Infrared sensor having a heat sensitive semiconductor portion that detects and absorbs infrared rays
First Claim
1. An infrared sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
an insulator layer formed on said substrate;
a first electrode formed on said insulator layer;
a heat-sensitive semiconductor section including a first high concentration impurity semiconductor layer formed on said first electrode, a heat-sensitive semiconductor layer formed on said first high concentration impurity layer and having an electrical resistance depending on temperature, and a second high concentration impurity semiconductor layer formed on said heat-sensitive semiconductor layer, said first and second high concentration impurity semiconductor layers having a higher absorption coefficient of infrared rays than said heat-sensitive semiconductor layer; and
a second electrode formed on the second high-concentration impurity semiconductor layer;
wherein said first and second impurity semiconductor layers are formed on the top and bottom entire surfaces of said heat-sensitive semiconductor layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An infrared sensor includes a substrate, an insulator layer formed on the substrate, and a heat-sensitive semiconductor layer having a temperature dependent electrical resistance with a relatively large temperature coefficient of resistance. In order to improve sensitivity of the heat-sensitive semiconductor layer for detecting infrared rays, high concentration impurity semiconductor regions are positioned on either side of the semiconductor layer to form a semiconductor section. The high concentration impurity semiconductor sections have a higher absorption coefficient of infrared rays than the semiconductor layer. Thus, the semiconductor section itself both detects and absorbs infrared rays with or without providing any heat-absorbing layer. Further, electrodes are connected to each high-concentration impurity layer, which form an ohmic contact therewith.
69 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An infrared sensor comprising:
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a substrate; an insulator layer formed on said substrate; a first electrode formed on said insulator layer; a heat-sensitive semiconductor section including a first high concentration impurity semiconductor layer formed on said first electrode, a heat-sensitive semiconductor layer formed on said first high concentration impurity layer and having an electrical resistance depending on temperature, and a second high concentration impurity semiconductor layer formed on said heat-sensitive semiconductor layer, said first and second high concentration impurity semiconductor layers having a higher absorption coefficient of infrared rays than said heat-sensitive semiconductor layer; and a second electrode formed on the second high-concentration impurity semiconductor layer; wherein said first and second impurity semiconductor layers are formed on the top and bottom entire surfaces of said heat-sensitive semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An infrared sensor comprising:
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a substrate; an insulator layer formed on said substrate; a heat-sensitive semiconductor layer including a heat-sensitive semiconductor region having an electrical resistance depending on temperature, and high concentration impurity, semiconductor regions on opposite sides of the heat-sensitive semiconductor region, said heat-sensitive semiconductor region and said high concentration impurity semiconductor regions being formed on said insulator layer, said high concentration impurity semiconductor regions having a higher coefficient of absorption of infrared rays than said heat-sensitive semiconductor region; and electrodes connected to said high-concentration impurity semiconductor regions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An image sensor comprising:
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a plurality of infrared sensors arranged as a matrix array, each infrared sensor having an infrared detection part including a semiconductor layer having an electrical resistance depending on temperature and two high concentration impurity semiconductor regions on opposite sides of said semiconductor layer, and two electrodes connected to the two high concentration impurity semiconductor regions, said two high concentration impurity semiconductor regions having a higher coefficient of absorption of infrared rays than said semiconductor layer; scanning lines arranged along vertical and horizontal directions, two scanning lines at each intersection being connected to the two electrodes of one of the infrared sensors; a first circuit for selecting a scanning line along vertical direction; and a second circuit for selecting a scanning line along horizontal direction; wherein said high concentration impurity semiconductor regions in each sensor have conduction types different from each other. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification