IP Library Granted Patent US 8,124,440
Granted Patent B2
US 8,124,440 · App. 12/550,553 · Granted Feb 28, 2012

Solid-state imaging device and method for making the same, and manufacturing substrate for solid-state imaging device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,124,440
App. No.
12/550,553
Granted
Feb 28, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for making a solid-state imaging device includes forming a pinning layer, which is a P-type semiconductor layer or an N-type semiconductor layer, on a first substrate by deposition; forming a semiconductor layer on the pinning layer; forming a photoelectric conversion unit in the semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion unit being configured to convert incident light into an electrical signal; forming, on the semiconductor layer, a transistor of a pixel unit and a transistor of a peripheral circuit unit disposed in the periphery of the pixel unit, and then forming a wiring section on the semiconductor layer; bonding a second substrate on the wiring section; and removing the first substrate after the second substrate is bonded.

Claims (33)

1. A method for making a solid-state imaging device, comprising the steps of:

forming a pinning layer, which is a P-type semiconductor layer or an N-type semiconductor layer, on a first substrate by deposition;

forming a semiconductor layer on the pinning layer;

forming a photoelectric conversion unit in the semiconductor layer, the photoelectric conversion unit being configured to convert incident light into an electrical signal;

forming, on the semiconductor layer, a transistor of a pixel unit and a transistor of a peripheral circuit unit disposed in the periphery of the pixel unit, and then forming a wiring section on the semiconductor layer;

bonding a second substrate on the wiring section; and

removing the first substrate after the second substrate is bonded.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is an epitaxially grown substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is a bulk silicon substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer is a layer epitaxially grown on the first substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer epitaxially grown on the first substrate has a thickness equal to or less than a critical thickness and lattice-matches the first substrate.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer having a thickness equal to or less than the critical thickness and lattice-matching the first substrate is either P-type silicon or N-type silicon.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein a P-type impurity is boron and an N-type impurity is phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the P-type semiconductor layer or the N-type semiconductor layer contains germanium or carbon.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the P- or N-type semiconductor layer having a thickness equal to or less than the critical thickness and lattice-matching the first substrate is formed with a chalcopyrite compound semiconductor composed of a P-type CuGaInS mixed crystal or an N-type CuGaInS mixed crystal.

10. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the P- or N-type semiconductor layer epitaxially grown on the first substrate is a layer in which a lattice constant is gradually changed on the first substrate.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the P- or N-type semiconductor layer having the lattice constant gradually changed on the first substrate is P-type SiGeC or N-type SiGeC.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein a P-type impurity is boron and an N-type impurity is phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the P- or N-type semiconductor layer having the lattice constant gradually changed on the first substrate is formed with a chalcopyrite compound semiconductor composed of a P-type CuGaInS mixed crystal or an N-type CuGaInS mixed crystal.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer formed on the pinning layer is an epitaxially grown layer.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in removing the first substrate, the first substrate is removed to expose the pinning layer and the pinning layer is used to detect an end point at which removal of the first substrate is ended.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the forming of the pinning layer includes forming a first impurity-doped layer on the first substrate, forming a buffer layer, which is an undoped layer, on the first impurity-doped layer, and forming a second impurity-doped layer, which serves as the pinning layer and has an impurity concentration lower than that of the first impurity-doped layer, on the buffer layer;

the removing of the first substrate includes removing the first substrate by using the first impurity-doped layer as a stopper layer; and

after the first substrate is removed, the first impurity-doped layer and the buffer layer are removed to expose the second impurity-doped layer so that the second impurity-doped layer serves as the pinning layer.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forming of the pinning layer includes forming a first impurity-doped layer on the first substrate and forming a second impurity-doped layer, which serves as the pinning layer and has an impurity concentration lower than that of the first impurity-doped layer, on the first impurity-doped layer;

the removing of the first substrate includes removing the first substrate by using the first impurity-doped layer as a stopper layer; and

after the first substrate is removed, the first impurity-doped layer is removed to expose the second impurity-doped layer so that the second impurity-doped layer serves as the pinning layer.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of forming the pinning layer, the pinning layer is formed directly on the first substrate.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pinning layer is a P-type semiconductor layer.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pinning layer is an N-type semiconductor layer.

21. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the step wherein the pinning layer is P-type silicon.

22. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the step wherein the pinning layer is N-type silicon.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2016
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040419/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2009
From: IKUTA, TETSUYA; MIYANAMI, YUKI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023169/0954 →