Color image pickup device and color light-receiving device

• US 20030209651A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,129,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• 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 31/101 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/103 comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/152 the wide bandgap semiconductor comprising zinc oxide, e.g. ZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/211 comprising multiple junctions, e.g. double heterojunctions
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/57 comprising multiple junctions, e.g. tandem PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/65 Light-sensitive field-effect devices, e.g. phototransistors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 39/32 Organic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/324 comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/622 containing four rings, e.g. pyrene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/652 Cyanine dyes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

The present invention provides a light-receiving device comprising, on a substrate, a first light-receiving part for detecting light of a first wavelength range, and a second light-receiving part for detecting light of a second wavelength range, wherein at least a part of incident light is transmitted through the first light-receiving part and then received by the second light-receiving part, and wherein the central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than the central wavelength of the second wavelength range.

Claims

1. A light-receiving device comprising, on a substrate, a first light-receiving part for detecting light of a first wavelength range, and a second light-receiving part for detecting light of a second wavelength range, wherein the device has a structure that at least a part of incident light is transmitted through the first light-receiving part and then received by the second-light receiving part, and wherein a central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than a central wavelength of the second wavelength range.

2. The light-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein a quantum efficiency curve of the first light-receiving part has a maximum value at a wavelength ranging from 500 to 600 nm.

3. The light-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the first light-receiving part is composed of an organic semiconductor.

4. The light-receiving device according to claim 3, wherein the organic semiconductor is merocyanine.

5. The light-receiving device according to claim 3, wherein a mobility of the organic semiconductor is in a range of from 0.001 to 1 cm²/Vs.

6. A light-receiving device comprising, on a substrate, a first light-receiving part for detecting light of a first wavelength range, a second light-receiving part for detecting light of a second wavelength range, and a third light-receiving part for detecting light of a third wavelength range, wherein the device has a structure that at least a part of incident light is transmitted through the first light-receiving part and then received by the second light receiving part or third light receiving part, and wherein a central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than a central wavelength of the second wavelength range and shorter than a central wavelength of the third wavelength range.

7. The light-receiving device according to claim 6, wherein the quantum efficiency curve of the first light-receiving part has a maximum value at a wavelength ranging from 500 to 600 nm, and both transmittances of wavelengths of 450 nm and 650 nm are 50% or more.

8. The light-receiving device according to claim 6, wherein a blue light-receiving part, a green light-receiving part and a red light-receiving part are stacked, and the first light-receiving part on a side of entrance of light is the green light-receiving part.

9. The light-receiving device according to claim 6, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate, the first light-receiving part is composed of an organic semiconductor, and the second and third light-receiving parts are formed in the silicon substrate.

10. The light-receiving device according to claim 9, wherein the second light-receiving part and the third light-receiving part are arranged at locations of different depths in the silicon substrate.

11. The light-receiving device according to claim 10, wherein the second light-receiving part is arranged at a depth of about 0.15 micron from a surface of the silicon substrate, and the third light-receiving part is arranged at a depth of about 1.5 micron from the surface of the silicon substrate.

12. The light-receiving device according to claim 8, wherein the green light-receiving part absorbs green light and allows red light and blue light to transmit therethrough, and the red light and blue light are received by the second and third light-receiving parts.

13. An image pickup device comprising a plurality of light-receiving devices each comprising a first light-receiving part for detecting light of a first wavelength range and a second light-receiving part for detecting light of a second wavelength range, wherein each light-receiving device has a structure that at least a part of incident light is transmitted through the first light-receiving part and then received by the second light-receiving part, and wherein a central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than a central wavelength of the second wavelength range.

14. The light-receiving device according to claim 13, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate, and signals detected in the first light-receiving part and the second light-receiving part are amplified by an amplifier placed on the silicon substrate.

15. The light-receiving device according to claim 13, wherein signals detected in the first light-receiving part and the second light-receiving part are charge-transferred by a charge transfer part placed on the silicon substrate.

16. An image pickup device copmrising a plurality of light-receiving devices each comprising a first light-receiving part for detecting light of a first wavelength range, a second light-receiving part for detecting light of a second wavelength range, and a third light-receiving part for detecting light of a third wavelength range, wherein at least a part of incident light is transmitted through the first light-receiving part and then received by the second light-receiving part or the third light-receiving part, and wherein a central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than a central wavelength of the second wavelength range and shorter than a central wavelength of the third wavelength range.

17. A light-receiving device comprising a first plane area for detecting light of a first wavelength range, the first plane area being formed on a substrate, and a second plane area for detecting light of second and third wavelength ranges, wherein a part for detecting light of the second wavelength range and a part for detecting light of the third wavelength range are stacked in the second plane area.

18. The light-receiving device according to claim 17, wherein at least a part of incident light is transmitted through the light-receiving part for detecting light of the second wavelength range and then received by the light-receiving part for detecting light of the third wavelength range, and wherein a central wavelength of the second wavelength range is longer than a central wavelength of the third wavelength range.

19. The light-receiving device according to claim 17, wherein the first plane area and the second plane area are placed in a checker arrangement or enclosed arrangement.

20. The light-receiving device according to claim 17, wherein a central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than one of central wavelengths of the second and third wavelength ranges and shorter than the other.

21. The light-receiving device according to claim 17, wherein the first wavelength range corresponds to green, the second wavelength range corresponds to red, and the third wavelength range corresponds to blue.

22. The light-receiving device according to claim 17, wherein the part for detecting light of the first wavelength range is composed of an organic semiconductor.

23. The light-receiving device according to claim 22, wherein a color filter is placed in the second area.

24. The light-receiving device according to claim 23, wherein the organic semiconductor constituting the part for detecting light of the first wavelength range and the color filter placed in the second area have the same material.

25. The light-receiving device according to claim 22, wherein a mobility of the organic semiconductor is in a range of 0.001 to 1 cm²/Vs.

26. The light-receiving device according to claim 17, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate, and the light-receiving device has parts for detecting light of the second and third wavelength ranges, arranged in the second area of the silicon substrate, a wiring layer placed on the silicon substrate, and a part for detecting light of the first wavelength range, arranged in the first area on the wiring layer.

27. The light-receiving device according to claim 26, wherein the parts for detecting light of the second and third wavelength ranges-are arranged at locations of different depths in the silicon substrate.

28. An image pickup device comprising a plurality of light-receiving devices each comprising a light-receiving device comprising a first plane area for detecting light of a first wavelength range, the first plane area being formed on a substrate, and a second plane area for detecting light of second and third wavelength ranges, wherein a part for detecting light of the second wavelength range and a part for detecting light of the third wavelength range are stacked in the second plane area.

29. The image pickup device according to claim 28, wherein a central wavelength of the first wavelength range is longer than one of central wavelengths of the second and third wavelength ranges and shorter than the other.

30. The image pickup device according to claim 28, further comprising a transistor or a charge-coupled device in the first area of the silicon substrate.

31. The image pickup device according to claim 28, wherein signals detected in the parts for detecting light of the first, second and third wavelength ranges are amplified by an amplifier provided on the silicon substrate.

32. The image pickup device according to claim 28, wherein signals detected in the parts for detecting light of the first, second and third wavelength ranges are charge-transferred by a charge transfer part provided on the silicon substrate.