IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,114,490
Granted Patent B2
US 11,114,490 · App. 16/504,961 · Granted Sep 7, 2021

Light receiving element, ranging module, and electronic apparatus

Inventors: Yoshiki Ebiko (Kanagawa, JP); Koji Neya (Kanagawa, JP); Takuya Sano (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
H01L27/1464G01S7/486G01S17/10H01L27/1469H01L27/14603H01L27/14623H01L27/14629H01L27/14634H01L27/14636H01L27/14649H01L27/14627
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,114,490
App. No.
16/504,961
Granted
Sep 7, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a light receiving element including an on-chip lens, a wiring layer, and a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer. The semiconductor layer includes a photodiode, a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge generated in the photodiode to a first charge storage portion, a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge generated in the photodiode to a second charge storage portion, and an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels from each other, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in the depth direction. The wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member. The light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view.

Claims (70)

1. A light receiving element comprising:

an on-chip lens;

a wiring layer; and

a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer,

wherein the semiconductor layer includes:

a photodiode;

a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a first charge storage portion;

a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a second charge storage portion; and

an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layer from semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in a depth direction,

wherein the wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member, and

wherein the light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view.

2. The light receiving element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the interpixel separation portion penetrates the semiconductor layer in the depth direction.

3. The light receiving element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the semiconductor layer further includes:

a first additional capacitor;

a first switch transistor that connects the first additional capacitor to the first charge storage portion;

a second additional capacitor; and

a second switch transistor that connects the second additional capacitor to the second charge storage portion.

4. The light receiving element according to claim 3 ,

wherein the first additional capacitor and the second additional capacitor include a wiring capacitor of the wiring layer.

5. The light receiving element according to claim 4 ,

wherein the wiring layer includes a layer in which the light blocking member is formed, and a layer in which the wiring capacitor is formed, and

the wiring capacitor is formed in a layer farther from the semiconductor layer than the light blocking member.

6. The light receiving element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light blocking member includes two layers.

7. The light receiving element according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an interpixel light blocking film at a pixel boundary portion of the semiconductor layer.

8. The light receiving element according to claim 1 ,

wherein a region of the semiconductor layer located above the photodiode is a moth-eye structure in which minute concavities and convexities are formed.

9. The light receiving element according to claim 1 ,

wherein the semiconductor layer is formed with a second semiconductor layer and the wiring layer that are bonded to each other, the second semiconductor layer being another semiconductor layer, and

the second semiconductor layer includes at least an amplification transistor and a selection transistor.

10. The light receiving element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second transfer transistors are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.

11. The light receiving element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second charge storage portions are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.

12. The light receiving element of claim 1 , wherein the photodiode is disposed between the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor in a cross-sectional view.

13. A ranging module comprising:

a light receiving member;

a light source that emits irradiation light having periodically varying brightness; and

a light emission controller that controls timing to emit the irradiation light,

wherein the light receiving member includes:

an on-chip lens;

a wiring layer; and

a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes:

a photodiode;

a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a first charge storage portion;

a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a second charge storage portion; and

an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layer from semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in a depth direction,

wherein the wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member, and

wherein the light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view.

14. The ranging module of claim 13 , wherein the first and second charge storage portions are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.

15. The ranging module of claim 13 , wherein the photodiode is disposed between the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor in a cross-sectional view.

16. The ranging module of claim 13 , wherein the first and second transfer transistors are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.

17. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a ranging module including:

a light receiving member;

a light source that emits irradiation light having periodically varying brightness; and

a light emission controller that controls timing to emit the irradiation light, wherein the light receiving member includes:

an on-chip lens;

a wiring layer; and

a semiconductor layer disposed between the on-chip lens and the wiring layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes:

a photodiode;

a first transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a first charge storage portion;

a second transfer transistor that transfers electric charge from the photodiode to a second charge storage portion; and

an interpixel separation portion that separates the semiconductor layers of adjacent pixels from each other, for at least part of the semiconductor layer in the depth direction,

wherein the wiring layer has at least one layer including a light blocking member, and

wherein the light blocking member is disposed to overlap with the photodiode in a plan view.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the photodiode is disposed between the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor in a cross-sectional view.

19. The electronic apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first and second transfer transistors are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.

20. The electronic apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first and second charge storage portions are disposed directly under the on-chip lens.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2019
From: EBIKO, YOSHIKI; NEYA, KOJI; SANO, TAKUYA
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049877/0132 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-135395 · Jul 18, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200027909A1 · Jan 23, 2020