IP Library Granted Patent US 8,368,784
Granted Patent B2
US 8,368,784 · App. 12/836,741 · Granted Feb 5, 2013

Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus

Inventor: Tetsuji Yamaguchi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,368,784
App. No.
12/836,741
Granted
Feb 5, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid-state imaging device includes: a light incident side; a circuit formation surface being opposite to the light incident side; and an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit having a pn junction and an organic photoelectric conversion unit including an organic photoelectric conversion layer, which are laminated in the same pixel in a depth direction from the light incident side and on which light is incident without passing through a color filter. Signals of the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit and the organic photoelectric conversion unit are read on the circuit formation surface.

Claims (46)

1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a light incident side;

a circuit formation surface being opposite to the light incident side; and

an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit having a pn junction and an organic photoelectric conversion unit including an organic photoelectric conversion layer, which are laminated in the same pixel in a depth direction from the light incident side and on which light is incident without passing through a color filter,

wherein,

signals of the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit and the organic photoelectric conversion unit are read on the circuit formation surface,

the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit is formed on a semiconductor substrate,

the organic photoelectric conversion unit is formed by an organic layer interposed by electrodes formed in an upper layer of a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate close to the light incident side, and

of the electrodes interposing the organic layer, the electrode close to the semiconductor substrate has a potential lower than that of the electrode distant from the semiconductor substrate.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an organic photoelectric conversion unit for a first color, an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit for a second color, and an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit for a third color that are vertically laminated.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

an insulating layer including a hafnium oxide layer formed between the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate and the electrode close to the semiconductor substrate.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a thin film transistor reading the signal of the organic photoelectric conversion unit and formed on the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate close to the light incident side.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a conductive plug formed through the semiconductor substrate and transmitting the signal of the organic photoelectric conversion unit to the circuit formation surface,

wherein the conductive plug is shared by a plurality of pixels.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

three floating diffusion units corresponding to the organic photoelectric conversion unit for the first color, the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit for the second color, and the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit for the third color.

7. A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device comprising the steps of:

forming an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit having a pn junction and a pair of conductive plugs formed through a semiconductor substrate in a region of the semiconductor substrate where each pixel is formed;

forming a multi-layer wiring layer on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is a circuit formation surface, by forming a pixel transistor on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate;

forming a pair of transparent lower electrodes connected to the pair of conductive plugs with an insulating layer interposed therebetween on a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is a light incident side; and

forming an organic photoelectric conversion unit for a first color by forming an organic photoelectric conversion layer on one of the lower electrodes corresponding to an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit and by forming an upper electrode connected to the other of the lower electrodes on the organic photoelectric conversion layer.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising the step of:

forming a protective insulating layer to protect end surfaces of the organic photoelectric conversion layer and the upper electrode subjected to selective removing and connecting the upper electrode to the other of the lower electrodes with another conductive layer interposed therebetween.

9. A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, comprising the steps of:

forming an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit having a pn junction and conductive plugs formed through a semiconductor substrate in a region of the semiconductor substrate where each pixel is formed;

forming a multi-layer wiring layer on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is a circuit formation surface, by forming a pixel transistor on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate;

forming a bottom gate type thin film transistor on a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, which is a light incident side, to connect one source/drain to a first conductive plug of the conductive plugs with an insulating layer interposed therebetween;

forming a lower electrode connected to a second conductive plug of the conductive plugs; and

forming an organic photoelectric conversion unit by forming an organic photoelectric conversion layer on the lower electrode and forming an upper electrode with one end connected to another source/drain of the thin film transistor on the organic photoelectric conversion layer.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an optical system;

a solid-state imaging device; and

a signal processing circuit processing an output signal of the solid-state imaging device,

wherein,

(a) the solid-state imaging device includes:

(1) a light incident side;

(2) a circuit formation surface being opposite to the light incident side; and

(3) an inorganic photoelectric conversion unit having a pn junction and an organic photoelectric conversion unit, which are laminated in the same pixel in a longitudinal direction from the light incident side and on which light is incident without passing through a color filter,

(b) signals of the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit and the organic photoelectric conversion unit are read on the circuit formation surface,

(c) the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit is formed on a semiconductor substrate,

(d) the organic photoelectric conversion unit is formed by an organic layer interposed by electrodes formed in an upper layer of a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate close to the light incident side, and

(f) of the electrodes interposing the organic layer, the electrode close to the semiconductor substrate has a potential lower than that of the electrode distant from the semiconductor substrate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2010
From: YAMAGUCHI, TETSUJI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024689/0790 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-172383 · Jul 23, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110019042A1 · Jan 27, 2011