Photodiode structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10622506-B2
Application number	US-201815971240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2018
Priority date	Sep 11, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

Photodiode structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure in a dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a Ge material in proximity to the waveguide structure in a back end of the line (BEOL) metal layer. The method further includes crystallizing the Ge material into a crystalline Ge structure by a low temperature annealing process with a metal layer in contact with the Ge material.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A structure, comprising:
a waveguide structure and metal wiring layers, the waveguide structure being located above the metal wiring layers;
a single crystalline Ge structure formed above the waveguide structure;
a barrier layer disposed between the waveguide structure and the single crystalline Ge structure, the barrier layer being directly in contact with both the single crystalline Ge structure and the waveguide structure and completely separating the single crystalline Ge structure from the waveguide structure; and
at least one metal filled dual damascene structure in electrical contact with the single crystalline Ge structure.

2. The structure of claim 1 , further comprising at least one capping layer between the at least one metal filled dual damascene structure and the single crystalline Ge material.

3. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the single crystalline Ge structure is a photodetector above the waveguide structure.

4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the single crystalline Ge structure is a photodetector adjacent the waveguide structure.

5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is nitride.

6. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal filled dual damascene structure is a via and a trench, both lined with a seed layer.

7. The structure of claim 6 , wherein the seed layer is nickel.

8. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal filled dual damascene structure is lined with germanides.

9. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the single crystalline Ge structure includes nucleation sites.

10. The structure of claim 9 , wherein the nucleation sites include a capping layer which is in direct contact with both the single crystalline Ge structure and the at least one metal filled via.

11. The structure of claim 10 , wherein the capping layer is Ni.

12. The structure of claim 1 , further comprising a boundary layer in the single crystalline Ge structure.

13. The structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the single crystalline Ge structure is laterally offset from a center of the waveguide structure; and
the barrier layer separates the single crystalline Ge structure and the waveguide structure from one another such that there is no contact.

14. The structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one metal filled dual damascene structure is offset from a center of the waveguide structure such that it does not interfere with light entering the waveguide structure.

15. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is between the single crystalline Ge structure and the waveguide structure.

16. The structure of claim 12 , wherein the boundary layer within the single crystalline Ge structure is provided away from and not over the waveguide structure.

17. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer separates the single crystalline Ge structure and the waveguide structure from one another such that there is no contact.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Ellis-Monaghan John J
• Gambino Jeffrey P
• Jaffe Mark D
• Peterson Kirk D

Classifications

• H01P1/172

  using a dielectric element · CPC title

• H01P3/16

  Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor · CPC title

• G02B6/12004

  Combinations of two or more optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/12

  of the integrated circuit kind (electric integrated circuits H10B, H10D84/00 - H10D89/00, H10F19/00, H10F39/00, H10H29/00, H10K19/00, H10K39/00, H10K59/00, H10N19/00, H10N39/00, H10N59/00, H10N69/00, H10N79/00, H10N89/00) · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title