IMAGE SENSORS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20190319062A1
• Filed: 11/20/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Kwang Hee, LEE, Gae Hwang, YUN, Sung Young, LEEM, Dong-Seok, JIN, Yong Wan
• Granted Patent: US 10,879,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14607 Geometry of the photosensitive area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• 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 27/14652 Multispectral infrared imagers, having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14667 Colour imagers

Abstract

An image sensor may include a photoelectric device configured to selectively absorb light associated with a first color of three primary colors, a semiconductor substrate that is stacked with the photoelectric device and includes first and second photo-sensing devices configured to sense light associated with second and third colors of three primary colors. The first and second photo-sensing devices may have different thicknesses, different depths from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, or different thicknesses and different depths from the surface of the semiconductor substrate. At least one part of a thickness area of the first photo-sensing device may overlap at least one part of a thickness area of the second photo-sensing device in a parallel direction extending substantially parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Claims

1. An image sensor, comprising:

a photoelectric device configured to selectively absorb light associated with a first wavelength spectrum, the first wavelength spectrum associated with a first color of three primary colors;

a semiconductor substrate stacked with the photoelectric device, the semiconductor substrate including

a first photo-sensing device configured to sense light associated with a second wavelength spectrum, the second wavelength spectrum associated with a second color of the three primary colors, and

a second photo-sensing device configured to sense light associated with a third wavelength spectrum, the third wavelength spectrum associated with a third color of the three primary colors;

a first color filter corresponding to the first photo-sensing device, the first color filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with the first wavelength spectrum and light associated with the second wavelength spectrum; and

a second color filter corresponding to the second photo-sensing device, the second color filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with the third wavelength spectrum,

wherein the first color, the second color, and the third color are different from each other,

wherein the first photo-sensing device and the second photo-sensing device have different thicknesses, different depths from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, or different thicknesses and different depths from the surface of the semiconductor substrate,

wherein each photo-sensing device of the first photo-sensing device and the second photo-sensing device includes

an upper surface that is proximate to the surface of the semiconductor substrate,

a lower surface facing the upper surface, the lower surface distal to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and

a thickness area between the upper surface and the lower surface, and

wherein at least one part of the thickness area of the first photo-sensing device overlaps at least one part of the thickness area of the second photo-sensing device in a direction extending substantially parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first photo-sensing device is smaller than or equal to a thickness of the second photo-sensing device.

3. The image sensor of claim 2, wherein

the second wavelength spectrum is a shorter wavelength spectrum than the third wavelength spectrum, and

the thickness of the first photo-sensing device is smaller than the thickness of the second photo-sensing device.

4. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein

the upper surface of the first photo-sensing device and the upper surface of the second photo-sensing device are at different depths from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, or

the lower surface of the first photo-sensing device and the lower surface of the second photo-sensing device are at different depths from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

5. The image sensor of claim 4, wherein

the second color is blue, and

the lower surface of the first photo-sensing device is shallower from the surface of the semiconductor substrate than the lower surface of the second photo-sensing device.

6. The image sensor of claim 5, wherein

the third color is red or green, and

a thickness of the first photo-sensing device is smaller than a thickness of the second photo-sensing device.

7. The image sensor of claim 4, wherein

the second color is green, and

the upper surface of the first photo-sensing device is deeper from the surface of the semiconductor substrate than the upper surface of the second photo-sensing device.

8. The image sensor of claim 7, wherein

the third color is red or blue, and

a thickness of the first photo-sensing device is smaller than a thickness of the second photo-sensing device.

9. The image sensor of claim 4, wherein

the second color is red, and

the upper surface of the first photo-sensing device is deeper from the surface of the semiconductor substrate than the upper surface of the second photo-sensing device.

10. The image sensor of claim 9, wherein

the third color is green, and

a thickness of the first photo-sensing device is smaller than a thickness of the second photo-sensing device.

11. The image sensor of claim 9, wherein

the third color is blue, and

a thickness of the first photo-sensing device is different from a thickness of the second photo-sensing device.

12. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the second color filter is configured to selectively transmit light associated with the third wavelength spectrum.

13. The image sensor of claim 12, wherein the first color filter and the second color filter are between the photoelectric device and the semiconductor substrate.

14. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the second color filter is configured to selectively transmit light associated with the first wavelength spectrum and the third wavelength spectrum.

15. The image sensor of claim 14, wherein the first color filter and the second color filter are between the photoelectric device and the semiconductor substrate.

16. The image sensor of claim 14, wherein the first color filter and the second color filter are on the photoelectric device and the semiconductor substrate, such that the photoelectric device is between the first and second color filters and the semiconductor substrate.

17. The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a focusing lens on the photoelectric device, the focusing lens including

a first focusing lens on the first photo-sensing device, and

a second focusing lens on the second photo-sensing device,

wherein a thickness of the first focusing lens is different from a thickness of the second focusing lens.

27. An electronic device comprising the image sensor of claim 1.

18. An image sensor, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate including a first photo-sensing device and a second photo-sensing device, the first and second photo-sensing devices configured to sense light associated with different wavelength spectra, the different wavelength spectra associated with different colors of three primary colors;

a first color filter corresponding to the first photo-sensing device; and

a second color filter corresponding to the second photo-sensing device,

wherein the first color filter is

a cyan filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with blue and green wavelength spectra,

a magenta filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with blue and red wavelength spectra, or

a yellow filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with red and green wavelength spectra,

wherein the second color filter is

a red filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with a red wavelength spectrum,

a green filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with a green wavelength spectrum, or

a blue filter configured to selectively transmit light associated with a blue wavelength spectrum, and

the first photo-sensing device and the second photo-sensing device have different thicknesses, different depths from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, or different thicknesses and different depths from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

19. The image sensor of claim 18, further comprising:

a photoelectric device stacked with the semiconductor substrate,

wherein the photoelectric device includes

a pair of electrodes facing each other, and

an active layer between the pair of electrodes, the active layer configured to selectively absorb light associated with the green wavelength spectrum, light associated with the red wavelength spectrum, or light associated with the blue wavelength spectrum.

20. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein the first color filter is configured to selectively transmit light associated with a wavelength spectrum absorbed in the active layer.

21. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein

the active layer is configured to selectively absorb light associated with the green wavelength spectrum,

the first color filter is the cyan filter, and

the second color filter is the red filter.

22. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein

the active layer is configured to selectively absorb light associated with the green wavelength spectrum,

the first color filter is the yellow filter, and

the second color filter is the blue filter.

23. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein

the active layer is configured to selectively absorb light associated with the blue wavelength spectrum,

the first color filter is the cyan filter, and

the second color filter is the red filter.

24. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein

the active layer is configured to selectively absorb light associated with the blue wavelength spectrum,

the first color filter is the magenta filter, and

the second color filter is the green filter.

25. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein

the active layer is configured to selectively absorb light associated with the red wavelength spectrum,

the first color filter is the magenta filter, and

the second color filter is the green filter.

26. The image sensor of claim 19, wherein

the active layer is configured to selectively absorb light associated with the red wavelength spectrum,

the first color filter is the yellow filter, and

the second color filter is the blue filter.

28. An electronic device comprising the image sensor of claim 18.

29. An image sensor, comprising:

a photoelectric device configured to selectively absorb light associated with a first wavelength spectrum, the first wavelength spectrum associated with a first color of three primary colors,

a semiconductor substrate stacked with the photoelectric device, the semiconductor substrate including

a first photo-sensing device configured to sense light associated with a second wavelength spectrum, the second wavelength spectrum associated with a second color of the three primary colors, and

a second photo-sensing device configured to sense light associated with a third wavelength spectrum, the third wavelength spectrum associated with a third color of the three primary colors,

wherein the first color, the second color, and the third color are different from each other,

wherein the first photo-sensing device and the second photo-sensing device have different thicknesses, different depths from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, or different thicknesses and different depths from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

30. The image sensor of claim 29, further comprising:

a first color filter corresponding to the first photo-sensing device, the first color filter configured to selectively transmit at least light associated with the second wavelength spectrum.

31. The image sensor of claim 30, wherein the first color filter is between the photoelectric device and the semiconductor substrate.

32. The image sensor of claim 30, wherein the photoelectric device is between the first color filter and the semiconductor substrate.

33. The image sensor of claim 29, wherein the photoelectric device includes

a first photoelectric device corresponding to the first photo-sensing device, and

a second photoelectric device corresponding to the second photo-sensing device, the first and second photoelectric devices configured to selectively absorb light associated with different wavelength spectra.

34. The image sensor of claim 29, wherein the first and second photo-sensing devices are stacked orthogonally in the semiconductor substrate such that the first photo-sensing device is proximate to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in relation to the second photo-sensing device.

35. The image sensor of claim 29, wherein the first wavelength spectrum is an infra-red wavelength spectrum.