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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023299103-A1
Application number	US-202217822417-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 15, 2022
Publication date	Sep 21, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A light detector according to one embodiment, includes an element region, a light concentrator, a structure part and a light-shielding part. The element region includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type. The light concentrator is separated from the element region in a first direction. The light concentrator is configured to concentrate light incident on the light concentrator. The structure part is arranged with the element region in a direction crossing the first direction. The structure part has a different refractive index from the element region. The light-shielding part is located between the element region and the light concentrator. The light-shielding part includes an opening. At least a portion of the light incident on the light concentrator is able to be incident on the element region by passing through the opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light detector, comprising:
an element region including
a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, and
a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type;
a light concentrator separated from the element region in a first direction, the light concentrator being configured to concentrate light incident on the light concentrator; a structure part arranged with the element region in a direction crossing the first direction, the structure part having a different refractive index from the element region; and a light-shielding part located between the element region and the light concentrator, the light-shielding part including an opening, at least a portion of the light incident on the light concentrator being able to be incident on the element region by passing through the opening.

2 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the light concentrator is configured to concentrate at least a portion of the light incident on the light concentrator toward the opening, and the opening is arranged in the first direction with at least one of a center of the light concentrator or a center of the element region.

3 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-shielding part includes an inner perimeter surface defining the opening, and the inner perimeter surface is ring-shaped when viewed along the first direction.

4 . The detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first insulating part located between the light concentrator and the light-shielding part, the light concentrator being a lens that is convex in the first direction, a thickness along the first direction of the first insulating part being not less than f−λ/NA 2 and not more than f+λ/NA 2 , where f is a focal length of the lens, λ is a wavelength of the light, and NA is a numerical opening of the lens.

5 . The detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an outer perimeter region surrounding the element region and including a semiconductor, the structure part being positioned between the outer perimeter region and the element region.

6 . The detector according to claim 5 , wherein
the light-shielding part includes a portion arranged with the outer perimeter region in the first direction.

7 . The detector according to claim 5 , wherein
the light-shielding part is not arranged with the outer perimeter region in the first direction.

8 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-shielding part includes an outer perimeter surface, and the outer perimeter surface is ring-shaped when viewed along the first direction.

9 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the light-shielding part includes an outer perimeter surface surrounding the opening, and at least a portion of the outer perimeter surface is arranged with the element region in the first direction.

10 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the light concentrator is a lens that is convex in the first direction, and a diameter of the opening is not less than 1.22λ/NA, where λ is a wavelength of the light, and NA is a numerical opening of the lens.

11 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
a plurality of the openings is included, a plurality of the light concentrators is included, the plurality of openings is respectively positioned between one of the element regions and the plurality of light concentrators, the plurality of light concentrators respectively concentrates at least a portion of the light incident on the plurality of light concentrators toward the plurality of openings, and at least a portion of the light incident on the plurality of light concentrators is incident on the element region by passing respectively through the plurality of openings.

12 . The detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first interconnect electrically connected with the first semiconductor region; and a first electrode electrically connected with the first semiconductor region via the first interconnect, the light-shielding part being conductive, the light-shielding part being electrically connected with the first interconnect.

13 . The detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first interconnect electrically connected with a first semiconductor region; and a first electrode electrically connected with the first semiconductor region via the first interconnect, the light-shielding part being electrically insulated from the first interconnect.

14 . The detector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a resistor electrically connected with the element region, or a switching element electrically connected with the element region.

15 . The detector according to claim 1 , wherein
the element region is a p-i-n diode or an avalanche photodiode.

16 . The detector according to claim 15 , wherein
the avalanche photodiode operates in a Geiger mode.

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

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

19 . The 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 detector.

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

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Kaneko Ryomo
• Shimizu Mariko
• Sasaki Keita
• Kwon Honam
• Fujiwara Ikuo
• Suzuki Kazuhiro

Classifications

• H10F39/8063

  Microlenses · CPC title

• H10F39/184

  Infrared image sensors · CPC title

• H10F39/807

  Pixel isolation structures · CPC title

• H10F39/8057 Primary

  Optical shielding · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title