Optoelectronic device for the selective detection of volatile organic compounds and related manufacturing process

• US 10,416,142 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Mazzillo, Massimo Cataldo, Sciuto, Antonella
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joy, Jeremy J
• Application Number:
  US15/782,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20180284090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/251 Colorimeters; Construction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/255 Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/33 using ultraviolet light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8422 Investigating thin films, e.g. matrix isolation method
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4141 specially adapted for gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0067 by measuring the rate of variation of the concentration
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1443 with at least one potential jump or surface barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02024 Position sensitive and lateral effect photodetectors; Quadrant photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02327 the optical elements being integrated or being directly associated to the device, e.g. back reflectors optical coatings H01L31/0216
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1013 devices sensitive to two or more wavelengths, e.g. multi-spectrum radiation detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/103 the potential barrier being of the PN homojunction type

Abstract

An optoelectronic device for detecting volatile organic compounds is described, including a die with a semiconductor body, the die forming a MOSFET transistor and at least one photodiode. The optoelectronic device is optically couplable to an optical source that emits radiation with a spectrum at least partially overlapping the absorption spectrum range of the semiconductor body. The MOSFET transistor is planar and includes a gate region and a catalytic region that is arranged on the gate region such that, in the presence of a gas mixture including volatile organic compounds, the MOSFET transistor can be biased to generate an electrical signal indicating the overall concentration of the gas mixture. The photodiode generates a photocurrent that is a function of the concentration of one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in the gas mixture.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic device for detecting volatile organic compounds, comprising:

a die including a semiconductor body made of a semiconductor material with an absorption spectrum range, said optoelectronic device being optically couplable to an optical source designed to emit radiation with a spectrum at least partially overlapping said absorption spectrum range;

a MOSFET transistor formed in the semiconductor body, wherein the MOSFET transistor is planar and includes a gate region and a catalytic region that is arranged on the gate region such that, in the presence of a gas mixture including volatile organic compounds, the MOSFET transistor is configured to be biased to generate an electrical signal indicating an overall concentration of the gas mixture within a volume; and

a first photodiode configured to generate, when said optoelectronic device is optically coupled to set optical source, a first photocurrent that is a function of a concentration of one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in said gas mixture.

2. The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, in which said semiconductor body includes a front region that has a first type of conductivity and defines a front surface that delimits the semiconductor body, and in which said first photodiode includes a first cathode region that has a second type of conductivity and extends inside the front region from the front surface.

3. The optoelectronic device according to claim 2, further comprising a second photodiode integrated into said die, said second photodiode including:

a second cathode region that has the second type of conductivity and extends inside the front region from the front surface,

a first optical filter arranged above the second cathode region and is configured to filter ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths greater than a first threshold value.

4. The optoelectronic device according to claim 3, further comprising a third photodiode integrated into said die, said third photodiode including:

a third cathode region that has the second type of conductivity and extends inside the front region from the front surface,

a second optical filter arranged above the third cathode region and is configured to filter ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value.

5. The optoelectronic device according to claim 4, in which said second and third photodiodes are configured to generate second and third photocurrents respectively, and in which said first and second optical filters are configured such that, when the gas mixture contains benzene, naphthalene and anthracene, the first photocurrent is a function of concentrations of benzene, naphthalene and anthracene, the second photocurrent is a function of the concentrations of naphthalene and anthracene, and the third photocurrent is a function of the concentration of anthracene.

6. The optoelectronic device according to claim 5, in which said first and second optical filters are made of a material selected from silicon nitride, a metal oxide, and an oxynitride.

7. The optoelectronic device according to claim 1, in which said absorption spectrum range of the semiconductor material is not zero in the ultraviolet range.

8. The optoelectronic device according to claim 7, in which said semiconductor body is made of silicon carbide.

9. A detection system, comprising:

an optical source configured to emit radiation with a spectrum; and

an optoelectronic device optically coupled to the optical source and including;

a die including a semiconductor body made of a semiconductor material with an absorption spectrum range at least partially overlapping the spectrum of the radiation;

a MOSFET transistor formed in the semiconductor body, wherein the MOSFET transistor is planar and includes a gate region and a catalytic region that is arranged on the gate region such that, in the presence of a gas mixture including volatile organic compounds, the MOSFET transistor is configured be biased to generate an electrical signal indicating an overall concentration of the gas mixture within a volume; and

a first photodiode configured to generate, when said optoelectronic device is optically coupled to set optical source, a first photocurrent that is a function of a concentration of one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in said gas mixture.

10. The detection system according to claim 9, in which said optical source is configured to emit ultraviolet radiation.

11. The detection system according to claim 9, including a chamber containing the optoelectronic device and the optical source, said chamber being fluidly accessible to said gas mixture.

12. An analysis system comprising:

a detection system including;

an optical source configured to emit radiation with a spectrum; and

an optoelectronic device optically coupled to the optical source and including;

a die including a semiconductor body made of a semiconductor material with an absorption spectrum range at least partially overlapping the spectrum of the radiation;

a MOSFET transistor formed in the semiconductor body, wherein the MOSFET transistor is planar and includes a gate region and a catalytic region that is arranged on the gate region such that, in the presence of a gas mixture including volatile organic compounds, the MOSFET transistor is configured be biased to generate an electrical signal indicating an overall concentration of the gas mixture within a volume; and

a first photodiode configured to generate, when said optoelectronic device is optically coupled to set optical source, a first photocurrent that is a function of a concentration of one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in said gas mixture,

a bias stage configured to bias said MOSFET transistor and said first photodiode, and

a processing stage configured to receive and process said electrical signal and said first photocurrent.

13. The analysis system according to claim 12, wherein the detection system includes a chamber containing the optoelectronic device and the optical source, said chamber being fluidly accessible to said gas mixture.

14. A process for manufacturing an optoelectronic device for detecting volatile organic compounds, the process comprising:

forming, on a die including a semiconductor body, a planar MOSFET transistor, said forming the MOSFET transistor including forming a gate region on the semiconductor body and forming a catalytic region that is arranged on the gate region;

forming a first photodiode, wherein forming the first photodiode includes forming a first cathode region that extends inside the semiconductor body;

forming a second photodiode on said die, wherein forming the second photodiode includes;

forming a second cathode region that extends inside the semiconductor body, and

forming a first optical filter arranged above the second cathode region and configured to filter ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths greater than a first threshold value;

forming a third photodiode on said die, wherein forming the third photodiode includes;

forming a third cathode region that extends inside the semiconductor body, and

forming a second optical filter arranged above the third cathode region and configured to filter ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, wherein forming the first and second optical filters includes;

forming a preliminary region of a selected material on the third cathode region;

subsequently forming a layer of said selected material above the preliminary region and the second cathode region; and

subsequently selectively removing portions of said layer of said selected material such that a first residual portion of said layer of said selected material forms the first optical filter, and that a second residual portion of said layer of said selected material forms the second optical filter along with said preliminary region.

15. The process according to claim 14, in which said semiconductor body includes a front region that has a first type of conductivity and defines a front surface that delimits the semiconductor body, wherein forming the first photodiode includes forming the first cathode region with a second type of conductivity and extending inside the front region from the front surface.

16. The process according to claim 15, further comprising:

forming a dielectric region of said MOSFET transistor above said front surface, prior to forming the gate region and the catalytic region.

17. The process according to claim 14, further comprising:

forming a resist layer above the gate region, the first cathode region and the first and second optical filters,

selectively removing a portion of the resist layer arranged above the gate region, and subsequently

forming a layer of catalytic material above the residual portion of the resist layer and the gate region, and subsequently

using a lift-off process to remove a portion of the layer of catalytic material arranged on the residual portion of the resist layer.