Infrared solid-state image pickup device and infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus equipped with this device

• US 5,747,863 A
• Filed: 07/08/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shoda, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON JR, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US08/676,804
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 257/228, 257/451, 257/449, 257/455, 257/443, 257/448, 257/432, 257/437, 257/294, 257/440, 250/332, 250/370.14, 250/370.08, 250/338.4, 250/339.02
• US Class Current: 257/440
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1462 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers

Abstract

The infrared solid-state image pickup device of the present invention comprises a light-receiving portion formed by arranging, on a transparent substrate, light-receiving elements of a plurality of types respectively including optical cavity structures with optical distances between photoelectric conversion portions and reflecting films which are different from each other by more than 100 nm. The light-receiving elements of at least one of the plurality of types having optical cavity structures whose optical distances are set such that a valley in sensitivity exists at a predetermined wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range, light within the wavelength range being photoelectrically convertible by the light-receiving elements of other types. Hence, the light-receiving portion can be divided into wavelength bands, and a structure enabling control of a wavelength sensitivity, can have, in an infrared range, a function corresponding to a complementary color detection function in a so-called visible range.

Claims

1. An infrared solid-state image pickup device comprising:

a substrate which is transparent with respect to infrared light;

a first light receiving element formed on said substrate and including

a first photoelectric conversion portion formed on a first major surface of said substrate,

a first infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said first photoelectric conversion portion, and

a first reflecting layer formed on said first infrared transparent insulating layer,

a first optical cavity with a first predetermined optical distance being formed between said first photoelectric conversion portion and said first reflecting layer; and

a second light receiving element formed on said substrate and including

a second photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a second infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said second photoelectric conversion portion, and

a second reflecting layer formed on said second infrared transparent insulating layer,

a second optical cavity with a second predetermined optical distance, which is different from said first predetermined optical distance by more than 100 nm, being formed between said second photoelectric conversion portion and said second reflecting layer;

wherein said first predetermined optical distance is set such that a valley in sensitivity to light incident to said first optical cavity exists at a predetermined wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range in a sensitivity curve of said first optical cavity, and

light within said wavelength range being photoelectrically convertible by said second light receiving element, and

wherein said first and second photoelectric conversion portions convert light incident from a second major surface of said substrate, which is opposite to said first major surface, and transmitted through said substrate.

2. An infrared solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein said first optical cavity has an optical distance n·

d set such that light having said predetermined wavelength λ

satisfies λ

=4·

n·

d/N, where N is an even number.

3. An infrared solid-state image pickup device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third light receiving element, said third light receiving element being formed on said substrate and including

a third photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a third infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said third photoelectric conversion portion, and

a third reflecting layer formed on said third infrared transparent insulating layer,

a third optical cavity with a third predetermined optical distance being formed between said third photoelectric conversion portion and said third reflecting layer, and

wherein said third predetermined optical distance is different from said first and second predetermined optical distances by more than 100 nm.

4. An infrared solid-state image pickup device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third light receiving element, said third light receiving element being formed on said substrate and including

a third photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a third infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said third photoelectric conversion portion, and

a third reflecting layer formed on said third infrared transparent insulating layer,

a third optical cavity with a third predetermined optical distance being formed between said third photoelectric conversion portion and said third reflecting layer, and

a fourth light receiving element, said fourth light receiving element being formed on said substrate and including

a fourth photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a fourth infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said fourth photoelectric conversion portion, and

a fourth reflecting layer formed on said fourth infrared transparent insulating layer,

a fourth optical cavity with a fourth predetermined optical distance being formed between said fourth photoelectric conversion portion and said fourth reflecting layer, and

wherein said third and fourth predetermined optical distances are different from said first and second predetermined optical distances by more than 100 nm, respectively.

12. An infrared solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein a difference in optical distance between said first and second light receiving elements is a result of a difference in thicknesses of insulating layers.

13. An infrared solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein a difference in optical distance between said first and second light receiving elements is a result of a difference in refractive indexes of insulating layers.

5. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising:

a device including

a substrate which is transparent with respect to infrared light;

a first light receiving element formed on said substrate and including a first photoelectric conversion portion formed on a first major surface of said substrate, a first infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said first photoelectric conversion portion, and a first reflecting layer formed on said first infrared transparent insulating layer, a first optical cavity with a first predetermined optical distance being formed between said first photoelectric conversion portion and said first reflecting layer;

a second light receiving element formed on said substrate and including a second photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate, a second infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said second photoelectric conversion portion, and a second reflecting layer formed on said second infrared transparent insulating layer, a second optical cavity with a second predetermined optical distance, which is different from said first predetermined optical distance by more than 100 nm, being formed between said second photoelectric conversion portion and said second reflecting layer;

an optical system to guide light from an object to said first and second light receiving elements; and

an arithmetic circuit to read signals generated from said first and second light receiving elements;

wherein said first predetermined optical distance is set such that a valley in sensitivity to light incident to said first optical cavity exists at a predetermined wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range in a sensitivity curve of said first optical cavity, light within said wavelength range being photoelectrically convertible by said second light receiving element, and wherein

said first and second photoelectric conversion portions convert light incident from a second major surface of said substrate, which is opposite to said first major surface, and transmitted through said substrate.

6. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said arithmetic circuit includes deviation detection means for detecting a difference between an electrical signal output from said first light receiving element and that from said second light receiving element.

7. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a third light receiving element, said third light receiving element being formed on said substrate and including

a third photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a third infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said third photoelectric conversion portion, and

a third reflecting layer formed on said third infrared transparent insulating layer,

a third optical cavity with a third predetermined optical distance being formed between said third photoelectric conversion portion and said third reflecting layer, said third predetermined optical distance being different from said first and second predetermined optical distances by more than 100 nm, respectively,

wherein said arithmetic circuit includes

first deviation detection means for detecting a difference between an electrical signal output from said first light receiving element and that from said second light receiving element;

second deviation detection means for detecting a difference between the electrical signal output from said second light receiving element and that from said third light receiving element, and

ratio detection means for detecting a ratio between the two differences detected by said first and second deviation detection means.

8. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a third light receiving element, said third light receiving element being formed on said substrate and including

a third photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a third infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said third photoelectric conversion portion, and

a third reflecting layer formed on said third infrared transparent insulating layer,

a third optical cavity with a third predetermined optical distance being formed between said third photoelectric conversion portion and said third reflecting layer; and

a fourth light receiving element, said fourth light receiving element being formed on said substrate and including

a fourth photoelectric conversion portion formed on said first major surface of said substrate,

a fourth infrared transparent insulating layer formed on said fourth photoelectric conversion portion, and

a fourth reflecting layer formed on said fourth infrared transparent insulating layer,

a fourth optical cavity with a fourth predetermined optical distance being formed between said fourth photoelectric conversion portion and said fourth reflecting layer,

said third and fourth predetermined optical distances being different from said first and second predetermined optical distances by more than 100 nm, respectively;

wherein said arithmetic circuit includes

first deviation detection means for detecting a difference between an electrical signal output from said first light receiving element and that from said second light receiving element;

second deviation detection means for detecting a difference between an electrical signal output from said third light receiving element and that from said second light receiving element, and

third deviation detection means for detecting a difference between an electrical signal output from said fourth light receiving element and that from said second light receiving element.

9. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a difference in optical distance between said first and second light receiving elements is a result of a difference in thicknesses of insulating layers.

10. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a difference in optical distance between said first and second light receiving elements is a result of a difference in refractive indexes of insulating layers.

11. An infrared solid-state image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a filter for filtering light having a predetermined wavelength.