IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,660,345
Granted Patent B2
US 12,660,345 · App. 18/551,215 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Light receiving element, photodetector, electronic apparatus, and method of manufacturing light receiving element

Inventor: Hiroaki Murakami (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
H10F39/80373H10F39/014H10F39/802H10F39/811
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,660,345
App. No.
18/551,215
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a light receiving element capable of improving a transfer failure in a structure in which a photoelectric converter is embedded. A light receiving element includes a photoelectric conversion region of a first conductivity type, a well region of a second conductivity type provided on a side of one surface of the photoelectric conversion region, a floating diffusion region of the first conductivity type provided on a side of a one surface of the well region opposite to the photoelectric conversion region, a transfer gate electrode that is embedded in a depth direction of the well region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween and transfers a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion region to the floating diffusion region, and an auxiliary electrode that is embedded in the well region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween and extends toward a side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

Claims (51)

1 . A light receiving element, comprising:

a photoelectric conversion region of a first conductivity type;

a well region of a second conductivity type provided on a side of one surface of the photoelectric conversion region;

a floating diffusion region of the first conductivity type provided on a side of a one surface of the well region opposite to the photoelectric conversion region;

a transfer gate electrode that is embedded in a depth direction of the well region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween and transfers a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion region to the floating diffusion region; and

an auxiliary electrode that is embedded in the well region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween and extends toward a side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

2 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary electrode includes

a first embedded region extending in the depth direction of the well region, and

a second embedded region connected to an end in a depth direction of the first embedded region and extending in a direction orthogonal to the depth direction of the well region toward the side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

3 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary electrode includes

a first embedded region extending in the depth direction of the well region, and

a second embedded region connected to an end in a depth direction of the first embedded region and extending in a direction oblique to the depth direction of the well region toward the side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

4 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary electrode includes an embedded region extending in a direction oblique to the depth direction of the well region toward the side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

5 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary electrode includes a protrusion protruding from the one surface of the well region.

6 . The light receiving element according to claim 5 , wherein

the transfer gate electrode includes a protrusion protruding from the one surface of the well region, and

the protrusion of the auxiliary electrode is apart from the protrusion of the transfer gate electrode.

7 . The light receiving element according to claim 5 , wherein

the transfer gate electrode includes a protrusion protruding from the one surface of the well region, and

the protrusion of the auxiliary electrode is connected to the protrusion of the transfer gate electrode.

8 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , wherein potentials are applied to the transfer gate electrode and the auxiliary electrode independently of each other.

9 . The light receiving element according to claim 8 , wherein a potential applied to the auxiliary electrode is lower than a potential applied to the transfer gate electrode.

10 . The light receiving element according to claim 9 , wherein a timing of stopping application of the potential to the auxiliary electrode is earlier than a timing of stopping application of the potential to the transfer gate electrode.

11 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , wherein a common potential is simultaneously applied to the transfer gate electrode and the auxiliary electrode.

12 . The light receiving element according to claim 1 , further comprising a pixel transistor provided on the side of the one surface of the well region.

13 . A photodetector, comprising:

a pixel region including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes

a photoelectric conversion region of a first conductivity type,

a well region of a second conductivity type provided on a side of one surface of the photoelectric conversion region,

a floating diffusion region of the first conductivity type provided on a side of one surface of the well region opposite to the photoelectric conversion region,

a transfer gate electrode that is embedded in a depth direction of the well region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween and transfers a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion region to the floating diffusion region, and

an auxiliary electrode that is embedded in the well region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween and extends toward a side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

14 . An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a photodetector having a pixel region including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix; and

a signal processing circuit that processes an output signal of the photodetector, wherein

each of the plurality of pixels includes

a photoelectric conversion region of a first conductivity type,

a well region of a second conductivity type provided on a side of one surface of the photoelectric conversion region,

a floating diffusion region of the first conductivity type provided on a side of one surface of the well region opposite to the photoelectric conversion region, a transfer gate electrode that is embedded in a depth direction of the well region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween and

transfers a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion region to the floating diffusion region, and

an auxiliary electrode that is embedded in the well region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween and extends toward a side surface of the transfer gate electrode.

15 . A method of manufacturing a light receiving element, the method comprising:

forming a well region of a second conductivity type on a side of one surface of a photoelectric conversion region of a first conductivity type;

forming a floating diffusion region of the first conductivity type on a side of one surface of the well region opposite to the photoelectric conversion region;

embedding a transfer gate electrode that transfers a signal charge photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion region to the floating diffusion region in a depth direction of the well region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween; and

embedding an auxiliary electrode that extends toward a side surface of the transfer gate electrode in the well region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween.

16 . The method of manufacturing the light receiving element according to claim 15 , wherein the embedding the auxiliary electrode includes

embedding an insulating film inside the well region,

digging a trench exposing the insulating film in the depth direction of the well region,

expanding the trench toward the side surface of the transfer gate electrode by removing the insulating film, and

embedding the auxiliary electrode in the trench having been expanded with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2023
From: MURAKAMI, HIROAKI
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064947/0308 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-057406 · Mar 30, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240170509A1 · May 23, 2024
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