# US 9,437,644 B2 · Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,644 B2 - Document ID: US9437644B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/528,724 - Filed: 2014-10-30 - Published: 2015-05-14 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-08 - Assignees: Renesas Electronics Corporation - Applicants: Renesas Electronics Corporation - Inventors: Katsumi Eikyu; Atsushi Sakai; Hiroyuki Arie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437644B2 ## CPC - H10F 39/182: {Colour image sensors} - H10F 30/221: the potential barrier being a PN homojunction - H10F 39/014: {of CMOS image sensors} - H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements} - H10F 39/807: {Pixel isolation structures} - H10F 71/121: {The active layers comprising only Group IV materials} - H10F 77/122: comprising only Group IV materials - Y02E 10/547: Monocrystalline silicon PV cells - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract To provide a semiconductor device having a photoelectric conversion element having a high sensitivity, causing less blooming, and capable of providing a highly reliable image. The semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, a first p type epitaxial layer, a second p type epitaxial layer, and a first photoelectric conversion element. The first p type epitaxial layer is formed over the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. The second p type epitaxial layer is formed so as to cover the upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer. The first photoelectric conversion element is formed in the second p type epitaxial layer. The first and second p type epitaxial layers are each made of silicon and the first p type epitaxial layer has a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a main surface; a first p type epitaxial layer formed over the main surface; a second p type epitaxial layer formed to cover an upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer; a first photoelectric conversion element formed in the second p type epitaxial layer; and a first p type impurity region formed in the second p type epitaxial layer, wherein the first and second p type epitaxial layers are each made of silicon, wherein the first p type epitaxial layer has a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer, and wherein the first p type impurity region has a p type impurity concentration different than that in the second p type epitaxial layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second photoelectric conversion element for receiving a light having an average wavelength shorter than that of a light which the first photoelectric conversion element can receive, wherein the second photoelectric conversion element and the first photoelectric conversion element are arranged in a direction along the main surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the first p type impurity region covers the upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer below the second photoelectric conversion element and has a p type impurity concentration higher than that in the second p type epitaxial layer; and a second p type impurity region formed in the second p type epitaxial layer at a boundary portion between the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element and having a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer, wherein the first p type impurity region and the second p type impurity region are contiguous to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the second p type epitaxial layer has a trench, at the boundary portion between the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element, penetrating through the second p type epitaxial layer and reaching the first p type epitaxial layer, and wherein the second p type impurity region is a p type semiconductor layer formed in the trench. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The semiconductor device according to claim 4, further comprising: an insulating film formed over the p type semiconductor layer in the trench. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the second p type epitaxial layer is arranged so as to cover the upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer below both the first and second photoelectric conversion elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate is a p type substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the semiconductor substrate has a defect density higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein the semiconductor substrate has a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer, and wherein the semiconductor substrate contains therein first extended defects formed as a result of a reaction between a p type impurity in the semiconductor substrate and oxygen diffused into the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate contains therein second extended defects formed by an impurity element introduced into the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first p type epitaxial layer has a plurality of layers, and wherein a substrate adjacent layer, which is one of the layers configuring the first p type epitaxial layer and is arranged on the side closest to the semiconductor substrate has first extended defects formed by a reaction between a p type impurity in the substrate adjacent layer and oxygen diffused into the substrate adjacent layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein an oxygen concentration in the substrate adjacent layer which is one of the layers configuring the first p type epitaxial layer is higher than an oxygen concentration of the layers configuring the first p type epitaxial layer other than the substrate adjacent layer. ### Claim 13 A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a main surface; a buried impurity layer formed in the semiconductor substrate; a p type epitaxial layer formed over the buried impurity layer; and a first photoelectric conversion element formed in the p type epitaxial layer, wherein the buried impurity layer and the p type epitaxial layer each have silicon, and the buried impurity layer has a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the p type epitaxial layer. ### Claim 14 A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having a main surface; forming a first p type epitaxial layer over the main surface; forming a second p type epitaxial layer so as to cover an upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer; forming a first photoelectric conversion element in the second p type epitaxial layer; and forming a first p type impurity region in the second p type epitaxial layer, wherein the first and second p type epitaxial layers each have silicon, wherein the first p type epitaxial layer has a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer, and wherein the first p type impurity region has a p type impurity concentration different than that in the second p type epitaxial layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14, further comprising the step of: forming a second photoelectric conversion element for receiving a light having an average wavelength shorter than that of a light which the first photoelectric conversion element can receive, wherein the second photoelectric conversion element and the first photoelectric conversion element are arranged in a direction along the main surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein the first p type impurity region is formed to cover the upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer below a region in which the second photoelectric conversion element is to be formed, the first p type impurity region having a p type impurity concentration higher than that in the second p type epitaxial layer, wherein the method further comprises the step of forming a second p type impurity region in the second p type epitaxial layer at a boundary portion between a region in which the first photoelectric conversion element is to be formed and the region in which the second photoelectric conversion element is to be formed, the second p type impurity region having a p type impurity concentration higher than that of the second p type epitaxial layer, and wherein the first p type impurity region and the second p type impurity region are contiguous to each other. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the step of forming the second p type impurity region comprises the steps of: forming a trench penetrating through the second p type epitaxial layer so as to reach the first p type epitaxial layer at the boundary portion of the second p type epitaxial layer between the region in which the first photoelectric conversion element is to be formed and the region in which the second photoelectric conversion element is to be formed; and forming a p type semiconductor layer as the second p type impurity region in the trench. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising the step of: forming an insulating film over the p type semiconductor layer in the trench. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein in the step of forming the second p type epitaxial layer, the second p type epitaxial layer is formed so as to cover the upper surface of the first p type epitaxial layer below both regions in which the first and second photoelectric conversion elements are to be formed, respectively. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein the semiconductor substrate is a p type substrate.