Patent Description:
In the past, as electronic equipment configured by stacking a plurality of semiconductor substrates, an amplification type solid-state imaging element represented by a MOS type image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), a multilayer stacked memory, and so forth have been known (for example, refer to PTL <NUM>).

<CIT> discloses a solid-state imaging device that has: a light sensitive unit that includes pixel units, which are disposed in a matrix, and charge forwarding units for forwarding, by the column, the signal charge of the pixel units; a plurality of charge accumulation units that accumulate the signal charges forwarded by the plurality of charge forwarding units of the light sensitive unit; a relay unit that relays the forwarding of the signal charges forwarded by the plurality of charge accumulation units to each charge accumulation unit; an output unit that outputs the signal charges of the plurality of charge accumulation units as electric signals; a first substrate at which the light sensitive unit is formed; and a second substrate at which the charge accumulation unit and output unit are formed. The first substrate and second substrate are laminated together, and the relay unit electrically couples the charge forwarding unit of the first substrate to the charge accumulation unit of the second substrate by means of a connection section traversing the substrates outside the light sensitive region of the light sensitive unit.

<CIT> discloses an image sensor and manufacturing method thereof. The image sensor can include a readout circuitry, an interconnection, a second interlayer dielectric, an image sensing device, a contact plug, and a sidewall dielectric. The contact plug can electrically connect the first conductive type layer to the interconnection through a via hole passing through the image sensing device. The sidewall dielectric can be disposed on a sidewall of the second conductive type layer within the via hole.

<CIT> discloses an image sensor that comprises a readout circuitry, an interlayer dielectric, an interconnection, an image sensing device, an ion implantation region, a contact, and a pixel separation layer. The readout circuitry is disposed at a first substrate. The interlayer dielectric is disposed on the first substrate. The interconnection is disposed in the interlayer dielectric, and electrically connected to the readout circuitry. The image sensing device is disposed on the interconnection, and comprises a first conductive type layer and a second conductive type layer. The contact electrically connects the first conductive type layer of the image sensing device and the interconnection. The ion implantation region is formed in the second conductive type layer at a region corresponding to the contact. The pixel separation layer is disposed at a pixel boundary of the image sensing device.

<FIG> is a sectional view depicting an example of a related-art configuration of electronic equipment configured by stacking a plurality of semiconductor substrates.

The electronic equipment is configured such that a first semiconductor substrate <NUM> is stacked on a second semiconductor substrate <NUM> and a through electrode <NUM> is formed by filling a through-hole (penetrating hole) extending through the two semiconductor substrates with an electrode material (a metal material such as, for example, Cu) to electrically connect a wiring line of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> of the upper layer and a wiring line of the second semiconductor substrate <NUM> of the lower layer with each other.

<FIG> is an enlarged view depicting a cross section of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> in which the through electrode <NUM> is formed. In the case where the through electrode <NUM> is formed in the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> (hereinafter referred to also as an Si substrate <NUM>) represented by an Si substrate, it is necessary to electrically isolate the inside of the Si substrate <NUM> having conductivity and the through electrode <NUM> from each other, and generally, after an insulating film (hereinafter referred to as a side wall insulating film) <NUM> represented by an SiO<NUM> film or an SiN film is deposited on a side wall of the Si substrate <NUM> in which a through-hole is formed, an electrode material <NUM> is filled to form a through electrode <NUM>.

Although an insulation resistance of the side wall insulating film <NUM> increases as a thickness thereof increases, there is a limitation from the point of view of a throughput or fine processing, and it is desirable that the side wall insulating film <NUM> is controlled to an appropriate thickness.

Incidentally, it is generally known that, if the through-hole is opened in the Si substrate <NUM> by dry etching, a charge is accumulated into a P well region <NUM> of the Si substrate <NUM> by plasma damage caused by dry etching. Further, it is known that, if such charge damages are connected directly to the gate electrode of a MOS transistor, then the gate insulating film is destroyed.

Furthermore, a phenomenon that destruction occurs also with portions other than the gate insulating film of the MOS arising from charge damage has been confirmed by the inventor of the present technology.

In particular, it has been confirmed that, if a through-hole is opened in the P well region <NUM> of the Si substrate <NUM> and the side wall insulating film <NUM> is deposited and then the electrode material <NUM> is filled to form the through electrode <NUM>, then charge accumulated in the boundary between the P well region <NUM> and the insulating film layer (hereinafter referred to as an STI (Shallow Trench Isolation)) <NUM> breaks down the side wall insulating film <NUM> to make a cause of a leakage current failure.

A cause of the breakdown phenomenon of the side wall insulating film <NUM> is described in detail with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

The breakdown phenomenon of the side wall insulating film <NUM> arises from injection of a charge arising from plasma damage upon opening by dry etching when the through-hole <NUM> penetrates the P well region <NUM> and then reaches the STI <NUM>, into the STI <NUM> through the P well region <NUM> as indicated by a × mark in <FIG>, and accumulation of the charge thus injected as fixed charge.

The charge accumulated in the through-hole is not strong enough by itself to cause insulation breakdown. However, charge by plasma damage, which is generated in the case where a plurality of through-holes <NUM> is opened in the P well region <NUM> by dry etching, can freely move around in the P well region <NUM> until the through-holes <NUM> reach the STI <NUM>, and when the through-holes <NUM> reach the STI <NUM>, a large amount of charge having moved around in the P well region <NUM> is trapped by the STI <NUM>, and therefore, charge damage is accumulated.

In the case where a plurality of through-holes <NUM> is opened to the Si substrate <NUM>, since the processing speed or the thickness of the Si substrate <NUM> is not uniform, the period of time within which a through-hole <NUM> that reaches the STI <NUM> first is exposed to etching and the period of time within which another through-hole <NUM> reaches the STI <NUM> last is exposed to etching are different from each other. Therefore, much charge is accumulated in a concentrated manner in the through-hole <NUM> that reaches the STI <NUM> first, and the accumulated charge remains until the through-hole formation process is completed.

Further, when the side wall insulating film <NUM> is deposited in each through-hole <NUM> formed in the P well region <NUM> to fill up the electrode material <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>, the potential of the through electrode <NUM> is fixed, and therefore, the charge accumulated in the proximity of the boundary between the P well region <NUM> and the STI <NUM> becomes fixed charge, which applies a local strong electric field toward the filled electrode material <NUM>. Therefore, such a breakdown phenomenon that the side wall insulating film <NUM> at a position indicated by a broken line round mark in <FIG> and so forth is broken down and part of the electrode material <NUM> enters the inside of the side wall insulating film <NUM> toward the P well region <NUM> becomes observed. Consequently, this causes short-circuiting between the P well region <NUM> and the electrode material <NUM>, and leak current is generated.

The present technology has been made in view of such a situation as described above and makes it possible to suppress breakdown of a side wall insulating film by charge damage to suppress short-circuiting that could have occurred between a semiconductor substrate and a through electrode.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor device in accordance with independent claim <NUM>. According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a manufacturing method in accordance with independent claim <NUM>. Further aspects are set forth in the dependent claims, in the drawings and the following description.

According to the first and second aspects of the present technology, short-circuiting that could have occurred between the first semiconductor substrate and the through electrode can be suppressed.

<FIG> show examples not forming part of the claimed invention, <FIG> show embodiments forming part of the claimed invention and <FIG> show examples being useful to understand the present invention.

In the following, a mode for carrying out the present technology (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) is described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> depicts a configuration example of electronic equipment that is an embodiment of the present technology. It is to be noted that, since components common to those of the related-art configuration depicted in <FIG> are denoted by like reference symbols, description of them is suitably omitted.

The electronic equipment is formed by stacking a first semiconductor substrate (hereinafter referred to also as an Si substrate) <NUM> and a second semiconductor substrate (not depicted) and electrically connecting a wiring line of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> of an upper layer and a wiring line of the second semiconductor substrate of a lower layer by a through electrode <NUM> that extends through the two semiconductor substrates.

As apparent from comparison between the related-art configuration depicted in <FIG> and the present embodiment depicted in <FIG>, in the present embodiment, formed is a protection diode structure including a P well region <NUM> and an N+ diffusion layer <NUM> by providing, as an upper layer of a STI <NUM> in which the through electrode is formed, the N+ diffusion layer <NUM> having a conductivity of a type opposite to that of the P well region <NUM> and in a floating state having a potential that is not fixed.

Since the electrode equipment includes the protection diode structure, charge fixed in the proximity of the boundary between the P well region <NUM> and the STI <NUM> in the related-art structure remains in the N+ diffusion layer <NUM>. Accordingly, since electric field concentration from the proximity of the boundary between the P well region <NUM> and the STI <NUM> toward the electrode material <NUM> does not occur either, the side wall insulating film <NUM> is suppressed from being broken down. It is to be noted that the protection diode structure may otherwise include an N well region and a P+ diffusion layer in the first semiconductor substrate <NUM>.

Now, a manufacturing method of the electronic equipment that is the embodiment of the present technology depicted in <FIG> is described with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> depicts a cross sectional view of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> before a through-hole <NUM> for forming a through electrode <NUM> is opened.

First, before a through-hole <NUM> is opened, a protection diode structure that can be formed in a MOS transistor formation process is formed in a first semiconductor substrate <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>.

In particular, an STI <NUM> that is formed in a recessed shape individually at each position at which each through electrode <NUM> is to be formed in the first semiconductor substrate <NUM>, and an N+ diffusion layer <NUM> is formed in each recessed portion of the STI <NUM>.

It is to be noted that, since the recessed portions of the STI <NUM> are formed with a depth sufficient to isolate the N+ diffusion layers <NUM>, each of which is to be disposed around each through electrode <NUM>, from each other, the protection diode structures that are formed around the through electrodes <NUM> are maintained in a mutually isolated state.

Further, the cross sectional shape of each recessed portion of the STI <NUM> is formed in accordance with a cross sectional shape of the through electrode <NUM> to be formed in the recessed portion. For example, in the case where the sectional shape of the through electrode <NUM> is a circular shape, the recessed portions of the STI <NUM> and the N+ diffusion layer <NUM> are also formed in a circular shape as depicted in <FIG>.

Thereafter, a P well region <NUM> is formed on an upper layer of the STI <NUM> and the N+ diffusion layer <NUM>. Consequently, at positions at which the through electrodes <NUM> are to be formed, protection diode structures separate from and independent of each other are formed individually for the through electrodes <NUM> by the recessed portions of the STI <NUM>.

Then, the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> in which the protection diode structures are formed and a second semiconductor substrate (not depicted) to be stacked on the same are pasted to each other with circuit faces thereof opposed to each other.

Thereafter, as depicted in <FIG>, the P well region <NUM> of the Si substrate <NUM> is made thinner to a desired thickness, and then, through-holes <NUM> extending from the P well region <NUM> and the N+ diffusion layer <NUM> of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> to the second semiconductor substrate are opened at the positions of the through electrodes <NUM> by dry etching.

Then, as depicted in <FIG>, a side wall insulating film <NUM> such as an SiOz film or an SiN film is deposited on a side wall of each of the opened through-holes <NUM>, and then, an electrode material <NUM> is filled to form through electrodes <NUM>.

<FIG> is a sectional view of the through electrodes <NUM> formed at recessed portions of the STI <NUM> in the first semiconductor substrate <NUM>. As depicted in <FIG>, a side wall insulating film <NUM>, an N+ diffusion layer <NUM>, and an STI <NUM> are formed in this order around the electrode material <NUM> that forms each of the through electrodes <NUM>. More specifically, since a junction potential barrier by the N+ diffusion layer <NUM> is present between the side wall insulating film <NUM> and the STI <NUM>, movement of charge from the P well region <NUM> to the STI <NUM>, which has occurred upon opening of a through-hole in the related-art configuration, is suppressed.

Further, since the N+ diffusion layers <NUM> around the through electrodes <NUM> are electrically isolated from each other by the recessed portions of the STI <NUM>, even if timings at which a plurality of through-holes reaches the STI <NUM> suffer from dispersion, charge dispersed in the P well region <NUM> is not concentrated upon the through-hole that reaches the P well region <NUM> first, and a dispersed state is maintained.

Therefore, since an electric field by excessive charge damage is not applied to the side wall insulating film <NUM>, breakdown of the side wall insulating film <NUM> can be suppressed, and short-circuiting that could have occurred between the first semiconductor substrate and a through electrode can be suppressed.

Next, <FIG> depicts a sectional view of a first configuration example of the solid-state imaging element that is an embodiment of the present technology.

In the solid-state imaging element, a first semiconductor substrate <NUM> on which a CMOS image sensor including a PD (photodiode), a pixel transistor, and so forth is formed and which has a protection diode structure and a second semiconductor substrate <NUM> including various signal processing circuits and so forth are pasted to and stacked on each other, and through-holes are opened from the rear face side (upper side in <FIG>) of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> to form through electrodes <NUM>.

Thereafter, if color filters, on-chip lenses, pad electrodes, and so forth are formed on the rear face side of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> and the stacked substrate is then singulated, the first configuration example of the solid-state imaging element that is the embodiment of the present technology is then completed.

<FIG> depicts a sectional view of a configuration example of a semiconductor device that is an embodiment of the present technology.

In the semiconductor device, a first semiconductor substrate <NUM> on which a semiconductor memory represented by a DRAM is formed and which has a protection diode structure and a second semiconductor substrate <NUM> including various signal processing circuits and so forth are stacked on each other, and through-holes are opened from the rear face side (upper side in <FIG>) of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> to form through electrodes <NUM>.

Thereafter, if pad electrodes and so forth are formed on the rear face side of the first semiconductor substrate <NUM> and the stacked substrate is then singulated into individual chips, a semiconductor device of the stacked type that is an embodiment of the present technology is then completed.

<FIG> depicts a sectional view of a second configuration example of a solid-state imaging element that is an embodiment of the present technology.

In the solid-state imaging element, a CMOS image sensor substrate <NUM> including PDs, pixel transistors, and so forth and a circuit board <NUM> (corresponding to the first semiconductor substrate <NUM>) having a protection diode structure are pasted to and stacked on each other, and through-holes are opened from the side of the circuit board <NUM> on which the CMOS image sensor substrate <NUM> is not stacked to form through electrodes <NUM>.

Thereafter, on the side of the circuit board <NUM> on which the CMOS image sensor substrate <NUM> is not stacked, a circuit board <NUM> on which contact pads to the through electrode <NUM> are exposed is pasted.

Thereafter, if color filters, on-chip lenses, pad electrodes, and so forth are formed on the rear face side (upper side in <FIG>) of the CMOS image sensor substrate <NUM> and the stacked substrate is then singulated into individual chips, the second configuration example of the solid-state imaging element that is an embodiment of the present technology is then completed.

<FIG> depicts a sectional view of a third configuration example of a solid-state imaging element that is an embodiment of the present technology.

Thereafter, on the side of the circuit board <NUM> on which the CMOS image sensor substrate <NUM> is not stacked, a circuit board chip <NUM> on which connection pads to the through electrode <NUM> are exposed is pasted.

Thereafter, if color filters, on-chip lenses, pad electrodes, and so forth are formed on the rear face side (upper side in <FIG>) of the CMOS image sensor substrate <NUM> and the stacked substrate is then singulated into individual chips, the third configuration example of the solid-state imaging element that is the embodiment of the present technology is then completed.

The technology according to the present disclosure (present technology) can be applied to various produces. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be applied to an endoscopic surgery system.

<FIG> is a block diagram depicting an example of a schematic configuration of an in-vivo information acquisition system of a patient using a capsule type endoscope, to which the technology according to an embodiment of the present disclosure (present technology) can be applied.

The in-vivo information acquisition system <NUM> includes a capsule type endoscope <NUM> and an external controlling apparatus <NUM>.

The capsule type endoscope <NUM> is swallowed by a patient at the time of inspection. The capsule type endoscope <NUM> has an image pickup function and a wireless communication function and successively picks up an image of the inside of an organ such as the stomach or an intestine (hereinafter referred to as in-vivo image) at predetermined intervals while it moves inside of the organ by peristaltic motion for a period of time until it is naturally discharged from the patient. Then, the capsule type endoscope <NUM> successively transmits information of the in-vivo image to the external controlling apparatus <NUM> outside the body by wireless transmission.

The external controlling apparatus <NUM> integrally controls operation of the in-vivo information acquisition system <NUM>. Further, the external controlling apparatus <NUM> receives information of an in-vivo image transmitted thereto from the capsule type endoscope <NUM> and generates image data for displaying the in-vivo image on a display apparatus (not depicted) on the basis of the received information of the in-vivo image.

In the in-vivo information acquisition system <NUM>, an in-vivo image imaged a state of the inside of the body of a patient can be acquired at any time in this manner for a period of time until the capsule type endoscope <NUM> is discharged after it is swallowed.

A configuration and functions of the capsule type endoscope <NUM> and the external controlling apparatus <NUM> are described in more detail below.

The capsule type endoscope <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> of the capsule type, in which a light source unit <NUM>, an image pickup unit <NUM>, an image processing unit <NUM>, a wireless communication unit <NUM>, a power feeding unit <NUM>, a power supply unit <NUM> and a control unit <NUM> are accommodated.

The light source unit <NUM> includes a light source such as, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) and irradiates light on an image pickup field-of-view of the image pickup unit <NUM>.

The image pickup unit <NUM> includes an image pickup element and an optical system including a plurality of lenses provided at a preceding stage to the image pickup element. Reflected light (hereinafter referred to as observation light) of light irradiated on a body tissue which is an observation target is condensed by the optical system and introduced into the image pickup element. In the image pickup unit <NUM>, the incident observation light is photoelectrically converted by the image pickup element, by which an image signal corresponding to the observation light is generated. The image signal generated by the image pickup unit <NUM> is provided to the image processing unit <NUM>.

The image processing unit <NUM> includes a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU) and performs various signal processes for an image signal generated by the image pickup unit <NUM>. The image processing unit <NUM> provides the image signal for which the signal processes have been performed thereby as RAW data to the wireless communication unit <NUM>.

The wireless communication unit <NUM> performs a predetermined process such as a modulation process for the image signal for which the signal processes have been performed by the image processing unit <NUM> and transmits the resulting image signal to the external controlling apparatus <NUM> through an antenna 10114A. Further, the wireless communication unit <NUM> receives a control signal relating to driving control of the capsule type endoscope <NUM> from the external controlling apparatus <NUM> through the antenna 10114A. The wireless communication unit <NUM> provides the control signal received from the external controlling apparatus <NUM> to the control unit <NUM>.

The power feeding unit <NUM> includes an antenna coil for power reception, a power regeneration circuit for regenerating electric power from current generated in the antenna coil, a voltage booster circuit and so forth. The power feeding unit <NUM> generates electric power using the principle of non-contact charging.

The power supply unit <NUM> includes a secondary battery and stores electric power generated by the power feeding unit <NUM>. In <FIG>, in order to avoid complicated illustration, an arrow mark indicative of a supply destination of electric power from the power supply unit <NUM> and so forth are omitted. However, electric power stored in the power supply unit <NUM> is supplied to and can be used to drive the light source unit <NUM>, the image pickup unit <NUM>, the image processing unit <NUM>, the wireless communication unit <NUM> and the control unit <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> includes a processor such as a CPU and suitably controls driving of the light source unit <NUM>, the image pickup unit <NUM>, the image processing unit <NUM>, the wireless communication unit <NUM> and the power feeding unit <NUM> in accordance with a control signal transmitted thereto from the external controlling apparatus <NUM>.

The external controlling apparatus <NUM> includes a processor such as a CPU or a GPU, a microcomputer, a control board or the like in which a processor and a storage element such as a memory are mixedly incorporated. The external controlling apparatus <NUM> transmits a control signal to the control unit <NUM> of the capsule type endoscope <NUM> through an antenna 10200A to control operation of the capsule type endoscope <NUM>. In the capsule type endoscope <NUM>, an irradiation condition of light upon an observation target of the light source unit <NUM> can be changed, for example, in accordance with a control signal from the external controlling apparatus <NUM>. Further, an image pickup condition (for example, a frame rate, an exposure value or the like of the image pickup unit <NUM>) can be changed in accordance with a control signal from the external controlling apparatus <NUM>. Further, the substance of processing by the image processing unit <NUM> or a condition for transmitting an image signal from the wireless communication unit <NUM> (for example, a transmission interval, a transmission image number or the like) may be changed in accordance with a control signal from the external controlling apparatus <NUM>.

Further, the external controlling apparatus <NUM> performs various image processes for an image signal transmitted thereto from the capsule type endoscope <NUM> to generate image data for displaying a picked up in-vivo image on the display apparatus. As the image processes, various signal processes can be performed such as, for example, a development process (demosaic process), an image quality improving process (bandwidth enhancement process, a super-resolution process, a noise reduction (NR) process and/or image stabilization process) and/or an enlargement process (electronic zooming process). The external controlling apparatus <NUM> controls driving of the display apparatus to cause the display apparatus to display a picked up in-vivo image on the basis of generated image data. Alternatively, the external controlling apparatus <NUM> may also control a recording apparatus (not depicted) to record generated image data or control a printing apparatus (not depicted) to output generated image data by printing.

An example of an in-vivo information acquisition system to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied has been described. The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to the imaging section <NUM> in the configuration described above.

The technology according to the present disclosure (present technology) can be applied to various products. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be implemented as an apparatus that is incorporated in any type of mobile body such as an automobile, an electric car, a hybrid electric car, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a personal mobility, an airplane, a drone, a ship, a robot, and so forth.

The vehicle control system <NUM> includes a plurality of electronic control units connected to each other via a communication network <NUM>. In the example depicted in <FIG>, the vehicle control system <NUM> includes a driving system control unit <NUM>, a body system control unit <NUM>, an outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM>, an in-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM>, and an integrated control unit <NUM>. In addition, a microcomputer <NUM>, a sound/image output section <NUM>, and a vehicle-mounted network interface (I/F) <NUM> are illustrated as a functional configuration of the integrated control unit <NUM>.

The outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM> detects information about the outside of the vehicle including the vehicle control system <NUM>. For example, the outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM> is connected with an imaging section <NUM>. The outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM> makes the imaging section <NUM> image an image of the outside of the vehicle, and receives the imaged image. On the basis of the received image, the outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM> may perform processing of detecting an object such as a human, a vehicle, an obstacle, a sign, a character on a road surface, or the like, or processing of detecting a distance thereto.

The imaging section <NUM> is an optical sensor that receives light, and which outputs an electric signal corresponding to a received light amount of the light. The imaging section <NUM> can output the electric signal as an image, or can output the electric signal as information about a measured distance. In addition, the light received by the imaging section <NUM> may be visible light, or may be invisible light such as infrared rays or the like.

In addition, the microcomputer <NUM> can output a control command to the body system control unit <NUM> on the basis of the information about the outside of the vehicle which information is obtained by the outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM>. For example, the microcomputer <NUM> can perform cooperative control intended to prevent a glare by controlling the headlamp so as to change from a high beam to a low beam, for example, in accordance with the position of a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicle detected by the outside-vehicle information detecting unit <NUM>.

The sound/image output section <NUM> transmits an output signal of at least one of a sound and an image to an output device capable of visually or auditorily notifying information to an occupant of the vehicle or the outside of the vehicle. In the example of <FIG>, an audio speaker <NUM>, a display section <NUM>, and an instrument panel <NUM> are illustrated as the output device. The display section <NUM> may, for example, include at least one of an on-board display and a head-up display.

The imaging sections <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are, for example, disposed at positions on a front nose, sideview mirrors, a rear bumper, and a back door of the vehicle <NUM> as well as a position on an upper portion of a windshield within the interior of the vehicle. The imaging section <NUM> provided to the front nose and the imaging section <NUM> provided to the upper portion of the windshield within the interior of the vehicle obtain mainly an image of the front of the vehicle <NUM>. The imaging sections <NUM> and <NUM> provided to the sideview mirrors obtain mainly an image of the sides of the vehicle <NUM>. The imaging section <NUM> provided to the rear bumper or the back door obtains mainly an image of the rear of the vehicle <NUM>. The imaging section <NUM> provided to the upper portion of the windshield within the interior of the vehicle is used mainly to detect a preceding vehicle, a pedestrian, an obstacle, a signal, a traffic sign, a lane, or the like.

Incidentally, <FIG> depicts an example of photographing ranges of the imaging sections <NUM> to <NUM>. An imaging range <NUM> represents the imaging range of the imaging section <NUM> provided to the front nose. Imaging ranges <NUM> and <NUM> respectively represent the imaging ranges of the imaging sections <NUM> and <NUM> provided to the sideview mirrors. An imaging range <NUM> represents the imaging range of the imaging section <NUM> provided to the rear bumper or the back door. A bird's-eye image of the vehicle <NUM> as viewed from above is obtained by superimposing image data imaged by the imaging sections <NUM> to <NUM>, for example.

At least one of the imaging sections <NUM> to <NUM> may have a function of obtaining distance information. For example, at least one of the imaging sections <NUM> to <NUM> may be a stereo camera constituted of a plurality of imaging elements, or may be an imaging element having pixels for phase difference detection.

For example, the microcomputer <NUM> can determine a distance to each three-dimensional object within the imaging ranges <NUM> to <NUM> and a temporal change in the distance (relative speed with respect to the vehicle <NUM>) on the basis of the distance information obtained from the imaging sections <NUM> to <NUM>, and thereby extract, as a preceding vehicle, a nearest three-dimensional object in particular that is present on a traveling path of the vehicle <NUM> and which travels in substantially the same direction as the vehicle <NUM> at a predetermined speed (for example, equal to or more than <NUM>/hour). Further, the microcomputer <NUM> can set a following distance to be maintained in front of a preceding vehicle in advance, and perform automatic brake control (including following stop control), automatic acceleration control (including following start control), or the like. It is thus possible to perform cooperative control intended for automatic driving that makes the vehicle travel autonomously without depending on the operation of the driver or the like.

An example of a vehicle control system to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied has been described. The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to the imaging section <NUM> in the configuration described above.

Claim 1:
A semiconductor device comprising:
a first semiconductor substrate (<NUM>) on which a given circuit is formed;
a second semiconductor substrate (<NUM>) pasted to the first semiconductor substrate (<NUM>); and
through electrodes (<NUM>) electrically connecting the first semiconductor substrate (<NUM>) and the second semiconductor substrate (<NUM>) to each other, wherein
each of the through electrodes (<NUM>) is formed such that a respective through-hole (<NUM>) is opened through a protection diode structure formed in the first semiconductor substrate (<NUM>), an insulating film (<NUM>) is deposited on a side wall of the through-hole (<NUM>), and an electrode material (<NUM>) is then filled inside the through-hole (<NUM>) in which the insulating film (<NUM>) is deposited; wherein
the respective through electrode (<NUM>) is formed such that the through-hole (<NUM>) is opened through the protection diode structure including a well region (<NUM>) of one of a P type and an N type formed in the first semiconductor substrate (<NUM>) and a diffusion layer (<NUM>) of the other of the P type and the N type stacked and formed in the well region (<NUM>) ;
wherein the diffusion layer (<NUM>) is in a floating state having a potential that is not fixed;
characterized in that
the diffusion layer (<NUM>) of the other of the P type and the N type stacked and formed in the well region (<NUM>) is formed in a recessed portion of a shallow trench isolation (<NUM>);
in that the protection diode structure is formed on a side of the shallow trench isolation (<NUM>) facing away from the second semiconductor substrate (<NUM>); and
in that a recessed portion of the shallow trench isolation (<NUM>) is provided individually for each of the through electrodes (<NUM>), and
in that the diffusion layer (<NUM>) is formed between and in contact with the well region (<NUM>) and the shallow trench isolation (<NUM>).