IR sensor with nano-structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12392664-B2
Application number	US-202318214026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2023
Priority date	Jan 6, 2023
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

An infrared sensor includes a substrate, a reflective layer on an upper surface of the substrate, and a composite layer including an absorption layer including a nanostructure and configured to absorb light energy and a sensing layer including a plurality of temperature sensing cells, where the composite layer is above the upper surface of the substrate, and where the infrared ray sensor further includes a resonant cavity between the composite layer and the reflective layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An infrared ray sensor comprising:
a substrate;
a reflective layer on an upper surface of the substrate; and
a composite layer comprising:
an absorption layer comprising a nanostructure and configured to absorb light energy, and
a sensing layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensing cells,

wherein the composite layer is above the upper surface of the substrate, and
wherein the infrared ray sensor further comprises a resonant cavity between the composite layer and the reflective layer.

2. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein a height of the resonant cavity is less than ¼ of a wavelength of incident light.

3. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein a height of the resonant cavity is about 2 μm or less.

4. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein a height of the resonant cavity is between about 0.5 μm to about 1.5 μm.

5. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the absorption layer further comprises a first dielectric layer, and
wherein the nanostructure is located inside the first dielectric layer.

6. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure comprises a metal, a metal oxide, or a metal nitride.

7. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein a height of the nanostructure is about 5 nm or more.

8. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein a height of the nanostructure is between about 10 nm to about 60 nm for light in a wavelength range of about 8 μm to about 14 μm.

9. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure comprises a plurality of nano-disks.

10. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure comprises a plurality of nano-rings.

11. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensing layer further comprises:
a plurality of upper electrodes above the plurality of temperature sensing cells and connecting the plurality of temperature sensing cells in series, and
a plurality of lower electrodes under the plurality of temperature sensing cells and connecting the plurality of temperature sensing cells in series.

12. The infrared ray sensor of claim 11 , wherein the sensing layer further comprises a second dielectric layer, and
wherein a resistance circuit located inside the second dielectric layer, the resistance circuit comprising the plurality of temperature sensing cells, the plurality of upper electrodes, and the plurality of lower electrodes.

13. The infrared ray sensor of claim 12 , further comprising an anchor that supports the composite layer with respect to the substrate,
wherein the resistance circuit comprises a first end unit and a second end unit, and
wherein the first end unit and the second end unit of the resistance circuit are each connected to the substrate through the anchor by a pair of connection units.

14. The infrared ray sensor of claim 13 , wherein the sensing layer has a rectangular plane shape, and
wherein a length of each pair of connection units is greater than a length of one side of the sensing layer.

15. The infrared ray sensor of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of temperature sensing cells each comprises at least one magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) element.

16. The infrared ray sensor of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of temperature sensing cells each comprise amorphous silicon.

17. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the absorption layer is on at least one of lower sides of the sensing layer and upper sides of the sensing layer.

18. The infrared ray sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensing layer is between a pair of absorption layers.

19. A thermal image sensor comprising:
a sensor array comprising a plurality of light sensing elements, each of the plurality of light sensing elements comprising an infrared ray sensor; and
a processor configured to read a photoelectricity signal generated in each of the plurality of light sensing elements,
wherein the infrared ray sensor comprises:
a substrate;
a reflective layer on an upper surface of the substrate; and
a composite layer comprising:
an absorption layer comprising a nanostructure and configured to absorb light energy, and
a sensing layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensing cells,

wherein the composite layer is above the upper surface of the substrate, and
wherein the infrared ray sensor further comprises a resonant cavity between the composite layer and the reflective layer.

20. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a lens assembly configured to form an optical image by focusing light radiated from an object; and
a thermal image sensor configured to convert the optical image formed in the lens assembly into an electrical signal,
wherein the thermal image sensor comprises:
a sensor array comprising a plurality of light sensing elements, each of the plurality of light sensing elements comprising an infrared ray sensor; and
a processor configured to read a photoelectricity signal generated in each of the plurality of light sensing elements,

wherein the infrared ray sensor comprises:
a substrate;
a reflective layer on an upper surface of the substrate; and
a composite layer comprising:
an absorption layer comprising a nanostructure and configured to absorb light energy; and
a sensing layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensing cells,

wherein the composite layer is above the upper surface of the substrate, and
wherein the infrared ray sensor further comprises a resonant cavity between the composite layer and the reflective layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• You Jangwoo
• Kim Jinmyoung
• Seo Wontaek
• Song Byonggwon
• Yoon Yongseop
• Lee Duhyun
• Rhee Choongho

Classifications

• G01J5/0806 Primary

  Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors · CPC title

• G01K7/01

  using semiconducting elements having PN junctions (G01K7/02, G01K7/16, G01K7/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01J5/48

  Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means · CPC title

• G01J5/10

  using electric radiation detectors · CPC title

• G01J5/0853

  having infrared absorbers other than the usual absorber layers deposited on infrared detectors like bolometers, wherein the heat propagation between the absorber and the detecting element occurs within a solid · CPC title