JP5320483B2 - Solid-state imaging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device, and more particularly to a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device. This solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate and a light receiving portion formed on the surface layer thereof. The light from the imaging target that has entered the back surface of the semiconductor substrate (the surface opposite to the side where the light receiving portion is provided) is photoelectrically converted inside the semiconductor substrate. And a to-be-photographed body is imaged because a light-receiving part receives the signal charge which generate | occur | produced by it.

  In addition, as a prior art document relevant to this invention, patent documents 2-4 are mentioned other than the said document.

JP 2002-33469 A JP 2003-338615 A JP 2004-153175 A JP 2005-110896 A

  However, the solid-state imaging device described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of sensitivity. One reason for the decrease in the sensitivity of such a solid-state imaging device is that a part of the signal charge generated inside the semiconductor substrate disappears due to recombination before reaching the light receiving portion formed on the surface layer of the semiconductor substrate. Is mentioned.

  In this regard, it is also conceivable to thin the semiconductor substrate so that the signal charge can easily reach the light receiving portion. However, reducing the thickness of the semiconductor substrate leads to a decrease in mechanical strength of the semiconductor substrate and thus the solid-state imaging device.

A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate having a first specific resistance, and a semiconductor layer provided on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and having a second specific resistance smaller than the first specific resistance. A light receiving portion provided in the semiconductor layer, and transmits light from an imaging target incident on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate to the inside of the semiconductor substrate or the semiconductor layer. The photoelectric conversion is performed inside, the charge generated by the photoelectric conversion is received by the light receiving unit, the image pickup object is imaged, and a plurality of the light receiving units are provided in one continuous semiconductor layer, The semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor layer are made of silicon, and at least the entire region of the surface of the light receiving portion on the semiconductor substrate side is in contact with the semiconductor layer .

  In this solid-state imaging device, a semiconductor substrate having a specific resistance larger than that of the semiconductor layer provided with the light receiving portion is used. For this reason, among the hole-electron pairs generated by photoelectric conversion, the diffusion length (Debye length) of electrons (signal charges) contributing as signals can be increased. Thereby, the signal charge easily reaches the light receiving portion. Therefore, it is possible to improve the sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device while ensuring a sufficient thickness of the semiconductor substrate.

  According to the present invention, a solid-state imaging device with excellent sensitivity is realized.

It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of the solid-state imaging device by this invention. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating an example of operation | movement of the solid-state imaging device of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the solid-state imaging device which concerns on the modification of embodiment. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the other modification of embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a solid-state imaging device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a solid-state imaging device according to the present invention. The solid-state imaging device 1 is a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device including a semiconductor substrate 10, a semiconductor layer 20, and a light receiving unit 30. In the present embodiment, the semiconductor substrate 10 is a P-type silicon substrate. The semiconductor substrate 10 has a specific resistance ρ ₁ (first specific resistance). ρ ₁ is, for example, 1000 Ωcm. Preferably ρ ₁ ≧ 200 Ωcm, more preferably ρ ₁ ≧ 500 Ωcm.

A semiconductor layer 20 is provided on the surface S <b> 1 (first surface) of the semiconductor substrate 10. In the present embodiment, the semiconductor layer 20 is a P-type silicon layer. The semiconductor layer 20 has a specific resistance ρ ₂ (second specific resistance). Here, ρ ₂ <ρ ₁ . [rho ₂ is, for example, 10 .OMEGA.cm. Preferably, 5 Ωcm ≦ ρ ₂ ≦ 100 Ωcm. The semiconductor layer 20 is formed by, for example, an epitaxial growth method.

  A light receiving unit 30 is provided in the semiconductor layer 20. Specifically, the light receiving unit 30 is provided in the surface layer of the semiconductor layer 20 on the side opposite to the semiconductor substrate 10. In the present embodiment, the light receiving unit 30 is an N-type impurity diffusion layer. The light receiving unit 30 constitutes a photodiode together with the adjacent semiconductor layer 20.

  The solid-state imaging device 1 photoelectrically converts light from the imaging target incident on the back surface S2 (second surface) of the semiconductor substrate 10 inside the semiconductor substrate 10 or inside the semiconductor layer 20, and a signal generated by the photoelectric conversion. The charge is received by the light receiving unit 30 to image the object to be imaged.

An insulating film 40 is provided on the back surface S <b> 2 of the semiconductor substrate 10. The insulating film 40 is provided as necessary, and the insulating film 40 may not be provided. Examples of the insulating film 40 include a SiN film, a SiON film, a SiO ₂ film, a laminated film thereof, and a resin. By providing the insulating film 40, impurities and contaminants can be prevented from entering from the back surface S2. This back surface S2 is connected to the ground (GND). That is, during the operation of the solid-state imaging device 1, the back surface S2 is supplied with the GND potential as a fixed potential.

  A MOSFET 50 is also formed in the semiconductor layer 20. That is, in the solid-state imaging device 1, a MOS image sensor unit configured by the light receiving unit 30 and the like and a logic circuit unit configured by the MOSFET 50 and the like are mounted together. The MOSFET 50 includes an N-type impurity diffusion layer 52 that functions as a source / drain region, and a gate electrode 54.

  On the surface of the semiconductor layer 20 (surface opposite to the semiconductor substrate 10), a wiring layer (layer in which wiring is provided in an insulating layer) 60 is provided. In the wiring layer 60, wiring (not shown) is formed.

  An example of the operation of the solid-state imaging device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, a finger 90 as an object to be imaged is brought into contact with the back surface of the solid-state imaging device 1 (the back surface S2 of the semiconductor substrate 10). When light L1 from a light source such as a fluorescent lamp or LED enters the finger 90, the transmitted light L2 enters the back surface. At this time, the transmitted light L <b> 2 includes information about the shape of the fingerprint 92 of the finger 90. Then, the transmitted light L <b> 2 is photoelectrically converted inside the semiconductor substrate 10 or inside the semiconductor layer 20. When the light receiving unit 30 receives signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion, an image of the fingerprint 92 is captured. The light L1 may be any of visible light, near infrared light, or infrared light.

The effect of this embodiment will be described. In the solid-state imaging device 1, the semiconductor substrate 10 having a larger specific resistance than the semiconductor layer 20 provided with the light receiving unit 30 is used. For this reason, among the hole-electron pairs generated by photoelectric conversion, the diffusion length of electrons (signal charges) contributing as signals can be increased. Thereby, the signal charge easily reaches the light receiving portion. Therefore, it is possible to improve the sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device 1 while ensuring a sufficient thickness of the semiconductor substrate 10.
Incidentally, the diffusion length (Debye length) _{L d} is expressed by the following equation (1). As can be seen from this equation, C _B (impurity concentration) decreases as the specific resistance of the medium (in the case of the solid-state imaging device 1, the semiconductor substrate 10 or the semiconductor layer 20) decreases, and thus L _d (Debye length) decreases. growing. Therefore, to be larger than the specific resistance [rho ₂ of the semiconductor layer 20 the resistivity [rho ₁ of the semiconductor substrate 10, than if [rho ₁ is less than or [rho ₂ equal to [rho _2, increasing the L _d Can do it. In particular, L _d can be remarkably increased if ρ ₁ ≧ 200 Ωcm. Furthermore, if ρ ₁ ≧ 500 Ωcm, L _d can be further significantly increased.

ここで、ε：媒質の誘電率、ε_０：真空の誘電率、ｋ：ボルツマン定数、Ｔ：電子温度、ｑ：電子素量、Ｃ_Ｂ：媒質の不純物濃度である。

Here, ε: dielectric constant of the medium, ε ₀ : dielectric constant of vacuum, k: Boltzmann constant, T: electron temperature, q: elementary electron quantity, C _B : impurity concentration of the medium.

  An insulating film 40 is provided on the back surface S <b> 2 of the semiconductor substrate 10. Thereby, it is possible to prevent contaminants from entering the solid-state imaging device 1 from the back surface S2. An example of such a contaminant is sodium. In this regard, the sweat released from the finger contains sodium. Therefore, when imaging is performed with the finger in contact with the solid-state imaging device 1 as in the above-described example, the presence of the insulating film 40 that can prevent the entry of sodium is particularly important. Note that, when the insulating film 40 includes a nitride film such as SiN, the above-described effects due to the insulating film 40 are particularly remarkable.

  The back surface S2 of the semiconductor substrate 10 is configured to be connected to GND. Thereby, the said back surface S2 can be functioned as an electrostatic shield.

When the semiconductor layer 20 is formed by an epitaxial growth method, that is, when the semiconductor layer 20 is an epitaxial layer, the semiconductor layer 20 having a specific resistance smaller than that of the semiconductor substrate 10 can be easily formed. Further, when an epitaxial layer may be varied abruptly resistivity from the resistivity [rho ₁ of the semiconductor substrate 10 to the resistivity [rho ₂ of the semiconductor layer 20.

When 5 Ωcm ≦ ρ ₂ ≦ 100 Ωcm, the light receiving unit 30, the MOSFET 50, and the like can be easily manufactured. This is because it is possible to manufacture using existing device processes.

  The solid-state imaging device 1 is a back-illuminated type. For this reason, it is not necessary to contact the to-be-photographed object with the surface side (wiring layer 60 side) of the solid-state imaging device 1. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of the damage of the solid-state imaging device 1, a characteristic deterioration, an electrostatic breakdown, etc. can be suppressed. This contributes to improving the reliability of the solid-state imaging device 1. For example, when the object to be imaged is a finger, the wiring is located on the side opposite to the charged finger, so that an excessive static electricity due to the finger is provided in the semiconductor layer 20 (such as the light receiving unit 30 and the MOSFET 50). ) Can be prevented.

  Moreover, since the solid-state imaging device 1 is a back-illuminated type, it is not necessary to expose the surface of the solid-state imaging device 1 in order to contact the imaging target. Thereby, various impurities can be prevented from directly attaching to the surface of the solid-state imaging device 1. Such adhesion of impurities leads to deterioration of the electrical characteristics of the solid-state imaging device 1.

  When near infrared light or infrared light is used as the light L1 (see FIG. 2), the transmitted light L2 can reach the deeper position from the back surface S2 than when visible light is used. As a result, signal charges generated by photoelectric conversion of the transmitted light L <b> 2 easily reach the light receiving unit 30.

The solid-state imaging device according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the semiconductor layer 20 may be formed by ion implantation. That is, impurity ions may be implanted into the surface layer of the semiconductor substrate, and the surface layer having a reduced specific resistance may be used as the semiconductor layer 20. Alternatively, two semiconductor substrates having different specific resistances may be bonded to each other, and a semiconductor substrate having a relatively small specific resistance may be used as the semiconductor layer 20. Further, an example in which the semiconductor layer 20 is provided directly on the semiconductor substrate 10 has been shown. However, as shown in FIG. 3, a semiconductor layer 70 (second semiconductor layer) may be interposed between the semiconductor substrate 10 and the semiconductor layer 20. The semiconductor layer 70 has the same conductivity type as that of the semiconductor substrate 10. The semiconductor layer 70 has a specific resistance ρ ₃ (third specific resistance). Here, ρ ₂ <ρ ₃ <ρ ₁ , or ρ ₂ <ρ ₁ <ρ ₃ . The semiconductor layer 70 may be formed by an epitaxial growth method, may be formed by ion implantation, similarly to the semiconductor layer 20, or may be formed by bonding semiconductor substrates having different specific resistances to each other. Also good. Further, in the description of the embodiment, it is shown that the N-channel MOSFET (MOSFET 50 in FIG. 1) is formed in the solid-state imaging device 1, but a P-channel MOSFET may be further formed. In the description of the embodiment, the P-type semiconductor substrate, the P-type semiconductor layer, and the N-type light receiving unit are illustrated. However, the N-type semiconductor substrate, the N-type semiconductor layer, and the P-type light receiving unit Also good.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the example in which the light-receiving part 30 was provided in the surface layer of the semiconductor layer 20 was shown. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the light receiving unit 30 may be provided inside the semiconductor layer 20. In the figure, a P + -type impurity diffusion layer 80 is provided on the surface layer of the semiconductor layer 20, and the light receiving portion 30 is provided on the P + -type impurity diffusion layer 80. That is, the P + type impurity diffusion layer 80, the light receiving unit 30, and the semiconductor layer 20 constitute an embedded photodiode. The P + type impurity diffusion layer 80 functions as a shield layer, whereby the influence of noise from the surface of the semiconductor layer 20 on the light receiving unit 30 can be suppressed.

  The present invention may also be applied to a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type solid-state imaging device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Solid-state imaging device 10 Semiconductor substrate 20 Semiconductor layer 30 Light-receiving part 40 Insulating film 50 MOSFET
52 N-type impurity diffusion layer 54 Gate electrode 60 Wiring layer 70 Semiconductor layer 80 P + -type impurity diffusion layer 90 Finger 92 Fingerprint S1 Front surface S2 Back surface L1 Light L2 from light source Transmitted light

Claims (8)

A semiconductor substrate having a first specific resistance;
A semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type provided on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and having a second specific resistance smaller than the first specific resistance;
A light receiving portion provided in the semiconductor layer,
The light from the imaging target incident on the second surface opposite to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate is photoelectrically converted inside the semiconductor substrate or the semiconductor layer, and the charge generated by the photoelectric conversion is Receiving at the light receiving part to image the imaged object ,
A plurality of the light receiving portions are provided in one continuous semiconductor layer,
The semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor layer are made of silicon,
A solid-state imaging device , wherein at least the entire region of the surface of the light receiving unit on the semiconductor substrate side is in contact with the semiconductor layer . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1,
A solid-state imaging device comprising an insulating film provided on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 or 2,
The second surface of the semiconductor substrate is a solid-state imaging device connected to a ground. The solid-state imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The solid-state imaging device, wherein the semiconductor layer is an epitaxial layer. The solid-state imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A solid-state imaging device including a second semiconductor layer provided between the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor layer and having a third specific resistance smaller than the first specific resistance and larger than the second specific resistance . The solid-state imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The solid-state imaging device in which the first specific resistance is 200 Ωcm or more. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 6,
The solid-state imaging device having the first specific resistance of 500 Ωcm or more. The solid-state imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The solid-state imaging device having the second specific resistance of 5 Ωcm or more and 100 Ωcm or less.

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