Imaging device and imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10861897-B2
Application number	US-201916526168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2019
Priority date	Feb 7, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

An imaging device includes a first substrate in which a plurality of first pixels each including a first light receiving unit and a light emitting unit that emits light with a light amount in accordance with a light amount detected by the first light receiving unit are provided, and a second substrate that is provided facing the first substrate and in which a plurality of second pixels each including a second light receiving unit that detects a light emitted from the light emitting unit of the first pixel and a readout circuit that outputs an image signal based on information detected by the plurality of second pixels are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising: a first substrate in which a plurality of first pixels each including a first light receiving unit and a light emitting unit that emits light with a light amount in accordance with a light amount detected by the first light receiving unit are provided; and a second substrate that is provided facing the first substrate and in which a plurality of second pixels each including a second light receiving unit that detects a light emitted from the light emitting unit of the first pixel and a readout circuit that outputs an image signal based on information detected by the plurality of second pixels are provided, wherein the first light receiving unit and the light emitting unit comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers including a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided over the first compound semiconductor layer, and a third compound semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type provided over the second compound semiconductor layer is provided over the first substrate, and wherein a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer is thicker than a thickness corresponding to a diffusion length of carriers of the first conductivity type in the second compound semiconductor layer.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of compound semiconductor layers include a light receiving layer of the first light receiving unit provided between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer and a light emitting layer of the light emitting unit provided between the second compound semiconductor layer and the third compound semiconductor layer, and wherein an energy band gap of a first compound semiconductor material forming the light receiving layer and an energy band gap of a second compound semiconductor material forming the light emitting layer are different from each other.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein the energy band gap of the second compound semiconductor material is larger than the energy band gap of the first compound semiconductor material.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of compound semiconductor layers include an InP layer.

5. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein an absorption wavelength band of a semiconductor material forming the second light receiving unit is on a longer wavelength side than an absorption wavelength band of the first compound semiconductor material.

6. The imaging device according to claim 5 , wherein the semiconductor material is silicon.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the first compound semiconductor layers of the plurality of first pixels and the third compound semiconductor layers of the plurality of first pixels are electrically connected, respectively.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the plurality of first pixels each include an individual electrode electrically connected to the second compound semiconductor layer.

9. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein in the third compound semiconductor layer of each of the plurality of first pixels, an in-plane distribution is provided in impurities of the first conductivity type such that the light emitting unit locally, intensely emits light.

10. The imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of first pixels further includes an electrode electrically connected to the third compound semiconductor layer, and
wherein the electrode functions as a light shield wall that prevents a light emitted from the light emitting unit of a first pixel from entering another second pixel that is different from a second pixel corresponding to the first pixel.

11. The imaging device according to claim 1 further comprising a first lens that is provided on the second substrate and converges light emitted from the light emitting unit on the second light receiving unit.

12. The imaging device according to claim 1 further comprising a second lens that is provided on the first substrate and converges light emitted from the light emitting unit on the second light receiving unit.

13. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first pixels has a mesa structure in which at least the light emitting unit is independent of one another and includes a light shield film over a sidewall of the mesa structure.

14. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein an air gap or a layer made of a material that is transparent to a light emitted from the light emitting unit is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.

15. An imaging system comprising:
the imaging device according to claim 1 ; and
a signal processing unit that processes the image signal output from the imaging device.

16. An imaging device comprising: a first substrate in which a plurality of first pixels each including a first light receiving unit and a light emitting unit that emits light with a light amount in accordance with a light amount detected by the first light receiving unit are provided; and a second substrate that is provided facing the first substrate and in which a plurality of second pixels each including a second light receiving unit that detects a light emitted from the light emitting unit of the first pixel and a readout circuit that outputs an image signal based on information detected by the plurality of second pixels are provided, wherein the first light receiving unit and the light emitting unit comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers including a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided over the first compound semiconductor layer, and a third compound semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type provided over the second compound semiconductor layer is provided over the first substrate, wherein the second compound semiconductor layer includes an InP layer, and wherein a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer is thicker than 5 μm.

17. An imaging device comprising: a first substrate in which a plurality of first pixels each including a first light receiving unit and a light emitting unit that emits light with a light amount in accordance with a light amount detected by the first light receiving unit are provided; and a second substrate that is provided facing the first substrate and in which a plurality of second pixels each including a second light receiving unit that detects a light emitted from the light emitting unit of the first pixel and a readout circuit that outputs an image signal based on information detected by the plurality of second pixels are provided, wherein the first light receiving unit and the light emitting unit comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers including a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided over the first compound semiconductor layer, and a third compound semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type provided over the second compound semiconductor layer is provided over the first substrate, and wherein the second compound semiconductor layer includes a blocking layer configured to suppress diffusion of minority carriers.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Uchida Takeshi
• Iba Jun

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• H10F55/00

  Radiation-sensitive semiconductor devices covered by groups H10F10/00, H10F19/00 or H10F30/00 being structurally associated with electric light sources and electrically or optically coupled thereto · CPC title

• H10F39/151

  Geometry or disposition of pixel elements, address lines or gate electrodes · CPC title

• H10H29/142

  Two-dimensional arrangements, e.g. asymmetric LED layout · CPC title