Solid-state imaging device

• US 9,059,055 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Konno, Yusaku, Yabuki, Moto, Okada, Naotada
• Primary Examiner(s): Landau, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHBAHIAN, ERIC K
• Application Number:
  US13/759,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20130200480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 257/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14607 Geometry of the photosensitive area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a first structure part, a second structure part, and a third structure part. The first structure part includes a first insulating body and a first photoelectric conversion part. The first photoelectric conversion part is periodically disposed in the first insulating body and selectively absorbs light in the first wavelength band. The second structure part includes a second insulating body and a second photoelectric conversion part. The second photoelectric conversion part is periodically disposed in the second insulating body and selectively absorbs light in the second wavelength band. The third structure part includes a third photoelectric conversion part. The third photoelectric conversion part absorbs light in a third wavelength band. When viewed in the light incidence direction, the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part are disposed in this order.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a first structure part including a first insulating body and a first photoelectric conversion part, the first photoelectric conversion part being periodically disposed in the first insulating body, the first photoelectric conversion part having a shape corresponding to a first wavelength band, the first photoelectric conversion part selectively absorbing light in the first wavelength band due to a waveguide effect;

a second structure part including a second insulating body and a second photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part being periodically disposed in the second insulating body, the second photoelectric conversion part having a shape corresponding to a second wavelength band, the second photoelectric conversion part selectively absorbing light in the second wavelength band due to the waveguide effect, the second wavelength band being different from the first wavelength band; and

a third structure part including a third photoelectric conversion part, the third photoelectric conversion part absorbing light in a third wavelength band, the third wavelength band being different from the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band,

wherein;

when viewed in the light incidence direction, the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part are disposed in this order;

an arrangement period of the first photoelectric conversion part is the same as an arrangement period of the second photoelectric conversion part;

a size of the first photoelectric conversion part is different from a size of the second photoconversion part and a size of the third photoelectric conversion part; and

the size of the second photoelectric conversion part is different from the size of the third photoelectric conversion part.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first photoelectric conversion part and the second photoelectric conversion part each have a pillar shape, and

a longitudinal direction of the pillar shape is parallel to the incidence direction.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a cylindrical shape.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a conical shape.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a prismatic shape.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a pyramid-like shape.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a cylindrical shape, and

a diameter of the cylindrical shape of the second photoelectric conversion part is 1.5 times as large as a diameter of the cylindrical shape of the first photoelectric conversion part.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a cylindrical shape, and

a diameter of the cylindrical shape of the first photoelectric conversion part is 0.06 micrometer, and a height of the cylindrical shape of the first photoelectric conversion part is 1.4 micrometer.

9. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the pillar shape is a cylindrical shape, and

a diameter of the cylindrical shape of the second photoelectric conversion part is 0.09 micrometer, and a height of the cylindrical shape of the second photoelectric conversion part is 3.0 micrometer.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first photoelectric conversion part and the second photoelectric conversion part is squarely disposed.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first photoelectric conversion part and the second photoelectric conversion part is hexagonally disposed.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first photoelectric conversion part and the second photoelectric conversion part has a plate-like shape and is disposed in a stripe manner, and

a normal direction of a surface of the plate-like shape is orthogonal to the incidence direction.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first photoelectric conversion part and the second photoelectric conversion part has a plate-like shape and is disposed crosswise, and

a normal direction of a surface of the plate-like shape is orthogonal to the incidence direction.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the third photoelectric conversion part has a bulk structure.

15. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a transparent electrode, the transparent electrode transmitting an electric signal from each of the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part, the transparent electrode having translucency to the light,

the transparent electrode being disposed so as to sandwich the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part in the incidence direction.

16. The device according to claim 12, further comprising an electrode, the electrode transmitting an electric signal from each of the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part, the electrode having translucency to the light,

the electrode being disposed on both sides orthogonal to a surface of the plate-like shape.

17. The device according to claim 13, further comprising an electrode, the electrode transmitting an electric signal from each of the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part, the electrode having translucency to the light,

the electrode being disposed on both sides orthogonal to a surface of the plate-like shape.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first wavelength band is a wavelength band of not less than 0.40 micrometer and less than 0.50 micrometer,

the second wavelength band is a wavelength band of not less than 0.50 micrometer and less than 0.60 micrometer, and

the third wavelength band is a wavelength band of not less than 0.60 micrometer and less than 0.70 micrometer.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first photoelectric conversion part, the second photoelectric conversion part, and the third photoelectric conversion part each are formed of a semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and germanium.