Method of fabricating silicon/dielectric multi-layer semiconductor structures using layer transfer technology and also a three-dimensional multi-layer semiconductor device and stacked layer type image sensor using the same method, and a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional multi-layer semiconductor device and the stack type image sensor

• US 7,977,145 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanvision Co., Ltd., Lumiense Photonics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hanvision Co., Ltd., Lumiense Photonics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hannebauer, Robert Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber; Charles D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Junge; Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US12/045,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20080160723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 438/57, 438 68- 70, 438 73- 75, 438455-459, 438/64, 438/67, 438/108
• US Class Current: 438/74
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30 Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 manufacture of electrodes thereon H01L21/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76254 with separation/delamination along an ion implanted layer, e.g. Smart-cut, Unibond
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1464 Back illuminated imager structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14692 Thin film technologies, e.g. amorphous, poly, micro- or nanocrystalline silicon

Abstract

Fabrication of a three-dimensional semiconductor structure is provided by the present disclosure. A buffer oxide film, a nitride film, and an ONO dielectric layer are formed on a handle wafer. A semiconductor layer and an oxide film are formed on a donor wafer, which is turned over and is then bonded to a handle wafer. Silicon of the donor wafer is then removed. In the same manner, blue, green, and red diode layers, and a transistor layer are sequentially formed. A metal layer is formed on the transistor layer. Inter-elements contact and pixel separation processes are performed and a support layer is bonded. The whole device is turned over and the nitride film is etched using an etch-stop layer, thus removing the handle wafer. After the elements are separated, packaging is performed to complete the device. Therefore, a back illuminated image sensor of a multi-layer structure can be provided.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device of a silicon and dielectric multilayer structure, the method comprising:

a handle wafer preparation step of forming an etch-stop layer and a dielectric layer on a handle wafer;

a donor wafer preparation step of forming an oxide layer and a semiconductor layer for the semiconductor device in a donor wafer, the semiconductor layer being formed below the oxide film, and preparing the donor wafer for layer transfer;

a layer transfer step of turning over the donor wafer, bonding the turned-over donor wafer to a top surface of the handle wafer, and removing a silicon layer of the remaining donor wafer except for the semiconductor layer through layer transfer;

a dielectric layer formation step of forming a dielectric layer on a top surface of the handle wafer after the layer transfer step;

a multi-layer structure formation step of repeating the donor wafer preparation step, the layer transfer step, and the dielectric layer formation step, thus forming silicon/dielectric layers in a multi-layer structure;

a pixel separation and contact step of forming the highest layer of the semiconductor layer as a transistor layer, completing transistors, allowing the transistors to bring in contact with semiconductor layers of an underlying multi-layer structure, separating pixels in the semiconductor layer of the multi-layer structure, and forming a metal layer and solder bumps on an upper surface;

a support layer preparation step of preparing a support layer and forming an oxide film and a metal layer on the support layer in which circuits are patterned on the support layer;

a support layer bonding step of turning over the support layer and aligning and bonding the solder bumps and the metal layer;

and a handle wafer removing step of turning over the support layer so that the support layer is located at a lower side, etching the handle wafer using an etch-stop layer, removing the etch-stop layer, and then performing dicing and packaging;

wherein in the semiconductor layer of the multi-layer structure, a transistor layer is formed at one or more photodiode layers and the highest layer, thus forming an image sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handle wafer preparation step comprises a buffer oxide film formation step of forming a thick buffer oxide film in the handle wafer and forming a nitride film as the etch-stop layer on the buffer oxide film.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising an edge sealing step after the support substrate bonding step.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the semiconductor device of the silicon and dielectric multi-layer structure, the semiconductor layer of the highest layer is formed to have a MOS semiconductor structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the MOS semiconductor includes a transistor fabricated using a bulk semiconductor process.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the MOS semiconductor includes a SOI Si transistor that is partially or entirely depleted.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the MOS semiconductor includes a Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET) that is isolated by dielectric.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the MOS semiconductor includes either a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) that is isolated by dielectric or a flip-fet transistor that is isolated by dielectric.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the transistor includes a transistor having four kinds of terminals, including a source, a drain, a top side gate, and a back side gate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the donor wafer preparation step comprises forming the semiconductor layer by forming a diode layer on the donor wafer and implanting hydrogen ions at a predetermined depth under the oxide layer.