Infrared sensor ic, and infrared sensor and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20070090337A1
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kasei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kasei Corporation
• Inventors: Kuze, Naohiro, Ueno, Koichiro, Nagase, Kazuhiro, Moriyasu, Yoshitaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,768,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0204 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/0276 Protection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0215 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/045 Sealings; Vacuum enclosures; Encapsulated packages; Wafer bonding structures; Getter arrangements getter arrangements per se H01L23/26 and H01L21/3221
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035236 Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1035 the devices comprising active layers formed only by AIIIBV compounds

Abstract

An infrared sensor IC and an infrared sensor, which are extremely small and are not easily affected by electromagnetic noise and thermal fluctuation, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A compound semiconductor that has a small device resistance and a large electron mobility is used for a sensor (2), and then, the compound semiconductor sensor (2) and an integrated circuit (3), which processes an electrical signal output by the compound semiconductor sensor (2) and performs an operation, are arranged in a single package using hybrid formation. In this manner, an infrared sensor IC that can be operated at room temperature can be provided by a microminiature and simple package that is not conventionally produced.

Claims

1. An infrared sensor IC comprising:

a compound semiconductor sensor, having a compound semiconductor including indium and antimony, and detecting an infrared radiation by said compound semiconductor to output an electric signal indicating the detection; and

an integrated circuit processing said electric signal output by said compound semiconductor sensor to perform a predetermined operation,

wherein said compound semiconductor sensor and said integrated circuit are arranged in a single package in a hybrid manner.

2. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 1, wherein said compound semiconductor sensor comprises

a substrate;

a compound semiconductor layer that is formed on said substrate with a buffer layer which is a layer for relaxing a lattice mismatch, the buffer layer being sandwiched between the compound semiconductor layer and the substrate.

3. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 2, wherein said buffer layer is one of AlSb, AlGaSb, AlGaAsSb, AlInSb, GaInAsSb and AlInAsSb.

4. The infrared sensor IC according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said compound semiconductor layer is formed of a single first compound semiconductor layer, and

said first compound semiconductor layer is one of InSb, InAsSb, InSbBi, InAsSbBi, InTlSb, InTlAsSb, InSbN and InAsSbN.

5. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 4, wherein said first compound semiconductor layer is p-type doped.

6. The infrared sensor IC according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said compound semiconductor layer comprises

a second compound semiconductor layer that is a material including indium and antimony;

and

a third compound semiconductor layer that is formed on said second compound semiconductor layer, so as to be heterojunction with said second compound semiconductor layer, and that is a material that includes antimony and differs from that of said second compound semiconductor layer.

7. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 6, wherein a combination of said third compound semiconductor layer/said second compound semiconductor layer is one of GaSb/InSb, GaInSb/InSb, InSb/InAsSb, GaSb/InAsSb and GaInSb/InAsSb.

8. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 6 or 7, wherein both said second compound semiconductor layer and said third compound semiconductor layer, or only said third compound semiconductor layer is p-type doped.

9. The infrared sensor IC according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said compound semiconductor layer comprises

a fourth compound semiconductor layer that is a material including at least one of indium or antimony;

and

a fifth compound semiconductor layer that is formed on said fourth compound semiconductor layer, so as to be heterojunctional with said fourth compound semiconductor layer, and that is a material including at least one of indium or antimony and differs from that of said fourth compound semiconductor layer, wherein

said fourth compound semiconductor layer and said fifth compound semiconductor layer form a superlattice structure, periodically stacked.

10. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 9, wherein a combination of said fifth compound semiconductor layer/said fourth compound semiconductor layer is one of InAs/GaSb, InAs/GaInSb, InAs/GaAsSb, InAsSb/GaSb, InAsSb/GaAsSb and InAsSb/GaInSb.

11. The infrared sensor IC according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said compound semiconductor layer is a p-n junctional stacked layers comprising a compound semiconductor layer which is an n-type doped material including indium and antimony, and a compound semiconductor layer which is a p-type doped material including indium and antimony.

12. The infrared sensor IC according to claim 11, wherein said stacked layers is a p-n junctional stacked layers which is one of a p-type doped InSb/an n-type doped InSb, a p-type doped InSb/a p-type doped InAsSb/an n-type doped InSb, a p-type doped GaInSb/a p-type doped InAsSb/an n-type doped GaInSb, and a p-type doped GaInSb/a p-type doped InSb/an n-type doped GaInSb.

13. An infrared sensor comprising:

a substrate; and

a compound semiconductor stacked layers formed on said substrate by stacking a plurality of compound semiconductor layers,

said compound semiconductor stacked layers comprising;

a sixth compound semiconductor layer, formed on said substrate, that is an n-type doped material including indium and antimony;

a seventh compound semiconductor layer, formed on said sixth compound semiconductor layer, that is a non-doped or p-type doped material including indium and antimony; and

an eighth compound semiconductor layer, formed on said seventh compound semiconductor layer, that is a material that is p-doped at a higher carrier density than said seventh compound semiconductor layer and has a larger band gap than said seventh compound semiconductor layer.

14. The infrared sensor according to claim 13, wherein said sixth compound semiconductor layer is InSb, said seventh compound semiconductor layer is one of InSb, InAsSb and InSbN, and said eighth compound semiconductor layer is either AlInSb or GaInSb, or one of AlAs, InAs, GaAs, AlSb and GaSb, or a mixed crystal of those.

15. The infrared sensor according to claim 13 or 14, wherein an n-type dopant for said sixth compound semiconductor layer is Sn, and a p-type dopant for said seventh compound semiconductor layer and said eighth compound semiconductor layer is Zn.

16. The infrared sensor according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein said compound semiconductor stacked layers further comprises a ninth compound semiconductor layer, which is formed on said eighth compound semiconductor layer and which is a material including indium and antimony and is p-type doped at a carrier density equal to or greater than the carrier density of said eighth compound semiconductor layer.

17. The infrared sensor according to claim 16, wherein said ninth compound semiconductor layer is InSb.

18. The infrared sensor according to claims 16 or 17, wherein a p-type dopant for said ninth compound semiconductor layer is Zn.

19. The infrared sensor according to any of claims 13 to 18, wherein said substrate is a semi-insulating substrate, or a substrate such that said sixth compound semiconductor layer formed on said substrate can be insulated from said substrate, the infrared sensor further comprising:

a first electrode that is formed in an area of said sixth compound semiconductor layer where said seventh semiconductor layer is not formed; and

a second electrode that is formed in an area on said eighth compound semiconductor layer.

20. The infrared sensor according to claim 19, wherein a plurality of said compound semiconductor stacked layers are contiguously formed on said substrate, so that a first electrode, formed on a compound semiconductor stacked layers, is connected in series to a second electrode, formed on a compound semiconductor stacked layers adjacent to said compound semiconductor stacked layers on which said first electrode is formed.

21. The infrared sensor according to claims 19 or 20, wherein, when an output signal is measured, a bias between said first and said second electrodes is set to zero, and a signal when an infrared radiation enters is read as an open circuit voltage.

22. An infrared sensor IC comprising:

an infrared sensor according to claims 13 to 21; and

an integrated circuit processing said electric signal output by said infrared sensor to perform a predetermined operation,

wherein said infrared sensor and said integrated circuit are arranged in a single package in a hybrid manner.

23. An infrared sensor manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

forming, on a substrate, a sixth compound semiconductor layer that is an n-type material including indium and antimony;

forming, on said sixth compound semiconductor layer, a seventh compound semiconductor layer that is a non-doped or p-doped material including indium and antimony; and

forming, on said seventh compound semiconductor layer, an eighth compound semiconductor layer that is a material that is p-type doped at a higher carrier density than said seventh compound semiconductor layer and has a larger band gap than said seventh compound semiconductor layer.

24. The infrared sensor manufacturing method according to claim 23, wherein said sixth compound semiconductor layer is InSb, said seventh compound semiconductor layer is one of InSb, InAsSb and InSbN, and said eighth compound semiconductor layer is either AlInSb or GaInSb, or one of AlAs, InAs, GaAs, AlSb and GaSb, or a mixed crystal of those.

25. The infrared sensor manufacturing method according to claims 23 or 24, wherein an n-type dopant for said sixth compound semiconductor layer is Sn, and a p-type dopant for said seventh compound semiconductor layer and said eighth compound semiconductor layer is Zn.

26. The infrared sensor manufacturing method according to any of claims 23 to 25, further comprising a step of forming, on said eighth compound semiconductor layer, a ninth compound semiconductor layer including indium and antimony and is p-type doped at a carrier density equal to or greater than said eighth compound semiconductor layer.

27. The infrared sensor manufacturing method according to claim 26, wherein said ninth compound semiconductor layer is InSb.

28. The infrared sensor manufacturing method according to claims 26 or 27, wherein a p-type dopant for said ninth compound semiconductor layer is Zn.