Sensors having resistive elements
A sensor is provided, which includes a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode region, and a multi-layered resistive element. The photodiode region is arranged in the semiconductor substrate. The multi-layered resistive element is arranged over the semiconductor substrate and is coupled with the photodiode region.
1. A sensor comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a photodiode region arranged in the semiconductor substrate; and
a multi-layered resistive element arranged over the semiconductor substrate and coupled with the photodiode region, wherein the multi-layered resistive element comprises a bottom electrode, a resistive layer arranged over the bottom electrode, and a top electrode arranged over the resistive layer.
2. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layered resistive element comprises a resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) structure.
3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the resistive layer comprises nickel oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, hafnium oxide, or zirconium oxide.
4. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the resistive layer comprises an electrolyte layer and a cationic layer.
5. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the bottom electrode comprises platinum, titanium or titanium nitride.
6. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the top electrode comprises platinum, titanium nitride, or strontium ruthenium trioxide.
7. The sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
an anode coupled with a P-type conductivity region of the photodiode region; and
a cathode coupled with an N-type conductivity region of the photodiode region, wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart from each other and are arranged over a periphery of the photodiode region.
8. The sensor of claim 7 , wherein the multi-layered resistive element is coupled with the P-type conductivity region of the photodiode region through the anode.
9. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layered resistive element is electrically connected in series with the photodiode region.
10. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to function with back-side illumination.
11. A sensor comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a photodiode region arranged in the semiconductor substrate; and
a multi-layered resistive element arranged over the semiconductor substrate and coupled with the photodiode region, wherein the multi-layered resistive element comprises a resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) structure.
12. The sensor of claim 11 , wherein the photodiode region further comprising:
a P-type conductivity region, wherein the P-type conductivity region is coupled with an anode; and
an N-type conductivity region, wherein the N-type conductivity region is coupled with a cathode, wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart from each other and are arranged over a periphery of the photodiode region and wherein the multi-layered resistive element is coupled with the P-type conductivity region of the photodiode region through the anode.
13. The sensor of claim 11 , wherein the multi-layered resistive element comprises a metal oxide layer.
14. A method of forming a sensor comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate;
forming a photodiode region in the semiconductor substrate; and
forming a multi-layered resistive element over the semiconductor substrate and coupled with the photodiode region, wherein forming the multi-layered resistive element comprises forming a resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) structure.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the multi-layered resistive element comprises:
forming a bottom electrode;
forming a resistive layer arranged over the bottom electrode; and
forming a top electrode over the metal oxide layer.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the multi-layered resistive element further comprises forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer to embed the multi-layered resistive element.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming an anode to couple with a P-type conductivity region of the photodiode region; and
forming a cathode to couple with an N-type conductivity region of the photodiode region, wherein the anode and the cathode are spaced apart from each other and are arranged over a periphery of the photodiode region and wherein the multi-layered resistive element is coupled with the P-type conductivity region of the photodiode region through the anode.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the multi-layered resistive element comprises forming the multi-layered resistive element arranged over and electrically coupled in series to the P-type conductivity region of the photodiode region through the anode.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the resistive layer comprises forming a metal oxide layer.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein forming the resistive layer comprises forming an electrolyte layer and a cationic layer above the electrolyte layer.