Semiconductor device

• US 9,196,648 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• 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): ENAD, CHRISTINE A
• Application Number:
  US14/253,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/59, 257/84, 257/444, 257/448, 257/458, 257/461, 257/614, 257/615
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 comprising a first conductive region and a second conductive region;

a first transistor being provided over the light-receiving element with an insulating film provided therebetween, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to one of the first conductive region and the second conductive region of the light-receiving element; and

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,

wherein a channel formation region of the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer, and

wherein one of the first conductive region and the second conductive region and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other, and the other of the first conductive region and the second conductive region and the oxide semiconductor layer do not overlap with each other.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light-receiving element comprises silicon.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light-receiving element comprises a photodiode.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a channel formation region of the second transistor comprises silicon.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the light-receiving element is configured to convert light into an electric signal,

wherein the first transistor is configured to transfer the electric signal, and

wherein the second transistor is configured to amplify the transferred electric signal.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a third transistor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an off-current per micrometer of a channel width of the first transistor is 10 aA/μ

m.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a light-receiving element comprising a first conductive region and a second conductive region;

a first transistor being provided over the light-receiving element with an insulating film provided therebetween, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to one of the first conductive region and the second conductive region of the light-receiving element; and

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,

wherein a channel formation region of the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer,

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

wherein one of the first conductive region and the second conductive region and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other, and the other of the first conductive region and the second conductive region and the oxide semiconductor layer do not overlap with each other.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the light-receiving element comprises silicon.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein the light-receiving element comprises a photodiode.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein a channel formation region of the second transistor comprises silicon.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein the light-receiving element is configured to convert light into an electric signal,

wherein the first transistor is configured to transfer the electric signal, and

wherein the second transistor is configured to amplify the transferred electric signal.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, further comprising a third transistor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein an off-current per micrometer of a channel width of the first transistor is 10 aA/μ

m.

15. A semiconductor device comprising:

a light-receiving element comprising an n-region and a p-region;

a first transistor being provided over the light-receiving element with an insulating film provided therebetween, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to one of the n-region and the p-region of the light-receiving element; and

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,

wherein a channel formation region of the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer,

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

wherein one of the n-region and the p-region and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other, and the other of the n-region and the p-region and the oxide semiconductor layer do not overlap with each other.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein the light-receiving element comprises silicon.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein the light-receiving element comprises a photodiode.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein a channel formation region of the second transistor comprises silicon.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 15,

wherein the light-receiving element is configured to convert light into an electric signal,

wherein the first transistor is configured to transfer the electric signal, and

wherein the second transistor is configured to amplify the transferred electric signal.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, further comprising a third transistor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein an off-current per micrometer of a channel width of the first transistor is 10 aA/μ

m.