NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING SENSOR

• US 20100181484A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: INADA, Hiroshi, NAGAI, Youichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,378,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/332
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1876 Diffractive Fresnel lenses; Zone plates; Kinoforms G02B5/1842, G02B5/1847 take precedence; optical systems having diffractive correction means G02B27/0037; Fresnel lenses operating by refraction G02B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14618 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14694 The active layers comprising only AIIIBV compounds, e.g. GaAs, InP
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A near-infrared imaging sensor according to the present invention includes a photodiode array sensitive to light with a wavelength of 1.2 to 3 μm and a multiplexer including a signal readout circuit. The near-infrared imaging sensor is contained in a housing and is vacuum-sealed. The housing includes a main body section and a lid covering the main body section. The lid is made of a material transparent to light with a wavelength of 1.2 to 3 μm.

Claims

1. A near-infrared imaging sensor which is contained in a housing and which is vacuum-sealed, comprising:

a photodiode array sensitive to light with a wavelength of 1.2 to 3 μ

m; and

a signal readout circuit,

wherein the housing includes a main body section and a lid covering the main body section and the lid is made of a material transparent to light with a wavelength of 1.2 to 3 μ

m.

2. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the lid includes a membrane structure having a piezoelectric resistor.

3. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the main body section of the housing and the lid is made of a nonorganic material and the lid is fixed to the main body section of the housing with an adhesive that is nonorganic.

4. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the lid and the main body section of the housing are bonded together with an Ag—

Sn alloy and are made of a material with a heat resistance of 250°

C. or higher.

5. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the main body section of the housing is made of a Cu—

W alloy and/or AN.

6. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the lid is made of silicon.

7. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 6, wherein the lid made of silicon has at least one of a lens and a filter on the upper surface and/or back surface thereof.

8. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the photodiode array includes an InP substrate and a light-absorbing layer which is disposed on the InP substrate and which has a band gap wavelength of 1.65 to 3.0 μ

m, the light-absorbing layer is made of GaInNAsP, GaInNAsSb, or GaInNAs, and the difference in lattice constant between the InP substrate and GaInNAsP, GaInNAsSb, or GaInNAs is 0.2% or less.

9. The near-infrared imaging sensor according to claim 1, wherein the photodiode array includes an InP substrate and a light-absorbing layer which is disposed on the InP substrate and which has a band gap wavelength of 1.65 to 3.0 μ

m, the light-absorbing layer has a type-II multiquantum well structure containing GaAsSb/InGaAs, GaAsSb/InGaAsN, GaAsSb/InGaAsNP, or GaAsSb/InGaAsNSb, and the difference in lattice constant between the InP substrate and GaAsSb/InGaAs, GaAsSb/InGaAsN, GaAsSb/InGaAsNP, or GaAsSb/InGaAsNsB is 0.2% or less.