Photoelectric conversion element having a semiconductor and semiconductor device using the same

• US 20080308851A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kusumoto, Naoto, Nishi, Kazuo, Sugawara, Yuusuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,679,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/290
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0558 being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05639 Silver [Ag] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05655 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1147 using a lift-off mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8121 using a reflow oven
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8122 with energy being in the form of electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81815 Reflow soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/06 of a plurality of bonding areas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/11 Manufacturing methods for bumps on insulating substrates H01L21/4853
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/17 of a plurality of bump connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• 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 2924/00013 : Fully indexed content
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00015 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed as prior art
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01007 : Nitrogen [N]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0101 : Neon [Ne]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01018 : Argon [Ar]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01023 : Vanadium [V]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01028 : Nickel [Ni]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0103 : Zinc [Zn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01032 : Germanium [Ge]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0104 : Zirconium [Zr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01042 : Molybdenum [Mo]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01044 : Ruthenium [Ru]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01045 : Rhodium [Rh]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 : Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01054 : Xenon [Xe]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0106 : Neodymium [Nd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01067 : Holmium [Ho]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 : Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0107 : Ytterbium [Yb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01073 : Tantalum [Ta]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01076 : Osmium [Os]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01077 : Iridium [Ir]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01105 : Rare earth metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/04941 : TiN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/04953 : TaN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/05042 : Si3N4
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12043 : Photo diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15787 : Ceramics, e.g. crystalline carbides, nitrides or oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02005 : for device characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier

Abstract

A semiconductor device, particularly, a photoelectric conversion element having a semiconductor layer is demonstrated. The photoelectric conversion element of the present invention comprises, over a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer and first and second electrodes which are electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion element further comprises a wiring board over which a third and fourth electrodes are provided. The characteristic point of the present invention is that a bonding layer, which readily forms an alloy with a conductive material, is formed over the first and second electrodes. This bonding layer improves the bonding strength between the first and third electrodes and the second and fourth electrode, which contributes to the prevention of the connection defect between the substrate and the wiring board and consequentially to high reliability of the photoelectric conversion element.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a photoelectric conversion layer formed over a substrate;

an amplifier circuit including at least two thin film transistors, wherein the amplifier circuit is formed over the substrate and is configured to amplify output current of the photoelectric conversion layer;

a first interlayer insulating film formed over the photoelectric conversion layer and the amplifier circuit;

a first electrode formed over the photoelectric conversion layer and the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer;

a second interlayer insulating film formed over the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the second interlayer insulting film overlaps the amplifier circuit and has an opening that reaches the first electrode;

a second electrode formed in the opening, wherein the second electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a bonding layer formed over the second electrode, wherein the bonding layer overlaps the second interlayer insulating film and the second electrode,

wherein the bonding layer contains a metal which is capable of forming an alloy with solder.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the bonding layer contains an element selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc, palladium, silver, tin, platinum, and gold.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the amplifier circuit is a current mirror circuit.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a protective film between the photoelectric conversion layer and the first interlayer insulating film.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the photoelectric conversion layer comprises a p-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the second electrode contains nickel.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the bonding layer is a stacked layer formed of a gold layer, a nickel layer, and a titanium layer.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a photoelectric conversion layer formed over a first substrate;

an amplifier circuit including at least two thin film transistors, wherein the amplifier circuit is formed over the first substrate and is configured to amplify output current of the photoelectric conversion layer;

a first interlayer insulating film formed over the photoelectric conversion layer and the amplifier circuit;

a first electrode formed over the photoelectric conversion layer and the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer;

a second interlayer insulating film formed over the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the second interlayer insulting film overlaps the amplifier circuit and has an opening that reaches the first electrode;

a second electrode formed in the opening, wherein the second electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode;

a bonding layer formed over the second electrode, wherein the bonding layer overlaps the second interlayer insulating film and the second electrode;

a conductive material formed over the bonding layer, wherein the conductive material is electrically connected to the bonding layer;

a third electrode formed over the conductive material, wherein the third electrode is electrically connected to the conductive material; and

a second substrate formed over the third electrode,

wherein the bonding layer contains a metal which is capable of forming an alloy with solder.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the bonding layer contains an element selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc, palladium, silver, tin, platinum, and gold.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the amplifier circuit is a current mirror circuit.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, further comprising a protective film between the photoelectric conversion layer and the first interlayer insulating film.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the photoelectric conversion layer comprises a p-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the second electrode contains nickel.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the bonding layer is a stacked layer formed of a gold layer, a nickel layer, and a titanium layer.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the conductive material contains solder.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the second substrate is a printed circuit board.

17. A semiconductor device comprising:

a photoelectric conversion layer formed over a first substrate;

an amplifier circuit including at least two thin film transistors, wherein the amplifier circuit is formed over the first substrate and is configured to amplify output current of the photoelectric conversion layer;

a first interlayer insulating film formed over the photoelectric conversion layer and the amplifier circuit;

a first electrode formed over the photoelectric conversion layer and the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer;

a second interlayer insulating film formed over the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the second interlayer insulting film overlaps the amplifier circuit and has an opening that reaches the first electrode;

a second electrode formed in the opening, wherein the second electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode;

a third electrode formed over the second electrode, wherein the third electrode overlaps the second electrode and the second interlayer insulating film and is electrically connected to the second electrode;

a bonding layer formed over the third electrode, wherein the bonding layer overlaps the second interlayer insulating film and the third electrode and is electrically connected to the third electrode;

a conductive material formed over the bonding layer, wherein the conductive material is electrically connected to the bonding layer;

a fourth electrode formed over the conductive material, wherein the fourth electrode is electrically connected to the conductive material; and

a second substrate formed over the fourth electrode,

wherein the bonding layer contains a metal which is capable of forming an alloy with solder.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the bonding layer contains an element selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc, palladium, silver, tin, platinum, and gold.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the amplifier circuit is a current mirror circuit.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising a protective film between the photoelectric conversion layer and the first interlayer insulating film.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the photoelectric conversion layer comprises a p-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the second electrode contains nickel.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the conductive material contains solder.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the second substrate is a printed circuit board.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 17,

wherein the bonding layer is a stacked layer formed of a gold layer, a nickel layer, and a titanium layer.