SOLID-STATE IMAGING ELEMENT, PRODUCTION METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20160293873A1
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAMAGUCHI, Tetsuji
• Granted Patent: US 10,566,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14623 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14632 Wafer-level processed structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14636 Interconnect structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14687 Wafer level processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/10 comprising heterojunctions between organic semiconductors and inorganic semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/87 Light-trapping means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/32 Organic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A solid-state imaging element including a phase difference detection pixel pair that includes first and second phase difference detection pixels is provided. In particular, each phase difference detection pixel of the first and second phase difference detection pixels includes a first photoelectric conversion unit arranged at an upper side of a semiconductor substrate and a second photoelectric conversion unit arranged within the semiconductor substrate. The first photoelectric conversion film may be an organic film. In addition, phase difference detection pixels may be realized without using a light shielding film.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a substrate having a first side and a second side as a light incident side;

a phase difference pixel including;

a first photoelectric conversion unit included in the substrate,

a second photoelectric conversion unit included in the substrate, and

a photoelectric conversion film disposed over the second side of the substrate; and

a wiring layer disposed adjacent to the first side of the substrate,

wherein,

at least a portion of the second photoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the first photoelectric conversion unit and the photoelectric conversion film, and

the photoelectric conversion film is an organic film.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the phase difference pixel includes a lower electrode and the photoelectric conversion film is located above the lower electrode.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the phase difference pixel includes an upper electrode, and the photoelectric conversion film is sandwiched between the lower electrode and the upper electrode.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the lower electrode includes an opening.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4, further comprising:

an insulating layer located between the lower electrode and the second side of the substrate.

6. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the lower electrode is provided in a pixel unit.

7. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the phase difference pixel includes a floating diffusion region configured to hold charge provided by a photoelectric conversion region including a region of the photoelectric conversion film sandwiched between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, and wherein the lower electrode is electrically connected to the floating diffusion region via a metal wiring disposed in the insulating film and a metal wiring of the wiring layer.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a normal pixel included in the substrate, the normal pixel including a lower electrode connected to a floating diffusion region of the normal pixel configured to hold charge provided by a photoelectric conversion region including a region of the photoelectric conversion film sandwiched between a lower electrode of the normal pixel and an upper electrode of the normal pixel, wherein the lower electrode of the normal pixel is electrically connected to a floating diffusion region of the normal pixel via a metal wiring of the normal pixel disposed in the insulating film and another metal wiring of the wiring layer.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the photoelectric conversion film is common to the phase difference pixel and the normal pixel.

10. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the upper electrode is common to the phase difference pixel and the normal pixel.

11. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein an area of the lower electrode of the normal pixel is greater than an area of the lower electrode of the phase difference pixel.

12. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein a shape of the lower electrode of the normal pixel is different from a shape of the lower electrode of the phase difference pixel.

13. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion film is sensitive to green light.

14. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first photoelectric conversion unit is sensitive to red light.

15. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the second photoelectric conversion unit is sensitive to blue light.

16. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the phase difference pixel includes a first lower electrode and a second lower electrode, and wherein the photoelectric conversion film is located above the first and second lower electrodes.

17. The imaging device according to claim 16, wherein the phase difference pixel includes a floating diffusion region configured to hold charge provided by a photoelectric conversion region including a region of the photoelectric conversion film sandwiched between the first lower electrode and an upper electrode, and wherein the first lower electrode is electrically connected to the floating diffusion region via a first metal wiring disposed in an insulating film and a metal wiring of the wiring layer.

18. The imaging device according to claim 17, wherein the second lower electrode is connected to a second metal wiring that is different from the first metal wiring.

19. The imaging device according to claim 18, wherein the second lower electrode is electrically connected to a semiconductor region via the second metal wiring.

20. The imaging device according to claim 19, further comprising:

another phase difference pixel included in the substrate, the another phase difference pixel including a first lower electrode and a second lower electrode, wherein the second lower electrode of the another phase difference pixel is electrically connected to the second lower electrode of the phase difference pixel.

21. The imaging device according to claim 20, further comprising:

a normal pixel included in the substrate, the normal pixel including a lower electrode connected to a floating diffusion region configured to hold charge provided by a photoelectric conversion region including a region of the photoelectric conversion film sandwiched between a lower electrode of the normal pixel and an upper electrode of the normal pixel, wherein the lower electrode of the normal pixel is electrically connected to a floating diffusion region of the normal pixel via a metal wiring of the normal pixel disposed in the insulating film and another metal wiring of the wiring layer.

22. The imaging device according to claim 21, wherein the upper electrode and photoelectric conversion film are common to the phase difference pixel, the another phase difference pixel, and the normal pixel.

23. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a film disposed above the upper electrode, wherein the film is an inorganic film.

24. The imaging device according to claim 23, further comprising:

an on-chip lens provided above the inorganic film.

25. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light shielding film located between the photoelectric conversion film and the second side of the substrate, wherein charge is transferred from the photoelectric conversion film to a charge accumulation unit via the light shielding film.

26. The imaging device according to claim 25, wherein light shielding film is configured to prevent light from one pixel from reaching another pixel.

27. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connection wiring electrically connected to the upper electrode; and

a power supply unit, wherein the connection wiring is electrically connected to the power supply unit.

28. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive plug disposed between adjacent first photoelectric conversion units.

29. The imaging device according to claim 28, wherein a first portion of the photoelectric conversion film is disposed on a lower electrode and a second portion of the photoelectric conversion film is disposed on an insulating film located between the photoelectric conversion film and the second side of the substrate.

30. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

an imaging device including;

a substrate having a first side and a second side as a light incident side,

a phase difference pixel including;

a first photoelectric conversion unit included in the substrate,

a second photoelectric conversion unit included in the substrate, and

a photoelectric conversion film disposed over the second side of the substrate, and

a wiring layer disposed adjacent to the first side of the substrate,

wherein,

at least a portion of the second photoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the first photoelectric conversion unit and the photoelectric conversion film, and

the photoelectric conversion film is an organic film; and

an optical system that forms an image on the light incident side of the imaging device.