Visible-light blocking member, infrared sensor including the visible-light blocking member, and liquid crystal display device including the infrared sensor

• US 8,325,302 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Cho, Byeong-Hoon, Yang, Sung-Hoon, Yoon, Kap-Soo, Jeong, Ki-Hun, Jeon, Kyung-Sook, Kim, Woong-Kwon, Han, Sang-Youn, Kim, Dae-Cheol, Bang, Jung-Suk
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Phu
• Application Number:
  US12/722,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 349/117, 349/129
• US Class Current: 349/117
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 28/00 Alloys based on a metal not provided for in groups C22C5/00 - C22C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0209 Monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0219 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13312 Circuits comprising photodetectors for purposes other than feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

In a visible-light blocking member, an infrared sensor including the visible-light blocking member, and a liquid crystal display including the infrared sensor, a visible-light blocking member is a structure including amorphous germanium or a compound of amorphous germanium and has higher transmittance for a wavelength of an infrared ray region than for a wavelength of a visible light region. Accordingly, sensitivity to infrared rays may be increased by applying the visible-light blocking member to the infrared sensor.

Claims

1. A visible-light blocking member as a structure, comprising amorphous germanium or a compound of amorphous germanium having higher transmittance for a wavelength of an infrared ray region than for a wavelength of a visible light region,

wherein the structure comprises at least one of an amorphous germanium thin film and an amorphous silicon germanium thin film,

wherein the structure comprises the amorphous silicon germanium thin film, and

wherein the amorphous silicon germanium thin film comprises germanium at 20 at % to 70 at %.

2. The visible-light blocking member of claim 1, wherein the structure thickness is in a range of 500 Å

to 4000 Å

.

3. The visible-light blocking member of claim 2, wherein

the structure further comprises at least one amorphous silicon thin film.

4. The visible-light blocking member of claim 2, wherein

the structure further comprises at least one micro-crystalline silicon thin film.

5. The visible-light blocking member of claim 2, wherein

the structure further comprises an assistance thin film that reduces transmittance in the visible light region.

6. The visible-light blocking member of claim 5, wherein

the assistance thin film comprises a metal or a metal oxide.

7. The visible-light blocking member of claim 5, wherein

the assistance thin film comprises silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

8. An infrared sensor, comprising:

a visible-light blocking member as a structure comprising amorphous germanium or a compound of amorphous germanium having higher transmittance for a wavelength of an infrared ray region than for a wavelength of a visible light region;

an insulating layer disposed under the visible-light blocking member;

an active layer overlapping with the visible-light blocking member and disposed under the insulating layer;

an ohmic contact layer disposed under the active layer;

a source electrode disposed under the ohmic contact layer;

a drain electrode separated from the source electrode and disposed under the ohmic contact layer;

a gate insulating layer disposed under the active layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and

a gate electrode overlapping with the active layer and disposed under the gate insulating layer.

9. The infrared sensor of claim 8, wherein

the structure comprises at least one of an amorphous germanium thin film and an amorphous silicon germanium thin film.

10. The infrared sensor of claim 9, wherein the structure comprises the amorphous silicon germanium thin film, and

the amorphous silicon germanium thin film comprises germanium at 20 at % to 70 at %.

11. The infrared sensor of claim 9, wherein

the structure comprises a dual thin film structure comprising the amorphous germanium thin film and the amorphous silicon germanium thin film.

12. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

a lower panel comprising a pixel transistor;

a liquid crystal layer disposed on the lower panel; and

an upper panel comprising at least one infrared sensor disposed on the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the infrared sensor comprises a visible-light blocking member as a structure comprising amorphous germanium or a compound of amorphous germanium having higher transmittance for a wavelength of an infrared ray region than for a wavelength of a visible light region.

13. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein

the upper panel further comprises at least one visible-light sensor.

14. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein

the infrared sensor further comprises:

an insulating layer disposed under the visible-light blocking member;

an active layer overlapping with the visible-light blocking member and disposed under the insulating layer;

an ohmic contact layer disposed under the active layer;

a source electrode disposed under the ohmic contact layer;

a drain electrode separated from the source electrode and disposed under the ohmic contact layer;

a gate insulating layer disposed under the active layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and

a gate electrode overlapping with the active layer and disposed under the gate insulating layer.

15. The liquid crystal display of claim 12, wherein

the structure comprises at least one of an amorphous germanium thin film and an amorphous silicon germanium thin film.

16. The liquid crystal display of claim 15, wherein the structure comprises the amorphous silicon germanium thin film, and

the amorphous silicon germanium thin film comprises germanium at 20 at % to 70 at %.

17. The liquid crystal display of claim 15, wherein

the structure comprises a dual thin film structure comprising the amorphous germanium thin film and the amorphous silicon germanium thin film.

18. A visible-light blocking member as a structure, comprising amorphous germanium or a compound of amorphous germanium having higher transmittance for a wavelength of an infrared ray region than for a wavelength of a visible light region,

wherein the structure comprises a dual thin film structure comprising an amorphous germanium thin film and an amorphous silicon germanium thin film.