Integrated LPE-grown structure for simultaneous detection of infrared radiation in two bands

• US 5,559,336 A
• Filed: 07/05/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Santa Barbara Research Center
• Inventors: Baumgratz, Bonnie A., Kosai, Kenneth, Wilson, Jerry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US08/270,965
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 250/370.13, 250/370.12, 250/339.02, 250/338.4, 257/624, 257/466, 257/442, 257/188
• US Class Current: 250/370.13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1465 of the hybrid type

Abstract

A radiation detector (1) unit cell (10) includes an n-p+ LWIR photodiode that is vertically integrated with a p+-n MWIR photodiode in a n-p+-n structure. Electrical contact is made separately to each of these layers in order to simultaneously detect both the LWIR and MWIR bands. The electrical contact is made via indium bump interconnections (23, 25, 27) enabling the unit cell to be subsequently hybridized with a topside mounted electronic readout integrated circuit (30). The n-p+-n structure in a given pixel of an array of radiation detector pixels is electrically isolated from all neighboring pixels by a trench (28) that is etched into an underlying substrate (12). To compensate for a reduction in the optically sensitive area due to the placement of the electrical contacts and the presence of the pixel isolation trench, a microlens (34) may be provided within, upon, or adjacent to the backside, radiation receiving surface of the substrate in registration with the unit cell.

Claims

1. A radiation detector unit cell that is responsive to electromagnetic radiation within two spectral bands, said radiation detector unit cell including a plurality of adjacently disposed layers of adjustable energy gap semiconductor material that are disposed upon a first surface of a transparent substrate, said substrate having a second surface opposite the first surface for admitting electromagnetic radiation to be detected, said detector unit cell comprising:

a first photodiode having an anode and a cathode, said first photodiode being responsive to electromagnetic radiation within a first spectral band for generating a detectable photocurrent in response thereto; and

a second photodiode having an anode and a cathode, said second photodiode being responsive to electromagnetic radiation within a second spectral band for generating a detectable photocurrent in response thereto;

wherein

said first photodiode is electrically coupled in series with said second photodiode such that said anode of said first photodiode is coupled to said anode of said second photodiode;

said unit cell further comprising

a plurality of connection means individual ones of which are electrically coupled to said cathode of said first photodiode, to said cathode of said second photodiode, and to said anodes of said first and said second photodiodes;

a first mesa structure formed through a plurality of said adjacently disposed layers, a second mesa structure formed through a plurality of said adjacently disposed layers, and a third mesa structure formed through a plurality of said adjacently disposed layers, each of said mesa structures having a top surface that supports one of said plurality of connection means, and

a trench that surrounds said unit cell, said trench extending through said plurality of adjacently disposed layers and into said substrate.

2. A radiation detector as as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said connection means is comprised of a contact pad having an indium bump interconnect formed thereon.

3. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 2, wherein said top surface of each of said mesa structures lies within a common horizontal plane, and wherein a top of each of the indium bump interconnects is at approximately the same distance from the common plane.

4. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor material is comprised of a Group II-VI alloy, wherein the first and second spectral bands are selected from the group consisting essentially of SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR, wherein said Group II-VI alloy is comprised of Hg.sub.(1-x) Cd_x Te, and wherein x is varied through a thickness of said plurality of layers.

5. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a lens means that is disposed within, upon, or adjacent to said second surface of said substrate.

6. A backside illuminated radiation detector unit cell comprising a substrate having a first surface and a plurality of layers disposed upon said first surface, said plurality of layers comprising:

a first layer disposed over said first surface of said substrate, said first layer being comprised of a semiconductor material having a first type of electrical conductivity and having a bandgap selected for absorbing radiation within a first spectral band;

a second layer overlying said first layer, said second layer being comprised of a semiconductor material having a second type of electrical conductivity that is opposite the first type of electrical conductivity and forming a diode junction with said first layer;

a third layer overlying said second layer, said third layer being comprised of a semiconductor material having the second type of electrical conductivity and having a bandgap selected for absorbing radiation within a second spectral band;

a fourth layer overlying said third layer, said fourth layer being comprised of a semiconductor material having the first type of electrical conductivity and forming a diode junction with said third layer;

a plurality of mesa structures each containing a portion of each of said plurality of layers; and

an electrical contact disposed upon a top surface of each of said mesa structures for electrically contacting said first, said third, and said fourth layers.

7. A backside illuminated radiation detector unit cell comprising a substrate having a first surface and a plurality of layers disposed upon said first surface, said plurality of layers comprising:

a first layer disposed over said first surface of said substrate, said first layer being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material, said first layer having a first type of electrical conductivity and having a bandgap selected for absorbing radiation within a first spectral band;

a second layer overlying said first layer, said second layer being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material, said second layer having a second type of electrical conductivity that is opposite the first type of electrical conductivity and forming a diode junction with said first layer;

a third layer overlying said second layer, said third layer being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material, said third layer having the second type of electrical conductivity and having a bandgap selected for absorbing radiation within a second spectral band;

a fourth layer overlying said third layer, said fourth layer being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material, said fourth layer having the first type of electrical conductivity and forming a diode junction with said third layer;

a plurality of mesa structures each containing a portion of each of said plurality of layers; and

an electrical contact disposed upon a top surface of each of said mesa structures for electrically contacting said first, said third, and said fourth layers.

8. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, and further comprising:

a trench that surrounds said unit cell, said trench extending through said plurality of layers and into said substrate.

9. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, and further comprising:

lens means that is disposed within, upon, or adjacent to a second, radiation receiving surface of said substrate.

10. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first and second spectral bands are selected from the group consisting essentially of SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR.

11. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, wherein said Group II-VI semiconductor material is comprised of Hg.sub.(1-x) Cd_x Te, and wherein x is varied through a thickness of said plurality of layers so as to provide a decreasing bandgap energy within said first layer, to provide an increasing bandgap energy within said second layer, to provide a decreasing bandgap energy within said third layer, and to provide an increasing bandgap energy within said fourth layer.

12. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first layer is n-type, wherein said second layer is p⁺ -type, wherein said third layer is p-type, and wherein said fourth layer is n⁺ -type.

13. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, wherein said substrate is selected from a material that is substantially transparent to electromagnetic radiation within said first and said second spectral bands.

14. A radiation detector unit cell as set forth in claim 7, wherein said electrical contact includes an indium bump, wherein a top surface of each of said plurality of mesa structures lies within a common horizontal plane, and wherein a top of each of the indium bumps is at approximately the same distance from the common plane.

15. A method of fabricating a radiation detector structure, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate;

growing a first region comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material upon a first surface of the substrate, the first region being doped to provide a first type of electrical conductivity and having a bandgap selected for absorbing radiation within a first spectral band;

growing a second region upon the first region, the second region being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material that is doped to provide a second type of electrical conductivity that is opposite the first type of electrical conductivity;

growing a third region upon the second region, the third region being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material that is doped to provide the second type of electrical conductivity, the third region having a bandgap selected for absorbing radiation within a second spectral band;

growing a fourth region upon the third region, the fourth region being comprised of Group II-VI semiconductor material that is doped to provide the first type of electrical conductivity;

differentiating the grown regions into a plurality of mesa structures each containing a portion of each of the plurality of regions; and

forming an electrical contact upon a top surface of each of the mesa structures for electrically contacting the first, the third, and the fourth regions.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the steps of growing a first, second, third and fourth regions are all accomplished by Liquid Phase Epitaxy.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15, and further comprising a step of:

forming a trench that surrounds the unit cell, the trench being formed to extend through the plurality of layers and into the first surface of the substrate.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15, and further comprising a step of:

providing a lens means that is disposed within, upon, or adjacent to a radiation receiving second surface of the substrate.

19. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first and second spectral bands are selected from the group consisting essentially of SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR, wherein the Group II-VI semiconductor material of each of the regions is comprised of Hg.sub.(1-x) Cd_x Te, and wherein x is varied during the steps of growing so as to provide a decreasing bandgap energy within the first region, to provide an increasing bandgap energy within the second region, to provide a decreasing bandgap energy with the third region, and to provide an increasing bandgap energy within the fourth region.

20. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first region is n-type, wherein the second region is p⁺ -type, wherein the third region is p-type, and wherein the fourth region is n⁺ -type.