- H10K 39/32: Organic image sensors
- H10K 39/38: Interconnections, e.g. terminals
- H10K 85/211: {Fullerenes, e.g. C60}
- H04N 25/134: {based on three different wavelength filter elements}
- H10K 2101/30: Highest occupied molecular orbital [HOMO], lowest unoccupied molecular orbital [LUMO] or Fermi energy values
- H10K 2101/40: Interrelation of parameters between multiple constituent active layers or sublayers, e.g. HOMO values in adjacent layers
- Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A photoelectric conversion element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first electrode; a second electrode disposed to be opposed to the first electrode; and an organic photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and including a first organic semiconductor material, a second organic semiconductor material, and a third organic semiconductor material. The second organic semiconductor material has a Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) level being deeper than a Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) level of the first organic semiconductor material and having a difference of 1.0 eV or more and 2.0 eV or less from the LUMO level of the first organic semiconductor material. The third organic semiconductor material has a crystalline property and has a linear absorption coefficient of 10000 cm−1 or less in a visible light region and an optical absorption edge wavelength of 550 nm or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photoelectric conversion element comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode disposed to be opposed to the first electrode; and
an organic photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and including a first organic semiconductor material, a second organic semiconductor material, and a third organic semiconductor material, the second organic semiconductor material having a Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) level which is deeper than a Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) level of the first organic semiconductor material and has a difference of 1.0 eV or more and 2.0 eV or less from the LUMO level of the first organic semiconductor material, the third organic semiconductor material having a crystalline property and having a linear absorption coefficient of 10000 cm−1 or less in a visible light region and an optical absorption edge wavelength of 550 nm or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the first organic semiconductor material, the second organic semiconductor material, and the third organic semiconductor material each comprise a low-molecular compound having a molecular weight of 2000 or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein
the first organic semiconductor material comprises an electron-transporting material,
the second organic semiconductor material comprises a dye material, and
the third organic semiconductor material comprises a hole-transporting material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the first organic semiconductor material comprises fullerene or a derivative thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the second organic semiconductor material comprises a donor-acceptor dye material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the second organic semiconductor material has local maximum absorption at a wavelength band of 380 nm or more and 750 nm or less.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes multiple electrodes independent of each other.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 7, wherein the first electrode includes, as the multiple electrodes, a charge readout electrode and a charge accumulation electrode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The photoelectric conversion element according to claim 7, wherein a voltage is individually applied to each of the multiple electrodes.

### Claim 10

An imaging device comprising multiple pixels each provided with one or multiple photoelectric conversion elements,
the photoelectric conversion element including
a first electrode,
a second electrode disposed to be opposed to the first electrode, and
an organic photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and including a first organic semiconductor material, a second organic semiconductor material, and a third organic semiconductor material, the second organic semiconductor material having a Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) level which is deeper than a Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) level of the first organic semiconductor material and has a difference of 1.0 eV or more and 2.0 eV or less from the LUMO level of the first organic semiconductor material, the third organic semiconductor material having a crystalline property and having a linear absorption coefficient of 10000 cm−1 or less in a visible light region and an optical absorption edge wavelength of 550 nm or less.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The imaging device according to claim 10, wherein, in each of the pixels, one or multiple organic photoelectric conversion sections and one or multiple inorganic photoelectric conversion sections are stacked, the one or the multiple inorganic photoelectric conversion sections performing photoelectric conversion of a wavelength region different from the organic photoelectric conversion section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The imaging device according to claim 11, wherein
the inorganic photoelectric conversion section is formed to be embedded in a semiconductor substrate, and
the organic photoelectric conversion section is formed on a side of a first surface of the semiconductor substrate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The imaging device according to claim 12, wherein
the semiconductor substrate has a second surface opposed to the first surface, and
a multilayer wiring layer is formed on a side of the second surface.