IP Library Granted Patent US 11,508,767
Granted Patent B2
US 11,508,767 · App. 16/763,927 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Solid-state imaging device and electronic device for enhanced color reproducibility of images

Inventors: Mikinori Ito (Kanagawa, JP); Yuta Nakamoto (Kanagawa, JP); Tomomi Okano (Tokyo, JP); Yuya Kitabayashi (Kanagawa, JP); Takashi Tanaka (Kanagawa, JP); Tomoyuki Arai (Kanagawa, JP); Natsuko Ootani (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
H01L27/14621H01L27/14603H01L27/14623H01L27/14627H01L27/14645
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,508,767
App. No.
16/763,927
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor substrate including a photoelectric conversion element; a lens disposed above a first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element; and a plurality of columnar structures disposed on a surface parallel to the first light incident surface that is located between a second light incident surface of the lens and the first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element. The columnar structure includes at least one of silicon, germanium, gallium phosphide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, hafnium oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, niobium pentoxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, titanium pentoxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, yttrium oxide, zinc oxide, zirconia, cerium fluoride, gadolinium fluoride, lanthanum fluoride, and neodymium fluoride.

Claims (56)

1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:

a plurality of pixels, wherein

each pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises:

a semiconductor substrate that includes a photoelectric conversion element;

a lens above a first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element;

a color filter between a second light incident surface of the lens and the first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the color filter is configured to selectively transmit light having a particular wavelength; and

a plurality of columnar structures on a surface parallel to the first light incident surface, wherein

the plurality of columnar structures is between the second light incident surface of the lens and the first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element,

the plurality of columnar structures corresponding to a first pixel of the plurality of pixels has spectroscopic characteristics and is configured to absorb infrared light, and

the plurality of columnar structures includes at least one of silicon, germanium, gallium phosphide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, hafnium oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, niobium pentoxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, titanium pentoxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, yttrium oxide, zinc oxide, zirconia, cerium fluoride, gadolinium fluoride, lanthanum fluoride, and neodymium fluoride, and

the color filter is not disposed in at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels, wherein

the at least one pixel is different from the first pixel,

the at least one pixel corresponds to a pixel configured to selectively transmit the infrared light, and

the plurality of columnar structures in the at least one pixel has spectral characteristics and is configured to transmit the infrared light.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein a crystal state of each of the plurality of columnar structures is one of a single crystal, a polycrystal, or amorphous.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the plurality of columnar structures is 1.5 or more.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of columnar structures is on the surface parallel to the first light incident surface and has one of a square arrangement, a hexagonal close-packed arrangement, or a random arrangement.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

a diameter of each of the plurality of columnar structures ranges from 30 nanometers (nm) to 200 nm, and

a pitch between each of the plurality of columnar structures ranges from 200 nm to 1,000 nm.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of columnar structures includes a tapered shape with a diameter that decreases or increases from the surface parallel to the first light incident surface toward the second light incident surface of the lens.

7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein

an elevation angle of a side surface of each of the plurality of columnar structures with respect to the surface parallel to the first light incident surface ranges from 45 degrees to less than 90 degrees, or

the elevation angle ranges from more than 90 degrees to 135 degrees.

8. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of columnar structures changes step by step from the surface parallel to the first light incident surface towards the second light incident surface of the lens.

9. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of columnar structures includes at least two kinds of columnar structures having different diameters.

10. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of columnar structures is inside the color filter.

11. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

at least a part of the plurality of columnar structures is in a trench that extends from a surface of the semiconductor substrate towards the photoelectric conversion element in the semiconductor substrate, and

the surface of the semiconductor substrate is on a side opposite to the lens.

12. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a planarization film between the color filter and the semiconductor substrate, wherein

a surface of the planarization film opposite to the color filter is planarized, and

the plurality of columnar structures are inside the planarization film.

13. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of columnar structures corresponding to the first pixel of the plurality of pixels has a diameter different from each of the plurality of columnar structures corresponding to a second pixel of the plurality of pixels.

14. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the color filter corresponding to the first pixel of the plurality of pixels is configured to selectively transmit light having a first particular wavelength,

the color filter corresponding to a second pixel of the plurality of pixels is configured to selectively transmit light having a second particular wavelength, and

each of the plurality of columnar structures corresponding to the first pixel has a diameter different from each of the plurality of columnar structures corresponding to the second pixel.

15. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of columnar structures has spectroscopic characteristics to selectively transmit one of light having a wavelength component of red, light having a wavelength component of green, light having a wavelength component of blue, or the infrared light.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a solid-state imaging device;

an optical system configured to form an image corresponding to light incident on a light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device; and

a control unit configured to control the solid-state imaging device, wherein

the solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels, wherein

each pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises:

a semiconductor substrate that includes a photoelectric conversion element;

a lens above a first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element;

a color filter between a second light incident surface of the lens and the first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the color filter is configured to selectively transmit the light having a particular wavelength; and

a plurality of columnar structures on a surface parallel to the first light incident surface, wherein

 the plurality of columnar structures is between the second light incident surface of the lens and the first light incident surface of the photoelectric conversion element,

 the plurality of columnar structures corresponding to a first pixel of the plurality of pixels has spectroscopic characteristics and is configured to absorb infrared light, and

 the plurality of columnar structures includes at least one of silicon, germanium, gallium phosphide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, hafnium oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, niobium pentoxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum pentoxide, titanium pentoxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, yttrium oxide, zinc oxide, zirconia, cerium fluoride, gadolinium fluoride, lanthanum fluoride, and neodymium fluoride, and

the color filter is not disposed in at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels, wherein

the at least one pixel is different from the first pixel,

the at least one pixel corresponds to a pixel configured to selectively transmit the infrared light, and

the plurality of columnar structures in the at least one pixel has spectral characteristics and is configured to transmit the infrared light.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2021
From: ITO, MIKINORI; NAKAMOTO, YUTA; OKANO, TOMOMI; KITABAYASHI, YUYA; TANAKA, TAKASHI; ARAI, TOMOYUKI; OOTANI, NATSUKO
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057127/0439 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62609839 · Dec 22, 2017
Related Publication 20210366964A1 · Nov 25, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,568,703