Infrared detector and method of making the infrared detector

• US 6,552,344 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tomohiro, Sone, Takanori, Nakaki, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US09/631,988
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/338.4, 250/332
• US Class Current: 250/338.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/10 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices

Abstract

An infrared detector includes an optical cavity structure with an infrared reflection film on a semiconductor substrate. The infrared reflection film and an infrared absorption film provide high efficiency infrared detection.

Claims

1. An infrared detector for detecting absorbed infrared rays by converting the infrared rays into heat, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a surface and a heat insulation section at the surface;

a heat detection section located in the heat insulation section;

an infrared ray absorption film disposed substantially parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; and

an infrared ray reflection film supported by the semiconductor substrate and located on opposite sides of the heat detection section, wherein infrared rays transmitted through the infrared ray absorption film are reflected by the infrared ray reflection film into the infrared ray absorption film.

2. The infrared detector of claim 1, wherein an optical distance between the infrared ray absorption film and the infrared ray reflection film is about onequarter of a center wavelength of the infrared rays absorbed by the infrared ray absorption film.

3. The infrared detector of claim 1, including an electrically insulating film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the infrared ray reflection film is located on a surface of the electrically insulating film.

4. The infrared detector of claim 1, including an electrically insulating film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the infrared ray reflection film is located within the electrically insulating film.

5. The infrared detector of claim 4, wherein the infrared ray reflection film includes a metal layer formed simultaneously with a wiring metal layer of the infrared detector.

6. The infrared detector of claim 1, wherein the infrared absorption section including the infrared ray absorption film has a substantially plate-like shape and a support section fixing the infrared ray absorption film to the semiconductor substrate at the heat insulation section.

7. The infrared detector of claim 6, wherein the support section supports convex parts of the infrared ray absorption section.

8. The infrared detector of claim 7, including a spacer section located between the support section and the heat insulation section, and wherein an optical distance between the infrared ray absorption film in the infrared ray absorption section and the infrared ray reflection film is about one-quarter of a center wavelength of the infrared rays to be absorbed.

9. The infrared detector of claim 6, comprising a plurality of support sections.

10. The infrared detector of claim 1, wherein the infrared ray absorption film includes one material selected from the group consisting of chromium, nichrome, titanium nitride, and vanadium nitride.

11. The infrared detector of claim 1, wherein the infrared ray reflection film includes one material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, compounds of aluminum and titanium, copper, and gold.

12. A method of producing an infrared detector for detecting absorbed infrared rays by converting the infrared rays into heat, comprising:

forming a wiring layer and a heat detection section connected to the wiring layer and supported by a semiconductor substrate;

covering the wiring layer and the heat detection section with an insulating film;

forming an infrared ray reflection film on the insulating film;

forming a sacrificial film on the infrared ray reflection film, and forming an opening in the sacrificial film opposite the heat detection section;

forming, over the sacrificial film and in the opening, an infrared ray absorption section including an infrared ray absorption film;

removing the sacrificial film; and

forming, opposite the heat detection section, in the semiconductor substrate, a hollow section by etching the semiconductor substrate.

13. The method of producing an infrared detector of claim 12, further comprising forming a protective insulating film between the infrared ray reflection film and the sacrificial film.

15. The method of producing an infrared detector of claim 12, wherein the sacrificial film has a thickness selected such that an optical distance between the infrared ray reflection film and the infrared ray absorption film, sandwiching the sacrificial film, is about one quarter of a center wavelength of infrared rays to be absorbed by the infrared ray absorption film.

14. A method of producing an infrared detector for detecting absorbed infrared rays by converting the infrared rays into heat, comprising:

forming a metal layer supported by a semiconductor substrate, and forming a wiring layer and an infrared ray reflection film separated from the wiring layer by patterning the metal layer;

forming a heat detection section connected to the wiring layer, and covering the heat detection section with an insulating film;

forming a sacrificial film on the infrared ray reflection film, and forming an opening in the sacrificial film opposite the insulating film, thereby exposing the insulating film;

forming, on the sacrificial film and in the opening, an infrared ray absorption section including an infrared ray absorption film;

removing the sacrificial film; and

forming, opposite the heat detection section, in the semiconductor substrate, a hollow section by etching the semiconductor substrate.

16. The method of producing an infrared detector of claim 14, wherein the sacrificial film has a thickness selected such that an optical distance between the infrared ray reflection film and the infrared ray absorption film, sandwiching the sacrificial film, is about one quarter of a center wavelength of infrared rays to be absorbed by the infrared ray absorption film.

17. An infrared detector for detecting absorbed infrared rays by converting the infrared rays into heat, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a surface and a hollow section at the surface;

a heat detection section opposite the hollow section;

an infrared ray reflection film supported by the semiconductor substrate;

a support section at the heat detection section and extending away from the semiconductor substrate;

an infrared ray absorption film supported by the support section and spaced from the infrared ray reflection film; and

an air layer between the infrared ray absorption film and the infrared ray reflection film so that infrared rays transmitted through the infrared ray absorption film are reflected by the infrared ray reflection film into the infrared ray absorption film through the air layer.

18. The infrared detector as claimed in claim 17, including an electrically insulating film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the infrared ray reflection film is disposed on a surface of the electrically insulating film.

19. The infrared detector as claimed in claim 17, including an electrically insulating film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the infrared ray reflection film is embedded within the electrically insulating film.

20. The infrared detector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the support section includes a convex portion of the infrared ray absorption film.