JP2009170539A - Back-illuminated image sensor and method of driving the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a back-illuminated image sensor that improves efficiency for reading out signal charges while preventing the occurrence of crosstalk, and to provide a method of driving the same. <P>SOLUTION: The back-illuminated image sensor 10 is configured to take an image by emitting light from the backside of a semiconductor substrate 1 and reading out charges, occurring inside the semiconductor substrate 1 corresponding to incident light, from the surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1. The back-illuminated image sensor includes an impurity diffused layer PD provided on the semiconductor substrate 1 so as to generate signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light, a circuit board 2 formed on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1, a charge transfer region 18 provided on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1 so as to transfer the signal charges, and a charge collecting electrode 12 for collecting the signal charges generated by the impurity diffused layer PD to the surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1 while applying a voltage to the circuit board 2 during imaging. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a backside-illuminated imaging device and a backside-illuminated imaging in which light is irradiated from the back side surface of a semiconductor substrate, and charges generated in the semiconductor substrate are read out from the surface side of the semiconductor substrate in response to incident light. The present invention relates to an element driving method.

  Light is irradiated from the back side of the semiconductor substrate, and charges generated in the semiconductor substrate in response to the light are accumulated in a charge accumulation region formed on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate, and according to the accumulated charges There has been proposed a back-illuminated imaging device that outputs a signal to the outside by a readout circuit or the like and performs imaging.

  A back-illuminated image sensor shown in Patent Document 1 below has a wiring layer on a semiconductor substrate having a P-type epitaxial layer, a light-receiving surface on the back surface, and guides light electrons incident from the light-receiving surface by a photodiode. The electric field is formed in the depth direction of the epitaxial layer.

JP 2003-338615 A

  By the way, in the backside-illuminated imaging device having the above configuration, electrons photoelectrically converted near the backside move to a charge transfer region of an adjacent pixel instead of a charge transfer region provided under the photoelectrically converted region. However, there is a concern that so-called crosstalk, which is transferred, may occur, which may be a cause of deterioration in image quality.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a backside-illuminated imaging device and backside illumination that can suppress the occurrence of crosstalk and improve the efficiency of reading signal charges. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for driving a type imaging device.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configurations.
(1) A backside illuminating type imaging device that irradiates light from the back side of a semiconductor substrate, reads out charges generated in the semiconductor substrate in response to incident light from the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and performs imaging.
An impurity diffusion layer that is provided on the semiconductor substrate and generates signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light; and
A circuit board formed on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate;
A charge transfer region provided on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate and transferring a signal charge;
A back surface comprising a charge collection electrode that collects a signal charge generated in the impurity diffusion layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate when a voltage is applied to the circuit board during imaging. Irradiation type image sensor.
(2) A charge transfer electrode to which a driving voltage for transferring a signal charge is applied is provided on the back side of the circuit board, and a voltage is applied to each of the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode during charge transfer, The backside illumination type image pickup device according to (1), wherein a voltage supply unit for inducing signal charges to the charge transfer region is provided.
(3) A method of driving a backside illuminating type imaging device that irradiates light from the back side of the semiconductor substrate and reads out the charge generated in the semiconductor substrate in response to incident light from the front side of the semiconductor substrate to perform imaging. There,
Impurity diffusion layers provided on the semiconductor substrate for generating signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light into the back-illuminated image sensor, a circuit substrate formed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor A charge transfer region provided on the surface side of the substrate and transferring a signal charge,
Backside illumination characterized by collecting signal charges generated by the impurity diffusion layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate by applying a voltage to a charge collection electrode provided on the circuit board during imaging Type image sensor driving method.
(4) A charge transfer electrode to which a driving voltage for transferring a signal charge is applied is provided on the back side of the circuit board, and a voltage is applied to each of the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode during charge transfer. Then, the signal charge is guided to the charge transfer region, and the driving method of the backside illuminating type image pickup device according to (3) above.

  The back-illuminated imaging device according to the present invention has a structure in which a charge collection electrode is provided on a circuit board laminated on a semiconductor substrate and voltage can be applied. Therefore, impurity diffusion is achieved by applying voltage during imaging. The signal charge generated by photoelectric conversion in the layer can be collected on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate. Then, since the signal charge is induced to the charge collection electrode, it is suppressed that the signal charge is induced to the charge transfer region of another adjacent pixel.

  The backside illumination type image pickup device according to the present invention includes a voltage supply unit that applies a voltage to each of the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode during charge transfer and induces signal charges to the charge transfer region. It is preferable that In this way, the potential potential between the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode can be controlled by applying a predetermined voltage to each of the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode during signal readout, Compared to the conventional configuration in which a voltage is applied only to the charge transfer electrode, signal charges can be read more smoothly, and the efficiency of signal reading can be improved. Also, by making the voltage applied to the charge collection electrode sufficiently lower than the voltage applied to the charge transfer electrode, the value of the maximum voltage applied to the charge transfer electrode can be made as small as possible. The power supply voltage for driving the transfer electrode can be lowered.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while being able to suppress generation | occurrence | production of crosstalk, the drive method of the back irradiation type image pick-up element which can improve the reading efficiency of a signal charge and a back surface irradiation type image pick-up element can be provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a backside illumination type imaging device according to the present invention.
The back-illuminated imaging element 10 is generated by a semiconductor substrate 1 on which incident light is incident from the back surface side, photoelectric conversion is performed according to the incident light, and an optical conversion layer that generates signal charges is formed, and the semiconductor substrate 1. And a circuit board 2 on which a circuit for applying a driving voltage for transferring the signal charge is formed. The circuit board 2 is provided via an insulating layer on the front surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1, that is, on the opposite side to the back surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1 on which incident light is incident.

  The back-illuminated imaging element 10 generates signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light irradiated from one surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1, and reads out the signal charges from the other surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1 for imaging. It is the structure which performs. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, light is incident from the upper side of the semiconductor substrate 1 and signal charges are read from the lower side of the semiconductor substrate 1. In the following description, the side on which incident light is incident on the semiconductor substrate is referred to as the back side, and the side opposite to the side on which incident light is incident is referred to as the front side. In the circuit board 2, the semiconductor substrate 1 side is the back side.

  The semiconductor substrate 1 has an n-type silicon layer 16 and an impurity diffusion layer PD functioning as an n + type photoelectric conversion layer having an impurity concentration higher than that of the n-type silicon layer 16. On the front surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1, there is a space between the charge transfer region 18 in which the signal charge generated in the impurity diffusion layer PD can be accumulated and another pixel adjacent to the pixel provided with the charge transfer region 18. And an element isolation region 15 provided in.

  An insulating layer 13 is provided on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, and a circuit board 2 is further provided via the insulating layer 13. The circuit board 2 has an insulating layer 11. On the back side of the insulating layer 11 of the circuit board 2, a charge collection electrode 12 made of polysilicon or the like, and a charge transfer for transferring a signal charge accumulated in the impurity diffusion layer PD by applying a voltage at the time of transfer. An electrode 14 is provided. The operation of the charge collection electrode 12 will be described later.

  An n − type silicon layer 17 having an impurity concentration lower than that of the n type silicon layer 16 is formed on the back side of the n type silicon layer 16 of the semiconductor substrate 1. An insulating layer 18 that is transparent to incident light is formed on the back side of the silicon layer 17, and due to a difference in refractive index between the insulating layer 18 and the silicon layer 17 on the back side of the insulating layer 18. In order to prevent reflection of light on the lower surface of the semiconductor substrate, a high refractive index layer 19 that is transparent to incident light such as silicon nitride or a diamond structure carbon film is formed.

  On the high refractive index layer 19, a color filter layer 21 in which any one of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) is arranged in a predetermined pattern for each pixel is formed. On the color filter layer 21, an upward convex lens-shaped microlens layer 22 having a curved surface protruding upward is formed. Note that the microlens layer 22 may be omitted, and only the color filter layer 21 may be formed on the high refractive index layer 19.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the backside illumination type imaging device of the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, in order to describe the charge collection electrode 12 and the charge transfer electrode 14 provided on the back surface side of the insulating layer 11, other portions are omitted or simplified. The charge collection electrode 12 is provided in the vicinity of the center of each pixel region in a plurality of pixel regions partitioned in a grid pattern by broken lines in the drawing. The charge transfer electrode 14 is formed under the region where the charge transfer region 18 is formed, and a part of the charge transfer electrode 14 extends to a position close to the charge collection electrode 12.

  In the present embodiment, a pixel means a minimum unit area constituting a captured image, and includes RGB color filter layers 21 and impurity diffusion layers PD provided under each color filter layer 21. . In addition, a charge collection electrode 12, a charge transfer electrode 14, and a charge transfer region 18 are formed for each pixel.

  The charge collection electrode 12 is connected to a voltage supply unit 31 that applies a voltage at the time of imaging and charge readout, and the charge transfer electrode 14 is connected to a voltage supply unit 32 that applies a voltage at the time of charge readout. Yes.

  Each of the charge collection electrode 12 and the charge transfer electrode 14 may be made of different polysilicon, or may be formed simultaneously by patterning the same polysilicon.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state during imaging of the backside illumination type imaging device of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state at the time of charge reading of the backside illumination type imaging device of the present embodiment.
In the back-illuminated image sensor 10, during imaging, incident light is transmitted through the microlens layer 22, and signal charges are generated by photoelectric conversion in the impurity diffusion layer PD according to the incident light transmitted through the color filter layer 21. As shown in FIG. 3, in the backside illumination type imaging device 10 of the present embodiment, a predetermined positive potential voltage is applied to the charge collection electrode 12 during imaging, and the signal charge generated in the impurity diffusion layer PD is changed. The constituting electrons are guided to the charge collection electrode 12 side. Then, by making the electric potential of the charge collection electrode 12 constant, the induced electrons are maintained in a state of being collected in the vicinity of the surface side in the impurity diffusion layer PD.

  At the time of reading the charge shown in FIG. 4, a predetermined voltage is applied to both the charge transfer electrode 14 and the charge collection electrode 12, so that the potential on the semiconductor substrate 1 above the charge transfer electrode 14 and the charge collection electrode 12 is increased. A potential is formed. Here, in order to make the potential of the charge transfer electrode 14 larger than the potential of the charge collection electrode 12, a potential potential gradient is formed so that the potential increases from the charge collection electrode 12 side to the charge transfer electrode 14 side. Electrons are guided toward the charge transfer electrode 14 and transferred to a charge transfer region 18 formed above the charge transfer electrode 14.

  FIG. 5 is a graph showing the voltage applied from the voltage supply unit during charge reading. During charge reading, the voltage supply units 31 and 32 apply voltages VH and VL to the charge collection electrode 12 and the charge transfer electrode 14 with a predetermined voltage difference VD, respectively, to induce signal charges to the charge transfer region 18. . By increasing the voltage difference VD between the voltage supply units 31 and 32, the signal charge can be smoothly induced and the amount of the signal charge remaining in the impurity diffusion layer PD can be reduced, so that the transfer efficiency is good. Here, by making the voltage VL applied to the charge collection electrode 12 sufficiently lower than the voltage VH applied to the charge transfer electrode 14, the value of the maximum voltage applied to the charge transfer electrode 14 can be made as small as possible. As a result, the power supply voltage for driving the charge transfer electrode 14 can be lowered.

In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible suitably.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration for reading signal charges is a CCD-type readout configuration, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a CMOS-type readout circuit may be provided.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of one Embodiment of the backside illumination type image pick-up element concerning this invention. It is a top view which shows a part of back irradiation type imaging device. It is sectional drawing explaining the state at the time of the imaging of a back irradiation type imaging device. It is sectional drawing explaining the state at the time of the charge read-out of a back irradiation type imaging device. It is a graph which shows the voltage applied from the voltage supply part at the time of charge reading.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor substrate 2 Circuit board 10 Back surface illumination type image pick-up element 12 Charge collection electrode 14 Charge transfer electrode 18 Charge transfer region PD Impurity diffusion region

Claims (4)

A backside illuminating type imaging device that irradiates light from the back side of the semiconductor substrate, reads out the charge generated in the semiconductor substrate in response to incident light from the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and performs imaging,
An impurity diffusion layer that is provided on the semiconductor substrate and generates signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light; and
A circuit board formed on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate;
A charge transfer region provided on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate and transferring a signal charge;
A back surface comprising a charge collection electrode that collects a signal charge generated in the impurity diffusion layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate when a voltage is applied to the circuit board during imaging. Irradiation type image sensor.   A charge transfer electrode to which a voltage for transferring a signal charge is applied is provided on the back side of the circuit board, and at the time of charge transfer, a voltage is applied to the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode, respectively. The backside illuminated imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage supply unit that induces the charge transfer region. A method for driving a backside illuminating type imaging device that irradiates light from the back side of a semiconductor substrate, reads out charges generated in the semiconductor substrate in response to incident light from the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and performs imaging,
Impurity diffusion layers provided on the semiconductor substrate for generating signal charges by photoelectrically converting incident light into the back-illuminated image sensor, a circuit substrate formed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor A charge transfer region provided on the surface side of the substrate and transferring a signal charge,
Backside illumination characterized by collecting signal charges generated by the impurity diffusion layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate by applying a voltage to a charge collection electrode provided on the circuit board during imaging Type image sensor driving method.   A charge transfer electrode to which a drive voltage for transferring a signal charge is applied is provided on the back side of the circuit board, and a signal is applied by applying a voltage to each of the charge collection electrode and the charge transfer electrode during charge transfer. The method of driving a backside illuminating type image pickup device according to claim 3, wherein charge is guided to the charge transfer region.

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