# US 9,040,912 B2 · Infrared sensing element and infrared imaging device

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- Number: US 9,040,912 B2
- Document ID: US9040912B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/095,441
- Filed: 2011-04-27
- Published: 2011-11-03
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-04-28
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Applicants: Hidetoshi Kabasawa; Minoru Wakabayashi
- Inventors: Hidetoshi Kabasawa; Minoru Wakabayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040912B2

## CPC

- H10N 15/15: {Thermoelectric active materials}
- G01J 5/0235: {Spacers, e.g. for avoidance of stiction}
- G01J 5/024: {Special manufacturing steps or sacrificial layers or layer structures}
- G01J 5/046: {Materials; Selection of thermal materials}
- G01J 5/34: using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- 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

An infrared sensing element is provided and includes a substrate, a supporting electrical insulating layer formed on the substrate; a first electrode formed on the supporting electrical insulating layer, a pyroelectric layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the pyroelectric layer. The pyroelectric layer has a light receiving area of 1×102 to 1×104 μm2, has a thickness of 0.8 to 10 μm, and contains therein a compound expressed as Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3, where 0.57<x<0.93 as a principal component.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An infrared sensing element comprising:
a substrate;
a supporting electrical insulating layer formed on the substrate;
a first electrode formed on the supporting electrical insulating layer;
a pyroelectric layer formed on the first electrode;
an insulating layer formed on a side surface of the first electrode and the pyroelectric layer; and
a second electrode directly formed on the pyroelectric layer and the insulating layer, one end of the second electrode extending on a side surface of the insulating layer to be connected to a terminal deriving portion formed between the substrate and the supporting electrical insulating layer,
wherein the pyroelectric layer has a light receiving area of 1×102 to 1×104 μm2, has a thickness of 0.8 to 10 μm, and contains therein a compound expressed as Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3, where 0.57<x<0.93 as a principal component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer whose thermal conductivity is lower than that of a material of the first electrode is provided between the supporting electrical insulating layer and the first electrode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate layer is made of MgO formed by utilizing either a chemical vapor deposition method or a sputtering method.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the intermediate layer is larger than that of the first electrode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 1, wherein the supporting electrical insulating layer is provided commonly to a plurality of infrared sensing elements.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 1, wherein a space portion is formed in a part of the supporting insulating electrical layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 6, wherein the space portion is formed right below a central portion of the pyroelectric layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes at least a Pt layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 8, wherein the first electrode is composed of a base material made of either Ti or TiO2, and a Pt layer formed on the base layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the base layer is in a range of 10 to 200 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 1, further comprising an infrared absorbing film on an upper portion of the second electrode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The infrared sensing element according to claim 11, wherein the infrared absorbing film is made of an organic material whose surface emissivity is equal to or larger than 60%.

### Claim 13

An infrared imaging device comprising:
plural pyroelectric type infrared sensing elements;
a light condensing portion configured to condense an infrared ray to the plural pyroelectric type infrared sensing elements;
an electric charge controlling portion configured to control output of electric charges obtained in the plural pyroelectric type infrared sensing elements by radiation of the infrared ray; and
a signal processing circuit for converting outputs from the plural pyroelectric type infrared sensing elements into signals, thereby obtaining an infrared image,
each of the plural pyroelectric type infrared sensing elements, including
a substrate,
a supporting electrical insulating layer formed on the substrate,
a first electrode formed on the supporting electrical insulating layer, a pyroelectric layer formed on the first electrode,
an insulating layer formed on a side surface of the first electrode and the pyroelectric layer; and
a second electrode directly formed on the pyroelectric layer and the insulating layer, one end of the second electrode extending on a side surface of the insulating layer to be connected to a terminal deriving portion formed between the substrate and the supporting electrical insulating layer,
wherein the pyroelectric layer has a light receiving area of 1×102 to 1×104 μm2, has a thickness of 0.8 to 10 μm, and contains therein a compound expressed as Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3, where 0.57<x<0.93 as a principal component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The infrared imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising
a temperature controlling portion configured to control a temperature of each of the plural pyroelectric type infrared sensing elements.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The infrared imaging device according to claim 14, wherein the temperature is controlled so as to be close to a temperature of a phase transition between a low-temperature phase and a high-temperature phase of a ferroelectric rhombohedral phase in a material of the pyroelectric layer.