IP Library Granted Patent US 9,954,018
Granted Patent B2
US 9,954,018 · App. 14/759,734 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

Solid-state image pickup unit and electronic apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,954,018
App. No.
14/759,734
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid-state image pickup unit includes: a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device. The plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor, the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.

Claims (29)

1. A solid-state image pickup unit comprising:

a substrate made of a first semiconductor;

a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and

a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device,

wherein the plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor,

the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and

one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.

2. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the transfer transistor includes a wide gap semiconductor layer containing the second semiconductor, and a gate electrode disposed to face a part of the wide gap semiconductor layer, and

the part facing the gate electrode of the wide gap semiconductor layer functions as the active layer, and the wide gap semiconductor layer includes a region located adjacent to the active layer and functioning as the source and the first electrode and a region functioning as the drain and a floating diffusion.

3. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 2 , wherein the amplification transistor is provided on a circuit formation surface of the substrate.

4. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the plurality of transistors further include a reset transistor and a selection transistor,

a source or a drain of the reset transistor is connected to one terminal of a source and a drain of the amplification transistor, and

a source or a drain of the selection transistor is connected to the other terminal of the source and the drain of the amplification transistor.

5. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 4 , wherein the wide gap semiconductor layer further includes a portion functioning as active layers, sources, and drains of the reset transistor, the amplification transistor, and the selection transistor.

6. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 2 , wherein

the first semiconductor is silicon, and

the second semiconductor is an oxide semiconductor including one or more kinds selected from indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn).

7. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 6 , wherein the photoelectric conversion layer is provided to cover a formation region of the wide gap semiconductor layer.

8. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 6 , wherein a light-shielding layer made of a material different from that of the photoelectric conversion layer is provided above the wide gap semiconductor layer in a region other than a light reception region of the photoelectric conversion device.

9. The solid-state image pickup unit according to claim 6 , wherein an ultraviolet-cut filter is provided on a light incident side.

10. An electronic apparatus provided with a solid-state image pickup unit, the solid-state image pickup unit comprising:

a substrate made of a first semiconductor;

a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and

a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device,

wherein the plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor,

the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and

one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE INCORRECT APPLICATION NUMBER 14/572221 AND REPLACE IT WITH 14/527221 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040815 FRAME: 0649. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 27, 2022
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058875/0887 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039635 FRAME 0495. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 5, 2016
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040815/0649 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 9, 2016
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039635/0495 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2015
From: YAMAGUCHI, TETSUJI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036140/0921 →