Abstract:
A semiconductor photosensor device has a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer overlying the semiconductor substrate while being separated therefrom by a dielectric film, a first photodiode formed in the semiconductor layer to be disposed adjacent to a top surface of the semiconductor layer, a second photodiode formed in the semiconductor layer to be underlain the first photodiode, and a signal processing circuit formed on said semiconductor layer for processing output signals of said first and second photodiodes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-281609, filed on Sep. 26, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to a semiconductor photosensor device.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    In currently available semiconductor photosensor devices, there are called illuminance sensors which have spectral sensitivity characteristics similar to the luminosity characteristics of human eyes. Semiconductor illuminance sensors are typically utilizable for light intensity control and adjustment of display modules for use in portable or “mobile” wireless telephone handsets, by way of example. As shown in FIG. 4, a luminosity characteristics curve has a sharp hump or “peak” between wavelength values of 500 and 600 nanometers (nm). On the other hand, a spectral sensitivity characteristics curve of silicon photodiodes has a peak sensitivity at a point near or around 960 to 980 nm as shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, in order to realize an illuminance sensor by use of a silicon substrate, a method is used which forms on or above a photodiode an optical filter that absorbs infrared light components while permitting penetration of visible light components. Examples of the optical filter are dielectric multilayer-film interference filters and color filters.  
           [0006]    It is also possible to achieve desired spectral sensitivity characteristics without the use of the optical filter. Silicon substrates are such that short wavelength light components are mainly absorbed at portions adjacent to a surface whereas long wavelength light components are mainly absorbed at portions deep from the surface. Utilizing such silicon light absorption properties, it is possible to obtain a desired spectral sensitivity by arithmetic processing for output currents from two photodiodes that are vertically laminated in a silicon substrate. Techniques for forming on a semiconductor substrate a plurality of photodiodes which are separated or isolated from one another while having different depths have been proposed until today. One of the techniques is disclosed, for example, in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 11-163386 (“JP-A-11-163386”).  
           [0007]    In such a case that photodiodes with mutually different spectral sensitivity characteristics are formed in a single semiconductor substrate at different depth positions thereof, the influence of noise light input into the substrate pauses problems through the procedure of arithmetic processing of these photocurrents. In detail, when the sensor chip is irradiated, light rays are input not only onto the photo detective surface, but also onto side surfaces of the substrate. Due to extra carriers that are generated by the noise light into unexpected portions of the substrate, it becomes difficult to obtain a desired spectral sensitivity by photocurrent arithmetic. In such a case that a signal processing circuit for performing arithmetic processing for photocurrents is formed in the same semiconductor substrate together with the photodiodes, the influence of the noise light into the processing circuit region also becomes problematic.  
           [0008]    Practically in the sensor chip of this type, it is required that the incoming light be guided to fall onto only specific areas in which the photodiodes are formed. To do this, the remaining areas are covered or coated with a light shielding mask. However, it is difficult to cover certain portions with the light shield mask, which portions include the chip&#39;s outermost peripheral portions at which scribe lines are formed and side surfaces. The result of this mask coverage incompletion is that light invasion from these portions into the silicon substrate is unavoidable. In particular, from the chip side faces, an increased amount of light which was reflected from a chip-mounting base structure will also encroach. Accordingly, extra carrier currents due to the noise light rays are generated and superimposed to the true photocurrents of the photodiodes, whereby it becomes difficult to precisely process the photocurrent arithmetic.  
           [0009]    Practically, in the case of an illuminance sensor, the above-stated invasion of noise light rays into the substrate disadvantageously results in a significant difference between outputs of the sensor when illuminated at the same illumination intensity by a fluorescent lamp which emits light that does not contain any infrared light components and a white electric lamp whose emission light includes many infrared light components because the infrared light components deeply penetrate into the substrate to affect the photocurrent arithmetic and a signal processing circuit.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    A semiconductor photosensor device is provided to include a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer overlying the semiconductor substrate while being separated therefrom by a dielectric film, a first photodiode formed in the semiconductor layer to be disposed adjacent to a top surface of the semiconductor layer, a second photodiode formed in the semiconductor layer to be underlain the first photodiode, and a signal processing circuit formed on the semiconductor layer for processing output signals of the first and second photodiodes. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of main part of a photosensor chip in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a plan view of the photosensor.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a current arithmetic circuit which is mounted on the photosensor chip.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a graph showing a luminosity characteristics curve as plotted relative to the wavelength of incident light.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a graph showing the spectroscopic sensitivity characteristics curve of a silicon photodiode.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a graph showing the spectroscopic sensitivity characteristics of two photodiodes in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing in cross-section main part of a photosensor chip in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    A photosensor device in accordance with an embodiment of this invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawing below.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 illustrates, in cross-section, a structure of main part of an illuminance sensor chip  1  embodying the invention; FIG. 2 schematically shows a planar layout of the sensor chip  1 . As indicated by broken lines in FIG. 2, the sensor chip  1  has a photodiode module (optical receiving unit or light receiver unit)  2  and a signal processing circuit module  3  operable to arithmetically process an output photocurrent of the photodiode unit. The signal processing circuit unit  3  is covered with a light shield mask. External connection pads  4  are disposed along a peripheral side of the chip  1 .  
         [0020]    As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor chip  1  employs a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate structure which includes a silicon substrate  10  and an overlying silicon layer  12  with a dielectric film  11  interposed therebetween. The silicon layer  12  is electrically separated or isolated from substrate  10  by dielectric film  11 . This film  11  may typically be an oxide film or the like. Silicon layer  12  essentially consists of a P-type layer  13  in contact with dielectric film  11  and an N-type epitaxial layer  14  that is formed on the P-type layer  13 . Preferably, P-type layer  13  is higher in impurity concentration than N-type layer  14  and is designed to have a thickness less than or equal to 15 micrometers (μm).  
         [0021]    At the photodiode unit  2  of this SOI substrate, two separate photodiodes PD 1 , PD 2  are formed so that these vertically overlap each other. One photodiode PD 1  uses as its optical receiving junction a PN junction between the N-type layer  14  and a P-type layer  21  which is formed by diffusion in a surface portion of layer  14 . The other photodiode PD 2  is with a PN junction between the P-type layer  13  and N-type layer  14  as its light-receiving junction. In this way, the photodiode PD 1  having its light receiving junction near the top surface of the layer  12  and the photodiode PD 2  underlying the photodiode PD 1  as to have its light receiving junction at a level deeper than photodiode PD 1  are formed in the silicon layer  12  while using N-type layer  14  as a common cathode layer thereof. The impurity concentration and the depth of the N-type common cathode layer  14  are selected such that the layer  14  is not completely depleted when a necessary reverse bias voltage is applied to the photodiodes PD 1  and PD 2 . As a result, depletion layers formed above and bellow the layer  14  that remains to be not depleted become light absorption layers of the photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2 , respectively. The photodiode unit  2  is surrounded or enclosed by a P + -type buried layer  22  and a P + -type diffusion layer  23  and thus isolated from the remaining regions of the sensor chip substrate structure.  
         [0022]    A transistor circuit is formed in the signal processing circuit unit  3 . In FIG. 1, only part of the signal processor circuit is shown, which is an NPN transistor N 1  as used in a current arithmetic circuit that is included in the signal processor circuit and is operable to perform arithmetic processing of photocurrents of two photodiodes PD 1 , PD 2 . The transistor N 1  is structured with the N-type layer  14  as its collector and with a P-type base layer  32  and an N + -type emitter layer  33  being formed therein. An N + -type collector buried layer  31  is formed at a junction between the N-type layer  14  and its underlying P-type layer  13 .  
         [0023]    The illustrative sensor chip substrate with the electronic components or elements formed therein is covered with a silicon oxide film  41 . Contact holes are defined in this oxide film  41  to thereby form several terminal electrodes required. An electrode  42  for use as a common cathode node “A” of the photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2  is in contact with an N + -type diffusion layer  24  which is formed in the N-type layer  14 . Electrodes  43 ,  44  for use as anode nodes B, C of photodiodes PD 1 - 2  are contacted with the P-type layer  21  and P + -type layer  23 , respectively. A collector electrode  45 , a base electrode  46  and an emitter electrode  47  are formed simultaneously during the formation of these photodiode electrodes.  
         [0024]    The top substrate surface in which each terminal electrode is formed is further covered with a silicon oxide film  50 , followed by formation of a light shield mask  51  which covers the signal processor circuit unit  3 . For example, the light shield mask  51  is formed by using the same metal film as that of a metal wiring lead (not shown) for use as an extension of each terminal electrode.  
         [0025]    The illuminance sensor chip  1  is such that incident light incomes from upper part of it and then passes through the oxide films  50 ,  41  to fall onto the photodiode unit  2 . The photodiode PD 1 , which has a shallow light receiving junction, functions to mainly absorb short wavelength light components of the incoming light. The photodiode PD 2  having a deeper light-receiving junction than that of photodiode PD 1  mainly absorbs longer wavelength light components. Thus, these photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2  exhibit their own spectral sensitivity characteristics such as indicated by curves plotted in a graph of FIG. 6. In view of the photodiode properties, performing arithmetic processing of the output photocurrents of photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2  makes it possible to obtain a sensor output having a desired spectral sensitivity. In order to detect or sense only visible rays of the incoming light, let the photocurrents, Ip1 and Ip2, of photodiodes PD 1 - 2  be subjected to such an arithmetic operation as to subtract a predetermined multiple of Ip2 from Ip1.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the current arithmetic circuit  5  as used in the signal processor circuit unit  3  of this embodiment. This circuit includes a pair of PNP transistors P 1 , P 2 , which make up a current mirror for detection of a total photocurrent of the two photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2 . The transistor P 1  has its base and collector which are connected together to a common cathode node A of photodiodes PD 1 - 2  and also has an emitter connected to a power supply voltage node Vcc. The PNP transistor P 2  is for use as an output-stage transistor and has its base connected to the base of transistor P 1 , an emitter connected to the supply voltage node Vcc, and a collector coupled to an output node OUT of the current arithmetic circuit  5 .  
         [0027]    The arithmetic circuit  5  of FIG. 3 further includes a pair of NPN transistors N 1 , N 2  which make up a current mirror for detection of a photocurrent of the photodiode PD 1 , although only one of them—the transistor N 1 —is shown in FIG. 1. Transistor N 1  has its base and collector connected to the anode node B of photodiode PD 1  and an emitter coupled to a ground node GND. Transistor N 2  acts as an output-stage transistor. This output NPN transistor N 2  has a base connected to the base of transistor N 1 , an emitter connected to ground node GND, and a collector connected to output node OUT. The anode node C of photodiode PD 2  is coupled to ground GND.  
         [0028]    In the FIG. 3 circuit, an emitter area ratio of the transistors P 1 -P 2  and an emitter area ratio of the transistors N 1 -N 2  are set at optimal values to ensure that an output of desired spectral sensitivity is obtained in accordance with the respective spectral sensitivity characteristics of two photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2 . For instance, suppose that the emitter area of transistor P 2  is set at a value which is n times (where “n” is a given positive number) greater than that of transistor P 1  while setting the emitter area of transistor N 2  at a value m times (“m” is a positive number) greater than that of transistor N 1 .  
         [0029]    When incident light falls onto the light receiving unit  2  of photosensor chip  1 , an output current Iout of the current arithmetic circuit  5  becomes substantially equal to Iout=I2−I1, where I1 is a collector current of the transistor P 2 , and I2 is a collector current of transistor N 2 . The collector current I1 of transistor P 2  is represented by I1=n(Ip1+Ip2), where Ip1 and Ip2 are the photocurrents of two photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2 . The collector current I2 of transistor N 2  is given as I2=m·Ip1. Thus, the output current Iout is represented by Equation 1, which follows.  
                   Iout   =              m   ·   Ip1     -     n        (     Ip1   +   Ip2     )                     =              (     m   -   n     )          [     Ip1   -       {     n   /     (     m   -   n     )       }        Ip2       ]                     (   1   )                               
 
         [0030]    From Equation 1, it is seen that the output current Iout has a value obtained by the operation of deducting from the photocurrent Ip1 of the photodiode PD 1  with significant sensitivity in a short wavelength range a number which is n/(m−n) times of the photocurrent Ip2 of photodiode PD 2  with significant sensitivity in a long wavelength range. In other words, the output current Iout is equal to Ip1 subtracted by a product resulting from the multiplication of Ip2 and n/(m−n). For example, in such a case that the spectral sensitivity characteristics of photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2  are as shown in FIG. 6, a magnification (emitter area ratio) of the current mirror of the transistors P 1 -P 2  is set at n=1 whereas a magnification (emitter area ratio) of the current mirror of the transistors N 1 -N 2  is m=4. With this value setup, the output current Iout is given by Equation 2 which follows.  
           I out= Ip 1−0.333 ×Ip 2   (2)  
         [0031]    Under this condition, an output of long wavelength light components of the photodiode PD 1  and an output of photodiode PD 2  cancel each other out. Thus it is expected that spectral sensitivity characteristics corresponding to the luminosity characteristics shown in FIG. 4 and having no sensitivities in wavelength regions of more than 800 nm be obtained.  
         [0032]    In this embodiment, as described above, photodiodes PD 1 , PD 2  are isolated from the silicon substrate  10  by the dielectric film  11 . Therefore, even if carriers are generated in the substrate  10  in response to the noise light rays input into the substrate  10 , the dielectric film  11  prevents the carriers from diffusing into the P-layer  13 . In other words, the carriers generated in the substrate  10  by the noise light rays are not superimposed to the photocurrents of photodiodes PD 1 , PD 2 , whereby it is possible to obtain a desired spectral sensitivity. Similarly, the carriers generated in the substrate  10  due to noise light rays input into the substrate  10  do not affect signal processing circuit  3 .  
         [0033]    As previously stated, in this embodiment, two photodiodes PD 1 -PD 2  having light receiving junctions of different depths are formed at the “common” photodiode unit (optical receiving unit)  2  of the silicon layer  12  of the SOI substrate structure in such a manner that these photodiodes are vertically laminated or stacked over each other. Accordingly, the two photodiodes PD 1 - 2  are formed to have a common small-size light-receiving surface, unlike the case of forming them at different positions within the substrate surface. Moreover, the resultant sensor chip becomes simplified both in structure and in fabrication process, when compared to the prior art with two photodiodes formed at different positions of a substrate while having thickness-different light absorption layers.  
         [0034]    As apparent from the foregoing, the illuminance sensor is obtained which is capable of correctly detecting the intensity of illuminance even under any environments irrespective of the use of either fluorescent lamps or white electric lamps. Especially, it has been affirmed through experimentation by the inventors as named herein that setting the thickness of P-type layer  13  at 15 μm or less enables a difference between an output current in the case of irradiation using fluorescent lamps and an output current in the case of radiation of white electric lamps to become sufficiently small and thus almost negligible during the practical use of the signal processor-embedded illuminance sensor incorporating the principles of the invention.  
         [0035]    Although in the embodiment device structure of FIG. 1 vertical transistors are used as the transistors of the signal processor circuit  3 , lateral transistors may be used as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows only one PNP transistor P 1  connected to node A, which is an element of the current arithmetic circuit  5 . PNP transistor P 1  is formed in the N-type layer  14  along with a P + -type collector layer  61  and a P + -type emitter layer  62  which are formed in this N-type base layer  14 .  
         [0036]    In standard vertical transistors, a base layer is formed at the surface of a collector layer; thus, extra carrier absorption at the collector layer, which is greater in volume than the base layer, becomes to be problematic. On the contrary, with lateral transistors, the collector and emitter are formed in the base layer so that when a base current flows due to the extra carrier absorption at the base layer; this base current is increased by a factor of h FE  to become a collector current. Thus, lateral transistors are inherently greater in the influence of noise light than vertical transistors. Accordingly, in the case of using lateral transistors in signal processing circuitry, a technique for reducing the noise light influence becomes particularly important.  
         [0037]    The signal processing circuit  3  includes other circuits subsequently connected to the current arithmetic circuit  5 , in which resisters and capacitors may be used in addition to transistors.  
         [0038]    It has been stated that according to this invention, it is possible to provide a high-performance semiconductor photosensor device capable of reducing or minimizing the noise light influenceability.