Light detector, light detection system, lidar device, and moving body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12009442-B2
Application number	US-202117446591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2021
Priority date	Jan 14, 2021
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a light detector includes a junction region, a first insulating portion, and a quenching part. The junction region includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type. The second semiconductor region is provided on the first semiconductor region and forms a p-n junction surface with the first semiconductor region. The first insulating portion has an inclined surface inclined with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the p-n junction surface and includes void. The inclined surface is provided at a same height as at least a portion of the junction region and crosses the second direction from the junction region toward the first insulating portion. The quenching part is electrically connected to the second semiconductor region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light detector comprising:
a junction region including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, the second semiconductor region being provided on the first semiconductor region and forming a p-n junction surface with the first semiconductor region;
a first insulating portion having an inclined surface inclined with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the p-n junction surface, a first insulating portion including void, the inclined surface facing the junction region in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a quenching part electrically connected to the second semiconductor region.

2. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
a length in the second direction of a portion of the first insulating portion is shorter than a length in the second direction of another portion of the first insulating portion located above the portion of the first insulating portion.

3. The light detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second insulating portion provided on the first insulating portion and including an insulating material,
a first opening communicating with the void being provided in the second insulating portion.

4. The light detector according to claim 3 , wherein
when viewed from the first direction, a position of the first opening is different from a position of the quenching part.

5. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the first insulating portion includes an insulating region provided between the inclined surface and the void, and
the insulating region includes a resin, oxide, or nitride.

6. The light detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating layer provided on the junction region and the first insulating portion;
a lens provided on the insulating layer and including a resin; and
an insulator surrounded by the insulating layer along a first plane perpendicular to the first direction and including the resin.

7. The light detector according to claim 6 , wherein
the first insulating portion includes an insulating region provided between the inclined surface and the void, and
the insulating region includes the resin and is connected with the insulator.

8. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
an angle of the inclined surface with respect to the first direction is larger than 45 degrees and smaller than 74 degrees.

9. A light detector comprising:
a junction region including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, the second semiconductor region being provided on the first semiconductor region;
a first insulating portion having an inclined surface inclined with respect to a first direction from the first semiconductor region toward the second semiconductor region, a refractive index of the first insulating portion being larger than 1.5 and smaller than 2.0, an angle of the inclined surface with respect to the first direction being larger than 45 degrees and smaller than 74 degrees, the inclined surface being provided at a same height as at least a portion of the junction region and crossing the second direction from the junction region toward the first insulating portion; and
a quenching part electrically connected to the second semiconductor region.

10. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of first insulating portions are provided around the junction region on a first surface perpendicular to the first direction, and
the first insulating portions are separated from each other.

11. The light detector according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a third insulating portion provided between the junction region and the first insulating portions and including an insulating material,
a length of the third insulating portion in the first direction being longer than a length of the first insulating portion in the first direction.

12. The light detector according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a third insulating portion provided around the first insulating portions on the first surface and including an insulating material,
a length of the third insulating portion in the first direction is longer than a length of the first insulating portion in the first direction.

13. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of junction regions are provided in the second direction,
the plurality of first insulating portions are provided in the second direction, and
the junction regions and the first insulating portions are alternately provided in the second direction.

14. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
a portion of the inclined surface is provided at a same height as an interface between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region.

15. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the junction region and the first insulating portion are provided on the semiconductor layer,
the semiconductor layer includes silicon, and
a (100) plane of the silicon is perpendicular to the first direction.

16. The light detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region consist an avalanche photodiode operating in a Geiger mode.

17. A light detection system, comprising:
the light detector according to claim 1 ; and
a distance measuring circuit calculating a time-of-flight of light from an output signal of the light detector.

18. A lidar device, comprising:
a light source irradiating light onto an object; and
the light detection system according to claim 17 detecting light reflected by the object.

19. The lidar device according to claim 18 , further comprising:
an image recognition system generating a three-dimensional image based on an arrangement relationship of the light source and the light detector.

20. A moving body, comprising:
the lidar device according to claim 18 .

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Kwon Honam
• Shimizu Mariko
• Okamoto Kazuaki
• Suzuki Kazuhiro

Classifications

• H10F30/225 Primary

  the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes · CPC title

• H10F77/147

  Shapes of bodies · CPC title

• H10F77/959

  for devices working in avalanche mode · CPC title

• H10F39/807

  Pixel isolation structures · CPC title

• H10F77/413 Primary

  directly associated or integrated with the devices, e.g. back reflectors (directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells H10F77/42) · CPC title