Semiconductor device

• US 8,716,712 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kozuma, Munehiro, Kurokawa, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENAD, CHRISTINE A
• Application Number:
  US13/027,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20110204371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 257/59, 257/84, 257/E27.133, 345/175
• US Class Current: 257/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14603 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address-lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14607 Geometry of the photosensitive area
• 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 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers

Abstract

An object of the invention is to improve the accuracy of light detection in a photosensor, and to increase the light-receiving area of the photosensor. The photosensor includes: a light-receiving element which converts light into an electric signal; a first transistor which transfers the electric signal; and a second transistor which amplifies the electric signal. The light-receiving element includes a silicon semiconductor, and the first transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The light-receiving element is a lateral-junction photodiode, and an n-region or a p-region included in the light-receiving element overlaps with the first transistor.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a light-receiving element configured to convert light into an electric signal;

an insulating film over the light-receiving element;

a first transistor configured to transfer the electric signal, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to an output terminal of the light-receiving element;

a second transistor configured to amplify the transferred electric signal, a gate of the second transistor being electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor; and

a third transistor configured to control reading of an output signal generated by the second transistor, one of a source and a drain of the third transistor being electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor,

wherein the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer comprising the source and the drain,

wherein the entire oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the insulating film and overlaps with the insulating film,

wherein a gate of the third transistor extends over the light-receiving element, and

wherein the first transistor is provided over the second transistor with the insulating film provided therebetween.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first transistor has an off-current of 10 aA/μ

m or less.

3. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light-receiving element and a channel formation region of the second transistor are made from a same semiconductor layer.

4. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light-receiving element and the second transistor comprise silicon.

5. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light-receiving element, a channel formation region of the second transistor, and a channel formation region of the third transistor are made from a same semiconductor layer.

6. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth transistor configured to control reset of a gate potential of the second transistor;

wherein a channel formation region of the fourth transistor is made from a same layer as a channel formation region of the first transistor.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a wiring provided over a light-receiving portion of the light-receiving element,

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the insulating film is provided over the light-receiving element and the second transistor.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a wiring,

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material, is provided over the light-receiving element, and is electrically connected to the gate of the third transistor.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a photodiode comprising a semiconductor film provided on a surface, the semiconductor film comprising an n-region and a p-region each in contact with the surface;

an insulating film over the photodiode;

a first transistor configured to transfer an electric signal generated by the photodiode, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to an output terminal of the photodiode;

a second transistor configured to amplify the transferred electric signal, a gate of the second transistor being electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor; and

a third transistor configured to control reading of an output signal generated by the second transistor, one of a source and a drain of the third transistor being electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor,

wherein the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer comprising the source and the drain and overlaps with one of the n-region and the p-region of the photodiode when seen from above,

wherein the entire oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the insulating film and overlaps with the insulating film,

wherein a gate of the third transistor extends over the p-region of the semiconductor film, and

wherein the first transistor is provided over the second transistor with the insulating film provided therebetween.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the n-region, the p-region and a channel formation region of the second transistor are made from the same semiconductor layer.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the photodiode and the second transistor comprise silicon.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the n-region, the p-region, a channel formation region of the second transistor, and a channel formation region of the third transistor are made from a same semiconductor layer.

14. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising a fourth transistor configured to control reset of a gate potential of the second transistor;

wherein a channel formation region of the fourth transistor is made from a same layer as a channel formation region of the first transistor.

15. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising a wiring provided over the photodiode,

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material.

16. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising a wiring,

wherein the photodiode is a lateral junction PIN photodiode,

wherein the semiconductor film comprises an i-region in contact with the surface, and

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material, is provided over the i-region of the semiconductor film, and is electrically connected to the gate of the third transistor.

17. A semiconductor device comprising:

a light-receiving element configured to convert light into an electric signal;

an insulating film over the light-receiving element;

a first transistor, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to an output terminal of the light-receiving element;

a second transistor, a gate of the second transistor being electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor; and

a third transistor, one of a source and a drain of the third transistor being electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor,

wherein the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer comprising the source and the drain,

wherein the entire oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the insulating film and overlaps with the insulating film,

wherein a gate of the third transistor extends over the light-receiving element, and

wherein the first transistor is provided over the second transistor with the insulating film provided therebetween.

18. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the first transistor has an off-current of 10 aA/μ

m or less.

19. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the light-receiving element and a channel formation region of the second transistor are made from a same semiconductor layer.

20. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the light-receiving element and the second transistor comprise silicon.

21. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the light-receiving element, a channel formation region of the second transistor, and a channel formation region of the third transistor are made from a same semiconductor layer.

22. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising a fourth transistor, one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor being electrically connected to the gate of the second transistor;

wherein a channel formation region of the fourth transistor is made from a same layer as a channel formation region of the first transistor.

23. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising a wiring provided over a light-receiving portion of the light-receiving element,

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material.

24. A semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising a wiring,

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material, is provided over the light-receiving element, and is electrically connected to the gate of the third transistor.

25. A semiconductor device comprising:

a photodiode comprising a semiconductor film provided on a surface, the semiconductor film comprising an n-region and a p-region each in contact with the surface;

an insulating film over the photodiode;

a first transistor, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to an output terminal of the photodiode;

a second transistor, a gate of the second transistor being electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor; and

a third transistor, one of a source and a drain of the third transistor being electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor,

wherein the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer comprising the source and the drain and overlaps with one of the n-region and the p-region of the photodiode when seen from above,

wherein the entire oxide semiconductor layer is provided over the insulating film and overlaps with the insulating film,

wherein a gate of the third transistor extends over the p-region of the semiconductor film, and

wherein the first transistor is provided over the second transistor with the insulating film provided therebetween.

26. A semiconductor device according to claim 25, wherein the n-region, the p-region and a channel formation region of the second transistor are made from the same semiconductor layer.

27. A semiconductor device according to claim 25, wherein the photodiode and the second transistor comprise silicon.

28. A semiconductor device according to claim 25, wherein the n-region, the p-region, a channel formation region of the second transistor, and a channel formation region of the third transistor are made from a same semiconductor layer.

29. A semiconductor device according to claim 25, further comprising a fourth transistor, one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor being electrically connected to the gate of the second transistor;

wherein a channel formation region of the fourth transistor is made from a same layer as a channel formation region of the first transistor.

30. A semiconductor device according to claim 25, further comprising a wiring provided over a light-receiving portion of the photodiode,

wherein the wiring comprises a light-transmitting material.