IP Library Granted Patent US 12,094,897
Granted Patent B2
US 12,094,897 · App. 17/430,760 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Imaging element and imaging device

Inventor: Takahiro Kamei (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
H01L27/14614H01L27/14607H01L27/14621H01L27/14647
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,094,897
App. No.
17/430,760
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a semiconductor substrate having an effective pixel region in which a plurality of pixels is disposed and a peripheral region provided around the effective pixel region; a photoelectric converter; a first hydrogen block layer; an interlayer insulating layer; and a separation groove. The photoelectric converter includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electric charge accumulation layer and a photoelectric conversion layer. The first electrode is provided on a light receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of electrodes. The second electrode is disposed to be opposed to the first electrode. The electric charge accumulation layer and the photoelectric conversion layer are stacked and provided in order between the first electrode and the second electrode and extend in the effective pixel region. The first hydrogen block layer covers a top and a side surface of the photoelectric conversion layer and a side surface of the electric charge accumulation layer. The interlayer insulating layer is provided between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric converter. The separation groove separates the interlayer insulating layer in at least a portion of a region between the effective pixel region and the peripheral region. The separation groove has a side surface and a bottom surface covered with the first hydrogen block layer.

Claims (38)

1. An imaging device comprising

an imaging element, wherein

the imaging element includes

a semiconductor substrate having an effective pixel region in which a plurality of pixels is disposed and a peripheral region provided around the effective pixel region,

a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electric charge accumulation layer and a photoelectric conversion layer, the first electrode being provided on a light receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of electrodes, the second electrode being disposed to be opposed to the first electrode, the electric charge accumulation layer and the photoelectric conversion layer being stacked and provided in order between the first electrode and the second electrode and extending in the effective pixel region,

a first hydrogen block layer that covers a top and a side surface of the photoelectric conversion layer and a side surface of the electric charge accumulation layer,

an interlayer insulating layer provided between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric converter, and

a separation groove that separates the interlayer insulating layer in at least a portion of a region between the effective pixel region and the peripheral region, the separation groove having a side surface and a bottom surface covered with the first hydrogen block layer.

2. An imaging element comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having an effective pixel region in which a plurality of pixels is disposed and a peripheral region provided around the effective pixel region;

a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electric charge accumulation layer and a photoelectric conversion layer, the first electrode being provided on a light receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of electrodes, the second electrode being disposed to be opposed to the first electrode, the electric charge accumulation layer and the photoelectric conversion layer being stacked and provided in order between the first electrode and the second electrode and extending in the effective pixel region;

a first hydrogen block layer that covers a top and a side surface of the photoelectric conversion layer and a side surface of the electric charge accumulation layer;

an interlayer insulating layer provided between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric converter; and

a separation groove that separates the interlayer insulating layer in at least a portion of a region between the effective pixel region and the peripheral region, the separation groove having a side surface and a bottom surface covered with the first hydrogen block layer.

3. The imaging element according to claim 2 , further comprising a lens on a light receiving surface side of the photoelectric converter, wherein

the lens is formed by using a same material as a material of the first hydrogen block layer.

4. The imaging element according to claim 2 , wherein the first hydrogen block layer is formed to include metal oxide having light transmissivity and an oxide semiconductor having light transmissivity.

5. The imaging element according to claim 2 , wherein the separation groove is continuously provided around the effective pixel region.

6. The imaging element according to claim 5 , wherein the one or more separation grooves are provided.

7. The imaging element according to claim 2 , wherein the photoelectric conversion layer is formed by using an organic material.

8. The imaging element according to claim 7 , wherein the organic material includes a rhodamine-based dye, a merocyanine-based dye, a quinacridone derivative, a subphthalocyanine-based dye, a coumaric acid dye, tris-8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3), a merocyanine-based dye, and a phthalocyanine-based dye or derivatives thereof.

9. The imaging element according to claim 2 , wherein the photoelectric conversion layer is formed by using an inorganic material.

10. The imaging element according to claim 9 , wherein the inorganic material includes crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, microcrystalline silicon, crystalline selenium, amorphous selenium, a chalcopyrite-based compound, and a compound semiconductor.

11. The imaging element according to claim 9 , wherein the inorganic material is used in a quantum dot shape.

12. The imaging element according to claim 2 , further comprising a second hydrogen block layer below the electric charge accumulation layer.

13. The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein the second hydrogen block layer is provided between the semiconductor substrate and the electric charge accumulation layer.

14. The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein

the photoelectric converter further includes an insulating layer between the first electrode and the electric charge accumulation layer, and

the insulating layer is formed as the second hydrogen block layer.

15. The imaging element according to claim 2 , further comprising one or more transmission electrodes in the peripheral region, the one or more transmission electrodes being used for external output, wherein

the separation groove is provided closer to the effective pixel region than the one or more transmission electrodes.

16. The imaging element according to claim 15 , wherein

the semiconductor substrate further includes a logic substrate on a surface side opposite to the light receiving surface, and

the transmission electrode is provided on the logic substrate and the transmission electrode has an opening thereon, the opening extending through the interlayer insulating layer and the semiconductor substrate.

17. The imaging element according to claim 15 , wherein the separation groove is continuously provided around the one or more transmission electrodes in a plan view.

18. The imaging element according to claim 16 , wherein a depth of the separation groove is greater than or equal to a thickness of the interlayer insulating layer and less than or equal to a depth of the opening.

19. The imaging element according to claim 16 , wherein the separation groove has a depth greater than a depth of the opening.

20. The imaging element according to claim 17 , wherein the separation groove is provided for each of the transmission electrodes.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2021
From: KAMEI, TAKAHIRO
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057198/0511 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-025595 · Feb 15, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220139978A1 · May 5, 2022