Thermal infrared detecting device

• US 6,339,220 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Oda, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gabor, Otilia
• Application Number:
  US09/040,569
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/338.4, 250/332, 250/370.01, 250/370.08
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/09 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation H01L31/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A thermal infrared detecting device includes a lower layer portion having a readout circuit, and an upper layer portion having a bolometer thin film covered with an insulating protective film to perform heat/resistance conversion. The upper layer portion and the lower layer portion are spaced apart from each other while sandwiching a vacuum or sealed gas to form a thermal isolation structure, and also electrically connected to each other through an electrode film formed on the insulating protective film or in the insulating protective film. The bolometer thin film also serves as an infrared absorption film.

Claims

1. A thermal infrared detecting device comprising:

a lower layer portion having a readout circuit;

an upper layer portion having a bolometer thin film covered with an insulating protective film to perform heat/resistive conversion, said bolometer thin film having a resistivity in order of about 1 to 10 mΩ

cm and a thickness of about 500 to 2,000 Å

, and said bolometer thin film consisting essentially of a manganese-based oxide; and

an infrared reflection film formed on said lower layer portion;

wherein said upper layer portion and said lower layer portion are spaced apart from each other while sandwiching a vacuum or sealed gas to form a thermal isolation structure, and also electrically connected to each other through an electrode film formed on or in said insulating protective film or in said insulating protective film; and

wherein a space causing destructive interference of incident infrared frequencies is formed between said bolometer thin film and said infrared reflection film, whereby the infrared frequencies which in the past have caused a destructive interference are absorbed by said bolometer thin film.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a sacrificial layer is formed on said insulating protection layer, and a thermal isolation structure is formed by wet etched said sacrificial layer after formation of said insulating protective layer.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said sacrificial layer is a polysilicon film.

4. A thermal infrared detecting device comprising:

a lower layer portion having a readout circuit; and

an upper layer portion having a bolometer thin film covered with an insulating protective film to perform heat/resistive conversion, said bolometer thin film having a resistivity in the order of about 1 to 10 mΩ

cm and a thickness of about 500 to 2,000 Å

, and said bolometer thin film consisting essentially of a vanadium compound; and

an infrared reflection film formed on said lower layer portion;

wherein said upper layer portion and said lower layer portion are spaced apart from each other while sandwiching a vacuum or sealed gas to form a thermal isolation structure, and also electrically connected to each other through an electrode film formed in or on said insulating protective film formed on said insulating protective film, and

wherein a space causing destructive interference of incident infrared frequencies is formed between said bolometer thin film and said infrared reflection film, whereby the infrared frequencies which in the past have caused a destructive interference are absorbed by said bolometer thin film.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein a sacrificial layer is formed on said insulating protection layer, and a thermal isolation structure is formed by wet etched said sacrificial layer after formation of said insulating protective layer.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said sacrificial layer is a polysilicon film.