Patent Description:
An imaging device is used in a digital camera and a camcorder or the like to take (e.g., capture, generate, etc.) an image and to store the same as an electrical signal, and the imaging device includes a sensor separating incident light according to a wavelength and converting each component to an electrical signal.

<CIT> discloses a photoelectric device including a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to convert light in a particular wavelength spectrum of light of a visible wavelength spectrum of light into an electric signal.

<CIT> discloses tandem photovoltaic cells having a recombination layer, as well as related systems, methods, and components.

Some example embodiments provide a sensor that exhibits improved electrical properties. The sensor may include an infrared sensor that has improved sensitivity in a low illumination environment and/or may be suitable for use as a biometric or authentication device.

Some example embodiments provide an electronic device including the sensor.

According to an aspect of the invention, a sensor is provided in accordance with claim <NUM>.

A difference between a HOMO energy level of the first material and a HOMO energy level of the third material may be less than <NUM> eV.

A difference between a HOMO energy level of the second material and a HOMO energy level of the first material may be greater than or equal to <NUM> eV.

The energy band gap of the first material may be <NUM> eV to <NUM> eV, and the energy band gap of the third material may be <NUM> eV to <NUM> eV.

The energy band gap of the third material may be greater than an energy band gap of the second material.

The first material may be included in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer in a smaller amount than the second material.

A composition ratio of the first material to the second material in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer may be <NUM>:<NUM> to <NUM>:<NUM>.

Each of the first material and the third material may be included in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer in a smaller amount than the second material.

The third material may be included in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer in an amount of <NUM> volume% to <NUM> volume% based on a total volume of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer.

A maximum absorption wavelength of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer may be longer than the maximum absorption wavelength of the first material.

A maximum absorption wavelength or a maximum external quantum efficiency wavelength of the sensor may be shifted toward a longer wavelength as a content of the third material in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer increases.

The third material may be represented by Chemical Formula <NUM>.

The third material may be represented by one of Chemical Formulas <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>. <CHM>
<CHM>
<CHM>
<CHM>.

In Chemical Formulas <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>,.

The infrared photoelectric conversion layer may be a ternary system of the first material, the second material, and the third material.

The sensor may have a maximum external quantum efficiency wavelength that is in a range of <NUM> to <NUM>.

The sensor may further include a first auxiliary layer between the first electrode and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer. The first auxiliary layer may include a fourth material, the fourth material being the same as or different from the third material. The energy band gap of the fourth material may be greater than the energy band gap of the first material by greater than or equal to <NUM> eV. A HOMO energy level of the fourth material may be between a work function of the first electrode and a HOMO energy level of the first material.

According to another aspect of the invention, a sensor is provided in accordance with claim <NUM>.

The maximum absorption wavelength of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer may be longer than the maximum absorption wavelength of the first material by greater than or equal to <NUM>.

The maximum absorption wavelength of the first material may belong to <NUM> to <NUM>, and the maximum absorption wavelength of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer may belong to <NUM> to <NUM>.

The third material may be represented by one of Chemical Formulas <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>.

The first material may include a metal phthalocyanine complex or a metal naphthalocyanine complex.

According to some example embodiments, an electronic device including the sensor is provided.

A HOMO energy level of the first material may be in a range of about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. A HOMO energy level of the second material may be in a range of about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

The second material may include fullerene or a fullerene derivative.

Under a reverse bias voltage, the dark current of the sensor may be reduced and optical characteristics may be improved based on the infrared photoelectric conversion layer including the third material in combination with the first and second materials.

Hereinafter, example embodiments are described in detail so that those of ordinary skill in the art can easily implement them. However, some example embodiments may be implemented in various different forms, and is not limited to the example embodiments described herein.

In the drawings, the thickness of layers, films, panels, regions, etc., are exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region, or substrate is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. It will further be understood that when an element is referred to as being "on" another element, it may be above or beneath or adjacent (e.g., horizontally adjacent) to the other element.

It will be understood that elements and/or properties thereof (e.g., structures, surfaces, directions, or the like), which may be referred to as being "perpendicular," "parallel," "coplanar," or the like with regard to other elements and/or properties thereof (e.g., structures, surfaces, directions, or the like) may be "perpendicular," "parallel," "coplanar," or the like or may be "substantially perpendicular," "substantially parallel," "substantially coplanar," respectively, with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof.

Elements and/or properties thereof (e.g., structures, surfaces, directions, or the like) that are "substantially perpendicular" with regard to other elements and/or properties thereof will be understood to be "perpendicular" with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof within manufacturing tolerances and/or material tolerances and/or have a deviation in magnitude and/or angle from "perpendicular," or the like with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof that is equal to or less than <NUM>% (e.g., a. tolerance of ±<NUM>%).

Elements and/or properties thereof (e.g., structures, surfaces, directions, or the like) that are "substantially parallel" with regard to other elements and/or properties thereof will be understood to be "parallel" with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof within manufacturing tolerances and/or material tolerances and/or have a deviation in magnitude and/or angle from "parallel," or the like with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof that is equal to or less than <NUM>% (e.g., a. tolerance of ±<NUM>%).

Elements and/or properties thereof (e.g., structures, surfaces, directions, or the like) that are "substantially coplanar" with regard to other elements and/or properties thereof will be understood to be "coplanar" with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof within manufacturing tolerances and/or material tolerances and/or have a deviation in magnitude and/or angle from "coplanar," or the like with regard to the other elements and/or properties thereof that is equal to or less than <NUM>% (e.g., a. tolerance of ±<NUM>%).

It will be understood that elements and/or properties thereof may be recited herein as being "the same" or "equal" as other elements, and it will be further understood that elements and/or properties thereof recited herein as being "identical" to, "the same" as, or "equal" to other elements may be "identical" to, "the same" as, or "equal" to or "substantially identical" to, "substantially the same" as or "substantially equal" to the other elements and/or properties thereof. Elements and/or properties thereof that are "substantially identical" to, "substantially the same" as or "substantially equal" to other elements and/or properties thereof will be understood to include elements and/or properties thereof that are identical to, the same as, or equal to the other elements and/or properties thereof within manufacturing tolerances and/or material tolerances. Elements and/or properties thereof that are identical or substantially identical to and/or the same or substantially the same as other elements and/or properties thereof may be structurally the same or substantially the same, functionally the same or substantially the same, and/or compositionally the same or substantially the same.

It will be understood that elements and/or properties thereof described herein as being the "substantially" the same and/or identical encompasses elements and/or properties thereof that have a relative difference in magnitude that is equal to or less than <NUM>%. Further, regardless of whether elements and/or properties thereof are modified as "substantially," it will be understood that these elements and/or properties thereof should be construed as including a manufacturing or operational tolerance (e.g., ±<NUM>%) around the stated elements and/or properties thereof.

When the terms "about" or "substantially" are used in this specification in connection with a numerical value, it is intended that the associated numerical value include a tolerance of ±<NUM>% around the stated numerical value. When ranges are specified, the range includes all values therebetween such as increments of <NUM>%.

Hereinafter, as used herein, when a definition is not otherwise provided, "substituted" refers to replacement of hydrogen of a compound or a group by a substituent selected from a halogen, a hydroxy group, a nitro group, a cyano group, an amino group, an azido group, an amidino group, a hydrazino group, a hydrazono group, a carbonyl group, a carbamyl group, a thiol group, ester group, a carboxyl group or a salt thereof, a sulfonic acid group or a salt thereof, a phosphoric acid group or a salt thereof, a silyl group, a C1 to C20 alkyl group, a C2 to C20 alkenyl group, a C2 to C20 alkynyl group, a C6 to C30 aryl group, a C7 to C30 arylalkyl group, a C1 to C30 alkoxy group, a C1 to C30 thioalkoxy group, a C1 to C20 heteroalkyl group, a C3 to C20 heterocyclic group, a C3 to C20 heteroarylalkyl group, a C3 to C30 cycloalkyl group, a C3 to C15 cycloalkenyl group, a C6 to C15 cycloalkynyl group, a C3 to C30 heterocycloalkyl group, and a combination thereof.

As used herein, when specific definition is not otherwise provided, "hetero" refers to one including <NUM> to <NUM> heteroatoms selected from N, O, S, Se, Te, Si, and P.

Hereinafter, as used herein, when a definition is not otherwise provided, "aryl group" refers to a group including at least one aromatic hydrocarbon moiety. All ring-forming atoms of the aromatic hydrocarbon moiety have p-orbitals which form conjugation, for example a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, and the like; two or more aromatic hydrocarbon moieties may be linked by a sigma bond, for example a biphenyl group, a terphenyl group, a quarterphenyl group, and the like; and two or more aromatic hydrocarbon moieties may be fused directly or indirectly to provide a nonaromatic fused ring, for example a fluorenyl group. The aryl group may include a monocyclic, polycyclic or fused ring polycyclic (i.e., rings sharing adjacent pairs of carbon atoms) functional group.

Hereinafter, as used herein, when a definition is not otherwise provided, "heterocycle" or "heterocyclic group" is a generic concept of a heteroaryl group, and may be a ring including at least one heteroatom selected from N, O, S, Se, Te, P, and Si instead of carbon (C) in the ring. When the heterocycle or heterocyclic group is a fused ring, the entire ring or each ring of the heterocyclic group may include one or more heteroatoms.

Hereinafter, a work function, a HOMO energy level, or a LUMO energy level is expressed as an absolute value from a vacuum level. In addition, when the work function, HOMO energy level, or LUMO energy level is referred to be deep, high, or large, it may have a large absolute value based on "<NUM> eV" of the vacuum level, while when the work function, HOMO energy level, or LUMO energy level is referred to be shallow, low, or small, it may have a small absolute value based on "<NUM> eV" of the vacuum level.

Hereinafter, the HOMO energy level is obtained by measuring a film formed of the material at room temperature using a photoelectron spectroscopy device (RIKEN KEIKI Co. , AC-<NUM>). In addition, after measuring the light absorption of the film using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UPS), the energy band gap is extracted, and a value obtained by subtracting the previously measured HOMO energy level from the energy band gap is defined as the LUMO energy level.

Hereinafter, an energy band gap refers to an absolute value of a difference between the HOMO energy level and LUMO energy level, the wide or large energy band gap means that an absolute value of the difference between the HOMO energy level and LUMO energy level is large.

Hereinafter, the wavelength at the point where the light absorption is maximum in the optical absorption spectrum is referred to as "maximum absorption wavelength," and the wavelength at the point where the external quantum efficiency (EQE) is maximum in the external quantum efficiency spectrum (EQE spectrum) is referred to as "maximum external quantum efficiency wavelength" or "maximum EQE wavelength.

Under the same conditions, the maximum external quantum efficiency wavelength or the maximum EQE wavelength may be the same as the maximum absorption wavelength, and the term "the maximum external quantum efficiency wavelength" (or "the maximum EQE wavelength") and "the maximum absorption wavelength" may be used interchangeably.

Hereinafter, the "non-polymeric material" may be an organic material having no repeating units, and may be, for example, an organic material having a molecular weight of less than or equal to about <NUM>/mol, less than or equal to about <NUM>/mol, less than or equal to about <NUM>/mol, or less than or equal to about <NUM>/mol. The "non-polymeric material" may be a low molecular weight compound having a molecular weight within the above range.

Hereinafter, "combination" includes a mixture or two or more stacked structures.

Hereinafter, a sensor according to some example embodiments is described.

A sensor according to some example embodiments includes a sensor (hereinafter referred to as an "infrared sensor") configured to sense light in at least a portion of the infrared wavelength spectrum. The infrared sensor may be, for example, a sensor configured to sense light in at least a portion of a near infrared wavelength spectrum, a short wave infrared wavelength spectrum, a mid- wave infrared wavelength spectrum, and a long-wave infrared wavelength spectrum. For example, the infrared sensor may be a sensor configured to sense light in at least a portion of a near infrared wavelength spectrum to a short wave infrared wavelength spectrum. The infrared wavelength spectrum may, for example, belong to greater than about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>, and within this range, it may, for example, belong to about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>. The absorption spectrum of the infrared sensor may have a maximum absorption wavelength in the wavelength spectrum.

The infrared sensor may be configured to selectively absorb light in the wavelength spectrum and convert the absorbed light into an electrical signal. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectrum of the infrared sensor may have a maximum EQE wavelength in the wavelength spectrum.

Each infrared sensor may independently include a photo-sensing device such as a photodiode or a photoelectric conversion device.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an infrared sensor according to some example embodiments.

Referring to <FIG>, an infrared light sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes a first electrode <NUM> and a second electrode <NUM> facing each other, and an infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> between the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM>. An infrared sensor as described herein may be referred to as, or may be included in, a sensor.

The substrate (not shown) may be disposed under the first electrode <NUM> or may be disposed on the second electrode <NUM> and may be in direct contact with at least one of the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM>. The substrate may be, for example, made of an inorganic material such as glass, an organic material such as polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyethersulfone, or a combination thereof, or a silicon wafer. The substrate may be omitted.

One of the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM> is an anode and the other is a cathode. For example, the first electrode <NUM> may be an anode, and the second electrode <NUM> may be a cathode. For example, the first electrode <NUM> may be a cathode, and the second electrode <NUM> may be an anode.

At least one of the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM> may be a transparent electrode or a semi-transmissive electrode.

The transparent electrode may have a transmittance of greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, and within the above range, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, or greater than or equal to about <NUM>%. The transparent electrode may include, for example, at least one of an oxide conductor, a carbon conductor, and/or a metal thin film. The oxide conductor may be for example one or more selected from indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc tin oxide (ZTO), aluminum tin oxide (AlTO), and aluminum zinc oxide (AZO). The carbon conductor may be one or more selected from graphene and carbon nanostructure. The metal thin film may be for example formed with a thin thickness of several nanometers to several tens of nanometer thickness or may be a single layer or multiple layers of metal thin film formed with a thin thickness of several nanometers to tens of nanometer thickness and doped with metal oxide.

The semi-transmissive electrode may have a transmittance of about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%, about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%, or about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%, for example, selectively transmitting light in a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) wavelength range and reflecting or absorbing light in other wavelength ranges. The semi-transmissive electrode may include a thin metal layer or alloy layer of, for example, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, and may include silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), ytterbium (Yb), magnesium-silver (Mg-Ag), magnesium-aluminum (Mg-Al), or a combination thereof, but the present inventive concepts are not limited thereto.

One of the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM> may be a reflective electrode. The reflective electrode may include a reflective layer and may have a low transmittance of, for example, less than about <NUM>% or less than or equal to about <NUM>%. The light transmittance of the reflective electrode may be equal to or greater than <NUM>%, equal to or greater than about <NUM>%, equal to or greater than about <NUM>%, equal to or greater than about <NUM>%, or equal to or greater than about <NUM>%. The reflective electrode may have a reflectance of greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, greater than or equal to about <NUM>%, or greater than or equal to about <NUM>%. The reflectance of the reflective electrode may be equal to or less than <NUM>%, equal to or less than about <NUM>%, equal to or less than about <NUM>%, equal to or less than about <NUM>%, or equal to or less than about <NUM>%. The reflective electrode may include a reflective conductor such as a metal, for example, silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), ytterbium (Yb), an alloy thereof, a nitride thereof (e.g., TiN), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

For example, the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> may be a transparent electrode or a semi-transmissive electrode, respectively. As an example, the first electrode <NUM> may be a reflective electrode and the second electrode <NUM> may be a transparent electrode or a semi-transmissive electrode. As an example, the first electrode <NUM> may be a transparent electrode or a semi-transmissive electrode, and the second electrode <NUM> may be a reflective electrode.

The infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be configured to absorb light (e.g., incident light) in at least a portion of the infrared wavelength spectrum and convert the absorbed light into an electrical signal. Such absorbing and photoelectric conversion of light in an infrared wavelength spectrum may be referred to herein as "sensing" and/or "detecting" said light in the infrared wavelength spectrum. The absorption spectrum of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may have, for example, a maximum absorption wavelength (λmax,A) in a wavelength spectrum of greater than about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>. The maximum absorption wavelength may belong to a wavelength spectrum of, for example, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

The EQE spectrum of the infrared light sensor <NUM> (the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>) may have a maximum EQE wavelength in a wavelength range of, for example, greater than about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>. The maximum EQE wavelength may belong to a wavelength spectrum of, for example, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

The infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> includes at least one first material 130a and at least one second material 130b which form a pn junction (e.g., the second material 130b forms a pn junction with the first material 130a). The first material 130a and the second material 130b are different from each other, and one of the first material 130a or the second material 130b may be a p-type semiconductor and the other may be an n-type semiconductor. As an example, the first material 130a may be a p-type semiconductor and the second material 130b may be an n-type semiconductor. For example, the first material 130a may be an n-type semiconductor and the second material 130b may be a p-type semiconductor.

Each of the first material 130a and the second material 130b may be an organic material, an inorganic material, or an organic-inorganic material. For example, at least one of the first material 130a or the second material 130b may be an organic material. The first material 130a and the second material 130b are each a non-polymeric material and may be a depositable compound. At least one of the first material 130a or the second material 130b may be a light absorbing material. For example, the first material 130a and the second material 130b may be light absorbing materials, respectively.

The first material 130a and the second material 130b may have different light absorption characteristics. For example, the absorption spectrum of the first material 130a and the absorption spectrum of the second material 130b may be different. For example, the maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the first material 130a and the maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the second material 130b may be different from each other. For example, the absorption spectrum of the first material 130a may be in a longer wavelength spectrum than the absorption spectrum of the second material 130b. The maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the first material 130a may be longer than the maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the second material 130b.

The first material 130a is an infrared absorbing material configured to mainly absorb light in the infrared wavelength spectrum, and the maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the first material 130a belongs to (e.g., may be in) the infrared wavelength spectrum. The maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the first material 130a may belong to, for example, greater than about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>, and within the above range, for example about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

For example, the second material 130b may not be an infrared absorbing material configured to mainly absorb light in the infrared wavelength spectrum, and for example, the maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the second material 130b may not belong to the infrared wavelength spectrum. For example, the second material 130b may be a visible light absorbing material configured to mainly absorb light in the visible light wavelength spectrum, and the maximum absorption wavelength of the absorption spectrum of the second material 130b may belong to the visible light wavelength spectrum. The visible light wavelength spectrum may be, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> and less than about <NUM>, and within the above range, for example, about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

The first material 130a and the second material 130b may have different electrical properties. For example, the energy diagram of the first material 130a and the energy diagram of the second material 130b may be different.

For example, the first material 130a may have a relatively shallow HOMO energy level. For example, the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a may be about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. The HOMO energy level of the second material 130b may be deeper than the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a, for example, a difference between the HOMO energy level of the second material 130b and the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a may be greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. For example, the HOMO energy level of the second material 130b may be about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

For example, the LUMO energy level of the first material 130a may be about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. The LUMO energy level of the second material 130b may be deeper or shallower than the LUMO energy level of the first material 130a, for example, the LUMO energy level of the second material 130b may be about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

For example, the energy band gap of the first material 130a may be relatively narrow. The energy band gap of the first material 130a may be, for example, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, for example, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

For example, the energy band gap of the second material 130b may be wider than the energy band gap of the first material 130a. The energy band gap of the second material 130b may be, for example, wider than the energy band gap of the first material 130a by greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. For example, the energy band gap of the second material 130b may be about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

For example, the first material 130a may be selected from materials satisfying the aforementioned optical properties and electrical properties, and may include, for example, a metal phthalocyanine complex or a metal naphthalocyanine complex. Herein, the metal may be copper (Cu), tin (Sn), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

For example, the second material 130b may be selected from materials satisfying the aforementioned optical properties and electrical properties, and may include, for example, fullerene or a fullerene derivative.

The first material 130a and the second material 130b may be blended in the form of bulk heterojunction. In the drawing, an example of blending the first material 130a and the second material 130b is shown but a shape and morphology of the first material 130a and the second material 130b are not limited thereto, for example, the first material 130a and the second material 130b may be in contact with each other.

The first material 130a and the second material 130b may be included in a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) composition ratio, wherein the composition ratio may be defined as a ratio of a volume or thickness of the first material 130a relative to volume or thickness of the second material 130b.

For example, the first material 130a may be included in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> in a smaller amount than that of the second material 130b, for example, the composition ratio of the first material 130a relative to the second material 130b in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be about <NUM>:<NUM> to about <NUM>:<NUM>. The composition ratio of the first material 130a relative to the second material 130b in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be, within the above range, about <NUM>:<NUM> to about <NUM>:<NUM>, about <NUM>:<NUM> to about <NUM>:<NUM>, about <NUM>:<NUM> to about <NUM>:<NUM>, or about <NUM>:<NUM> to about <NUM>:<NUM>. In this way, in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, the composition ratio of second material 130b having a relatively deeper HOMO energy level than that of the first material 130a may be increased to form a sufficient energy barrier and thus may prevent carrier charges from reversely flowing from the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM> to the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, resultantly suppressing a dark current.

The infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> further include a third material 130c, in addition to the first material 130a and the second material 130b. The third material 130c is respectively different from the first material 130a and the second material 130b and a dopant modifying properties of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>.

The third material 130c is a non-polymeric organic material, for example, a depositable organic compound. For example, the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be a co-deposited thin film of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c, and a blended film of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c.

The third material 130c may be, for example, a non-absorbing material for visible light and may not substantially absorb, for example, visible light of wavelength spectrum of greater than or equal to about <NUM> and less than about <NUM>. The third material 130c may be, for example, a charge transport material, for example, a hole transport material or an electron transport material.

The third material 130c may have electrical properties respectively differing from those of the first material 130a and the second material 130b, for example, an energy diagram respectively differing from those of the first material 130a and the second material 130b.

The energy band gap of the third material 130c is greater than that of the first material 130a. For example, the energy band gap of the third material 130c may be respectively greater than those of the first material 130a and the second material 130b (e.g., greater than both the energy band gap of the first material 130a and the energy band gap of the second material 130b).

The energy band gap of the third material 130c is wider (e.g., greater) than the energy band gap of the first material 130a by greater than or equal to <NUM> eV, and within the above range may be, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

The energy band gap of the third material 130c may be wider (e.g., greater) than the energy band gap of the second material 130b, by greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

The energy band gap of the third material 130c may be, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

For example, the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c may be equal to that of the first material 130a or a difference between the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a and the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c may not be significant. For example, a difference between the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c and the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a may be for example, less than about <NUM> eV, for example, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, less than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or less than or equal to about <NUM> eV. The difference between the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c and the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a may be for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV. For example, the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c may be equal to or deeper than that of the first material 130a within a range of greater than about <NUM> and less than about <NUM> eV, and the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c may be deeper than that of the first material 130a within a range of about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. For example, the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c may be equal to or shallower than that of the first material 130a within a range of greater than about <NUM> and less than about <NUM> eV, and the HOMO energy level of the third material 130c may be shallower than that of the first material 130a within a range of about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

The third material 130c having these electrical properties is blended with the first material 130a and the second material 130b in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> such that the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> comprises a mixture of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c, and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> including a mixture of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c, as described above, which have different electrical properties one another, may have different properties from those of an infrared photoelectric conversion layer including a mixture of the first material 130a and the second material 130b without the third material 130c.

For example, the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may include a plurality of charge carrier trapping sites intentionally or unintentionally formed by a conformation of molecules themselves of the first material 130a and/or the second material 130b, such as arrangement, alignment, and/or stacking of the molecules. For example, most of the charge trap sites of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be distributed between the HOMO energy level and the LUMO energy level of the first material 130a, for example, mainly between the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a and the middle of the energy band gap of the first material 130a, and for example, closer to the middle of the energy band gap between the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a and the middle of the energy band gap of the first material 130a (so-called, "deep hole-traps"). Although not bound by a specific theory, the third material 130c may fill at least a portion of the charge trap sites and thus lower density of the charge trap sites in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> and resultantly, effectively control a dark current possibly generated by the charge trap sites in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>.

For example, the third material 130c may change the absorption spectrum and/or the EQE spectrum of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, and the absorption spectrum and/or the EQE spectrum of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> formed of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c may be shifted toward a longer wavelength region, compared with an absorption spectrum and/or an EQE spectrum of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer (hereinafter referred to as comparative infrared photoelectric conversion layer) formed of the first material 130a and the second material 130b without the third material 130c. For example, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> formed of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c may be longer than that of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer formed of the first material 130a and the second material 130b without the third material 130c. For example, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> formed of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c may be longer than that of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer formed of the first material 130a and the second material 130b without the third material 130c, by greater than or equal to about <NUM>, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

For example, the absorption spectrum of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> formed of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c may be shifted toward a longer wavelength region, compared with an absorption spectrum of the first material 130a (a thin film formed of the first material 130a), for example, the maximum absorption wavelength of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> formed of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c may be a longer wavelength than that of the first material 130a. For example, the maximum absorption wavelength of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be longer than that of the first material 130a, by greater than or equal to about <NUM>, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM> or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

For example, as a content of the third material 130c in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> increases, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be further shifted toward the longer wavelength region. For example, when the third material 130c is included in an amount of less than or equal to about <NUM> volume% based on a total volume of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be about <NUM> to about <NUM> shifted toward the longer wavelength region than that of the comparative infrared photoelectric conversion layer. For example, when third material 130c is included in an amount of greater than about <NUM> volume% and less than or equal to about <NUM> volume% based on a total volume of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be about <NUM> to about <NUM> more shifted toward the longer wavelength region than that of the comparative infrared photoelectric conversion layer. For example, when the third material 130c is included in an amount of greater than about <NUM> volume% and less than or equal to about <NUM> volume% based on a total volume of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be about <NUM> to about <NUM> more shifted toward the longer wavelength region than that of the comparative infrared photoelectric conversion layer.

For example, the maximum absorption wavelength (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, which may be the maximum EQE wavelength of the infrared light sensor <NUM>, may be, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>, and within the above range, for example, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM> or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

The third material 130c has no particular limit, but may include any material changing electrical properties and the optical spectrum (EQE spectrum) of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. It is a non-polymeric organic material.

The third material 130c may be, for example, an organic compound having a planar-type core, for example, a planar-type organic compound having at least one arylamine group.

For example, the third material 130c may be represented by Chemical Formula <NUM>.

For example, L<NUM> and L<NUM> may independently be a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylene group, or a combination thereof.

For example, when m is <NUM>, at least one of L<NUM> and L<NUM> may be a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted naphthylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylene group, or a combination thereof.

For example, Ar<NUM> to Ar<NUM> may independently be a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted biphenyl group, or a combination thereof.

For example, Ar<NUM> and Ar<NUM> may be combined with each other to form a ring.

For example, R<NUM> and R<NUM> may each be a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or may be combined with each other to form a ring.

For example, the third material 130c may be represented by one of Chemical Formulas <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>, but is not limited thereto. <CHM>
<CHM>
<CHM>
<CHM>.

The third material 130c may be included within any content range that does not affect stability of molecules of the first material 130a and the second material 130b and other properties required from the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, for example, in a smaller amount than the second material 130b. For example, the third material 130c may be included, in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, in an amount of less than or equal to about <NUM> volume%, and within the above range, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, or about <NUM> volume% to about <NUM> volume%, based on a total volume of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. Each of the first material 130a and the third material 130c may be included in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> in a smaller amount than the second material 130b.

The infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be an intrinsic layer in which the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c are blended in a form of bulk heterojunction.

The infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be a ternary system of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c.

A thickness of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be about <NUM> to about <NUM>, and within the above range, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

The infrared light sensor <NUM> may further include an anti-reflection layer (not shown) under the first electrode <NUM> or on the second electrode <NUM>. The anti-reflection layer is disposed at a light incidence side and may lower reflectance of incident light and thereby light absorbance may be further improved. For example, when light enters from the first electrode <NUM>, the anti-reflection layer may be disposed under the first electrode <NUM>, while when light enters from the second electrode <NUM>, the anti-reflection layer may be disposed on the second electrode <NUM>.

The anti-reflection layer may include, for example a material having a refractive index of about <NUM> to about <NUM> and may include for example at least one of a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, or an organic material having a refractive index within the above ranges. The anti-reflection layer may include, for example a metal oxide such as an aluminum-containing oxide, a molybdenum-containing oxide, a tungsten-containing oxide, a vanadium-containing oxide, a rhenium-containing oxide, a niobium-containing oxide, a tantalum-containing oxide, a titanium-containing oxide, a nickel-containing oxide, a copper-containing oxide, a cobalt-containing oxide, a manganese-containing oxide, a chromium-containing oxide, a tellurium-containing oxide, or a combination thereof; a metal sulfide such as zinc sulfide; or an organic material such as an amine derivative, but is not limited thereto.

For example, when one of the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM> may be a transparent electrode or a semi-transmissive electrode, while the other of the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> is a reflective electrode, the infrared light sensor <NUM> may form a microcavity structure. Due to the microcavity structure, incident light may be repeatedly reflected between the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> which are separated by a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) gap (optical path length) to enhance light of a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) wavelength spectrum. Herein, the optical path length may be a gap between the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM>, for example, a thickness of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. For example, light of a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) wavelength spectrum out of the incident light may be repeatedly reflected and modified between the reflective electrode and the transparent electrode or the semi-transmissive electrode, and out of the modified light, light of a wavelength spectrum corresponding to a resonance wavelength of micro-resonance may be enhanced to exhibit amplified photoelectric conversion characteristics in a narrow wavelength spectrum. The resonance wavelength of the microcavity may belong to the absorption spectrum of the aforementioned infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>, and within the above range, for example about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, about <NUM> to about <NUM>, or about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

In the infrared light sensor <NUM>, light enters from the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM>, and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> absorbs light of a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) wavelength spectrum, thereby generating excitons therein. The excitons may be separated into holes and electrons in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, and the separated holes may move to the anode that is one of the first electrode <NUM> or the second electrode <NUM>, and the separated electrons may move to the cathode that is the other of the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM>, so as to flow a current.

As described above, the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> further includes a third material 130c, in addition to the first material 130a and the second material 130b forming a pn junction, and thus may improve characteristics of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. Accordingly, the optical and electrical properties of the infrared light sensor <NUM> may be improved.

For example, as described above, since the third material 130c may effectively lower the density of the charge trap site (region) in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, dark current characteristics of the infrared light sensor <NUM> may be improved, and ultimately, electrical properties of the infrared light sensor <NUM> may be improved.

For example, as described above, since the third material 130c may shift the absorption spectrum of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> toward the longer wavelength spectrum, material limitations of infrared absorption properties of the first material 130a may be overcome, and an infrared sensor sensing light in a much longer wavelength spectrum than the absorption region of the first material 130a may be realized.

The infrared light sensor <NUM> may be applied to a variety of sensors for sensing light in infrared wavelength spectrum, for example a sensor to improve sensitivity in low-illumination environments, a sensor to extend a dynamic range specifically classifying a black/white contrast and thus to increase sensing capability of a long distance <NUM>-dimensional image, or a biometric sensor. The biometric sensor may be for example an iris sensor, a depth sensor, a fingerprint sensor, or a blood vessel distribution sensor, but is not limited thereto. The infrared light sensor <NUM> may be for example applied to a CMOS infrared light sensor or a CMOS image sensor.

It will be understood that the material composition of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be referred to, independently of the structure of the infrared light sensor <NUM>, as a composition having properties, material compositions, and the like of any of the example embodiments of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. Accordingly, any description herein regarding properties, compositions, and the like regarding the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be understood to also provide a description of a composition having the same properties, compositions and the like according to any of the example embodiments, where the composition may be used to form the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. For example, a composition according to some example embodiments may include any combination of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c according to any of the example embodiments as described herein with regard to the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> (e.g., a first material 130a having a maximum absorption wavelength in an infrared wavelength spectrum, a second material 130b forming a pn junction with the first material, and a third material 130c having an energy band gap that is greater than both an energy band gap of the first material 130a and an energy band gap of the second material 130b, wherein a maximum absorption wavelength of the composition is a longer wavelength than the maximum absorption wavelength of the first material 130a). The composition may be formed based on codepositing a thin film of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c. The composition may be formed based on blending the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c together. The composition may be formed based on blending the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c in a form of bulk heterojunction. In addition, in infrared light sensor <NUM>, the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may include a composition that includes any mixture of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c according to any of the example embodiments.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing another example of an infrared light sensor according to some example embodiments.

Referring to <FIG>, an infrared light sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes a first electrode <NUM> and a second electrode <NUM> facing each other, and an infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> between the first electrode <NUM> and second electrode <NUM>, like some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in <FIG>. The first electrode <NUM>, the second electrode <NUM>, and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> are the same as described above.

However, unlike some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in <FIG>, the infrared light sensor <NUM> according to the present example further includes auxiliary layers <NUM> and <NUM> between the first electrode <NUM> and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> and/or between the second electrode <NUM> and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. The auxiliary layers <NUM> and <NUM> may be a charge auxiliary layer that may control transport rates of hole and/or electron separated from the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, an optical auxiliary layer that may control the absorption of incident light, or a combination thereof.

For example, when the first electrode <NUM> is an anode and the second electrode <NUM> is a cathode, the auxiliary layer <NUM> may be a hole injection layer (HIL) for facilitating hole injection to the anode, a hole transport layer (HTL) for facilitating hole transport to the anode, and/or an electron blocking layer (EBL) for preventing electron transport to the anode, and the auxiliary layer <NUM> may be an electron injection layer (EIL) for facilitating electron injection to the cathode, an electron transport layer (ETL) for facilitating electron transport to the cathode, and/or a hole blocking layer (HBL) for preventing hole transport to the cathode.

For example, the auxiliary layer <NUM> may be a hole transport layer and/or an electron blocking layer, and may include a fourth material having a wide energy band gap.

The energy band gap of the fourth material may be wider (e.g., greater) than the energy band gaps of the first material 130a and the second material 130b included in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>. For example, the energy band gap of the fourth material may be wider than the energy band gap of the first material 130a, by greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. For example, the energy band gap of the fourth material may be wider than the energy band gap of the second material 130b, by greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, or greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, for example, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. The energy band gap of the fourth material may be, for example, greater than or equal to about <NUM> eV, and within the above range, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV, or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV.

The HOMO energy level of the fourth material may be between a work function of the first electrode <NUM> and the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, for example, the work function of the first electrode <NUM>, the HOMO energy level of the fourth material, and the HOMO energy level of the first material 130a of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> may be a stepwise-type. For example, the HOMO energy level of the fourth material may be about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV and within the above range, about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV or about <NUM> eV to about <NUM> eV. The auxiliary layer <NUM> includes a fourth material having these electrical properties and thus may effectively transport or extract holes from the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> to the first electrode <NUM> and simultaneously, effectively block a reverse flow of electrons from the first electrode <NUM> to the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, when a reverse bias is applied thereto.

The fourth material may be the same as or different from the third material 130c described above.

For example, when the first electrode <NUM> is a cathode and the second electrode <NUM> is an anode, the auxiliary layer <NUM> may be a an electron injection layer (EIL) for facilitating electron injection, an electron transport layer (ETL) for facilitating electron transport, and/or a hole blocking layer (HBL) for preventing hole transport, and the auxiliary layer <NUM> may be a hole injection layer (HIL) for facilitating hole injection, a hole transport layer (HTL) for facilitating hole transport, and/or an electron blocking layer (EBL) for preventing electron transport.

For example, at least one of the auxiliary layers <NUM> and/or <NUM> may include one of a first material 130a, a second material 130b, or a third material 130c. For example, the auxiliary layer <NUM> may include a third material 130c. For example, the auxiliary layer <NUM> may include the second material 130b. For example, the auxiliary layer <NUM> and/or the auxiliary layer <NUM> may include the first material 130a. In an example, the fourth material may be represented by one of Chemical Formulae C-<NUM> to C-<NUM> as presented further below.

Any one of the auxiliary layers <NUM> and/or <NUM> may be omitted.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a sensor according to some example embodiments.

The sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes a semiconductor substrate <NUM>, an insulation layer <NUM>, and an infrared light sensor <NUM>.

The semiconductor substrate <NUM> may be a silicon substrate and is integrated with a transmission transistor (not shown) and a charge storage <NUM>. The charge storage <NUM> may be integrated in each pixel. The charge storage <NUM> is electrically connected to the infrared light sensor <NUM> and information of the charge storage <NUM> may be transmitted by the transmission transistor.

A metal wire (not shown) and a pad (not shown) are formed on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. In order to decrease signal delay, the metal wire and pad may be made of a metal having low resistivity, for example, aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or alloys thereof, but is not limited thereto. However, it is not limited to the structure and the metal wire and pads may be disposed under the semiconductor substrate <NUM>.

The insulation layer <NUM> is formed on the metal wire and the pad. The insulation layer <NUM> may be made of an inorganic insulating material such as a silicon oxide and/or a silicon nitride, or a low dielectric constant (low K) material such as SiC, SiCOH, SiCO, and SiOF. The insulation layer <NUM> has a trench <NUM> exposing the charge storage <NUM>. The trench <NUM> may be filled with fillers.

The aforementioned infrared light sensor <NUM> is formed on the insulation layer <NUM>. The infrared light sensor <NUM> includes the first electrode <NUM>, the second electrode <NUM>, and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, as described above, and may further optionally include a charge auxiliary layer (not shown). The first electrode <NUM>, the second electrode <NUM>, and the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> are as described above.

The second electrode <NUM> may be an incident electrode through which light is incident. Light of the infrared wavelength spectrum among the light incident through the second electrode <NUM> may be effectively absorbed by the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> and then photo-electrically converted. As described above, the dark current may be effectively suppressed under a reverse bias voltage, thereby exhibiting good photoelectric conversion characteristics by a combination of the first material 130a, the second material 130b, and the third material 130c of the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>.

In <FIG>, as an example, the sensor <NUM> includes the infrared light sensor <NUM> of <FIG>, but is not limited thereto. The sensor <NUM> may include the infrared light sensor <NUM> of <FIG>.

Focusing lens (not shown) may be further formed on the infrared light sensor <NUM>. The focusing lens may control a direction of incident light and gather the light in one region. The focusing lens may have a shape of, for example, a cylinder or a hemisphere, but is not limited thereto.

The sensor according to some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in <FIG>, may include a plurality of sensors having different functions. At least one of a plurality of sensors having different functions may be a biometric sensor. The biometric sensor may be for example an iris sensor, a depth sensor, a fingerprint sensor, or a blood vessel distribution sensor, but is not limited thereto. For example, one of a plurality of sensors having different functions may be an iris sensor and the other may be a depth sensor.

For example, a plurality of sensors may include a first infrared light sensor configured to sense infrared light having a first wavelength (λ<NUM>) within an infrared wavelength spectrum and a second infrared light sensor configured to sense infrared light having a second wavelength (λ<NUM>) within an infrared wavelength spectrum.

The first wavelength (λ<NUM>) and the second wavelength (λ<NUM>) may differ from each other within a wavelength spectrum of for example greater than about <NUM> and less than or equal to about <NUM>. For example, a difference between the first wavelength (λ<NUM>) and the second wavelength (λ<NUM>) may be greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, greater than or equal to about <NUM>, or greater than or equal to about <NUM>.

For example, one of the first wavelength (λ<NUM>) or the second wavelength (λ<NUM>) may be within a wavelength spectrum of about <NUM> to about <NUM> and the other of the first wavelength (λ<NUM>) and the second wavelength (λ<NUM>) may be within a wavelength spectrum of about <NUM> to about <NUM>.

The sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in <FIG>, includes an optical filter <NUM>; an upper infrared light sensor <NUM>; an insulation layer <NUM>; and a semiconductor substrate <NUM> in which a lower infrared light sensor <NUM> is integrated. The upper infrared light sensor <NUM> and the lower infrared light sensor <NUM> are stacked.

The optical filter <NUM> may be disposed at the front side of the sensor <NUM>, selectively transmitting infrared light including the first wavelength (λ<NUM>) and infrared light including the second wavelength (λ<NUM>), and blocking and/or absorbing other light. Herein other light may also include light from ultraviolet (UV) and visible regions.

The upper infrared light sensor <NUM> may be the same as the infrared light sensor <NUM> of some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in any of <FIG>, and a detailed description thereof is omitted. In <FIG>, an example including the infrared light sensor <NUM> of <FIG> is illustrated, but is not limited thereto. The infrared light sensor <NUM> of <FIG> may be also included.

The lower infrared light sensor <NUM> may be integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and may be a photodiode. The semiconductor substrate <NUM> may be for example a silicon substrate, in which a lower infrared light sensor <NUM>, a charge storage <NUM>, and a transmission transistor (not shown) are integrated.

The light that is flowed into the lower infrared light sensor <NUM> may be light passing through the optical filter <NUM> and the upper infrared light sensor <NUM>, and may be infrared light in a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) region including a second wavelength (λ<NUM>). The infrared light of a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) region including the first wavelength (λ<NUM>) may be all substantially absorbed in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> of the upper infrared light sensor <NUM> and not reach the lower infrared light sensor <NUM>. Herein, a separate filter for wavelength selectivity of light flowing in the lower infrared light sensor <NUM> is not needed. However, when the infrared light of a particular (or, alternatively, predetermined) region including the first wavelength (λ<NUM>) is not all absorbed in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM>, a filter (not shown) between the upper infrared light sensor <NUM> and the lower infrared light sensor <NUM> may be additionally equipped.

The sensor according to some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in <FIG>, may not only include two infrared light sensors performing separate functions and thus function as a composite sensor but also maintain a size by stacking the two sensors performing the separate functions in each pixel and greatly improve sensitivity by doubling the number of the pixel.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes an infrared light sensor <NUM>, a visible light sensor <NUM>, and an optical filter <NUM>.

The infrared light sensor <NUM> includes a first electrode <NUM>, a second electrode <NUM>, and an infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> disposed between the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM>, as described above. Specific details thereof are the same as described above.

The visible light sensor <NUM> is a sensor configured to sense light in the visible wavelength spectrum and may be a photodiode integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The visible light sensor <NUM> may be integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and may include a blue sensor 200a configured to sense light in a blue wavelength spectrum, a green sensor 200b configured to sense light in a green wavelength spectrum, and a red sensor 200c configured to sense light in a red wavelength spectrum. As shown in <FIG>, each of the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c may be a photodiode that is integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, such that the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c are located within a volume space defined by outer surfaces of the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and may be partially or completely enclosed within an interior of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The blue sensor 200a may be integrated in the blue pixel, the green sensor 200b may be integrated in the green pixel, and the red sensor 200c may be integrated in the red pixel. In the drawing, the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c are for example shown to be disposed at the same depth from the surface of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, but are not limited thereto, and may be disposed at different depths.

The semiconductor substrate <NUM> may be for example a silicon substrate, and is integrated with a visible light sensor <NUM>, a charge storage <NUM>, and a transmission transistor (not shown). The visible light sensor <NUM> may sense light in a visible wavelength range passing through the optical filter <NUM>, the infrared light sensor <NUM>, and the color filter layer <NUM>, and the sensed information may be transmitted by the transmission transistor. The charge storage <NUM> is electrically connected to the infrared light sensor <NUM>.

A metal wire (not shown) and a pad (not shown) are formed on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. In order to decrease signal delay, the metal wire and pad may be made of a metal having low resistivity, for example, aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or alloys thereof, but is not limited thereto. However, it is not limited to the structure and the metal wire and pads may be disposed under the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c.

The lower insulation layer <NUM> is formed on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The lower insulation layer <NUM> may be made of an inorganic insulating material such as a silicon oxide and/or a silicon nitride, or a low dielectric constant (low K) material such as SiC, SiCOH, SiCO, and SiOF.

The color filter layer <NUM> is formed on the lower insulation layer <NUM>. The color filter layer <NUM> may include a blue filter 70a configured to selectively transmit light in the blue wavelength spectrum, a green filter 70b configured to selectively transmit light in a green wavelength spectrum, and a red filter 70c configured to selectively transmit light in the red wavelength spectrum. The blue filter 70a, the green filter 70b, and the red filter 70c are each overlapped with the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c in the depth direction (e.g., the z direction). The blue filter 70a may selectively transmit light in a blue wavelength spectrum, the green filter 70b may selectively transmit light in a green wavelength spectrum, and the red filter 70c may selectively transmit light in the red wavelength spectrum. The transmitted light of the blue wavelength spectrum may flow into the blue sensor 200a, the transmitted light of a green wavelength spectrum may flow into the green sensor 200b, and the transmitted light of the red wavelength spectrum may flow into the red sensor 200c. However, the present inventive concepts are not limited thereto, but at least one of the blue filter 70a, the green filter 70b, or the red filter 70c may be replaced with a yellow filter, a cyan filter, or a magenta filter. Herein, the color filter layer <NUM> is disposed between the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the visible light sensor <NUM> but not limited thereto and may be disposed on the infrared light sensor <NUM>. For example, the upper insulation layer <NUM> and color filter layer <NUM> may be between the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the optical filter <NUM>.

An upper insulation layer <NUM> (also referred to herein as an insulation layer <NUM>) is formed on the color filter layer <NUM>. The upper insulation layer <NUM> may be for example a planarization layer. The lower insulation layer <NUM> and the upper insulation layer <NUM> may have a trench <NUM> exposing the charge storage <NUM>. The trench <NUM> may be filled with fillers. At least one of the lower insulation layer <NUM> or the upper insulation layer <NUM> may be omitted.

The optical filter <NUM> is disposed on the visible light sensor <NUM> and the infrared light sensor <NUM> and specifically, on the whole surfaces of the visible light sensor <NUM> and the infrared light sensor <NUM>. The optical filter <NUM> may selectively transmit light of a wavelength sensed in the visible light sensor <NUM> and light of a wavelength sensed in the infrared light sensor <NUM> but reflect or absorb and thus block light of the other wavelengths.

Focusing lens (not shown) may be further formed on the upper or lower surface of the optical filter <NUM>. The focusing lens may control a direction of incident light and gather the light in one region. The focusing lens may have a shape of, for example, a cylinder or a hemisphere, but is not limited thereto.

The sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in <FIG>, includes an infrared light sensor <NUM>, a visible light sensor <NUM>, and an optical filter <NUM>, like some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in any of <FIG>.

The infrared light sensor <NUM> includes a first electrode <NUM>, a second electrode <NUM>, and an infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> between the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM>, and specific details thereof are the same as described above.

The visible light sensor <NUM> may be a combination of a photodiode integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and a photoelectric conversion device on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>.

In the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, a blue sensor 200a, a red sensor 200c, charge storages <NUM> and <NUM>, and a transmission transistor (not shown) are integrated. The blue sensor 200a and the red sensor 200c are photodiodes and disposed apart from each other in a horizontal direction of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The blue sensor 200a is integrated in a blue pixel, and the red sensor 200c is integrated in a red pixel. In the drawing, the blue sensor 200a and the red sensor 200c are for example shown to be disposed at the same depth from the surface of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, but are not limited thereto and may be disposed at different depths.

On the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, a lower insulation layer <NUM> and a color filter layer <NUM> are formed. The color filter layer <NUM> includes a blue filter 70a overlapped with the blue sensor 200a and a red filter 70c overlapped with the red sensor 200c.

An intermediate insulation layer <NUM> is formed on the color filter layer <NUM>. The lower insulation layer <NUM> and the intermediate insulation layer <NUM> may have trenches <NUM> and <NUM> exposing the charge storages <NUM> and <NUM>. The trenches <NUM> and <NUM> may be filled with fillers. At least one of the lower insulation layer <NUM> or the intermediate insulation layer <NUM> may be omitted.

On the intermediate insulation layer <NUM>, the green sensor 200b is formed. The green sensor 200b may be a photoelectric conversion device and disposed on the whole surface. The green sensor 200b includes a lower electrode 210b and an upper electrode 220b facing each other and a green photoelectric conversion layer 230b between disposed between the lower electrode 210b and the upper electrode 220b. Either one of the lower electrode 210b or the upper electrode 220b is an anode, while the other one is a cathode.

Both of the lower electrode 210b and the upper electrode 220b may be light-transmitting electrodes. The light-transmitting electrode may be for example made of a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO) or may be a metal thin film formed with a thin thickness of several nanometers to several tens of nanometer thickness or a single layer or multiple layers of metal thin film formed with a thin thickness of several nanometers to tens of nanometer thickness and doped with metal oxide.

The green photoelectric conversion layer 230b may selectively absorb light in a green wavelength spectrum and allow light from wavelength spectrums other than the green wavelength spectrum, that is, the blue wavelength spectrum and the red wavelength spectrum, to pass through. The green photoelectric conversion layer 230b may be formed on the whole surface of the sensor <NUM>. As a result, the green photoelectric conversion layer 230b may be configured to selectively absorb light in a green wavelength spectrum from the whole surface of the sensor <NUM> and increase light absorption areas, thus having high absorption efficiency.

The green photoelectric conversion layer 230b may be configured to selectively absorb light of a green wavelength spectrum, forms excitons, and separates the excitons into holes and electrons, and as the separated holes move towards the anode which is one of the lower electrode 210b or the upper electrode 220b, while the separated electrons move toward the cathode which is the other one of the lower electrode 210b or the upper electrode 220b, a photoelectric conversion effect may be obtained. The separated electrons and/or holes may be gathered in charge storages <NUM>.

An auxiliary layer (not shown) may be further included between the lower electrode 210b and the green photoelectric conversion layer 230b and/or between the upper electrode 220b and the green photoelectric conversion layer 230b. The auxiliary layer may be a charge auxiliary layer, a light absorbing auxiliary layer, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

Herein, an example structure in which the blue sensor 200a and the red sensor 200c are photodiodes and the green sensor 200b is a photoelectric conversion device is described, but is not limited thereto. The blue sensor 200a and the green sensor 200b may be photodiodes and the red sensor 200c may be a photoelectric conversion device or the green sensor 200b and the red sensor 200c may be photodiodes and the blue sensor 200a may be a photoelectric conversion device. Accordingly, two of the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, or the red sensor 200c may be integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, and another of the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, or the red sensor 200c may be a visible light photoelectric conversion device on the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and stacked with the infrared light sensor <NUM> in a depth direction that is perpendicular to an in-plane direction of the infrared light sensor <NUM> (e.g., both the x and y directions) and/or is perpendicular to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate <NUM> (e.g., the z direction).

On the green sensor 200b, an upper insulation layer <NUM> is formed, and on the upper insulation layer <NUM>, the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the optical filter <NUM> are disposed. The infrared light sensor <NUM> and the optical filter <NUM> are the same as described above.

In <FIG>, the color filter layer <NUM> and intermediate insulation layer <NUM> are between a photoelectric conversion device of the visible light sensor <NUM> (e.g., the green sensor 200b) and photodiodes of the visible light sensor <NUM> (e.g., the blue and red sensors 200a and 200c). However, example embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, in some example embodiments, the photoelectric conversion device of the visible light sensor <NUM> (e.g., the green sensor 200b) may be between the color filter layer <NUM> and photodiodes of the visible light sensor <NUM> (e.g., the blue and red sensors 200a and 200c) where the color filters of the color filter layer <NUM> are each configured to selectively transmit a mixture of the wavelength spectra absorbed by the photoelectric conversion device and a photodiode overlapped by the color filter. For example, sensors 200a-200c may be configured to sense separate ones of red-green-blue (RGB) colors, and color filters 70a, 70c may be configured to selectively transmit separate ones of cyan-magenta-yellow CMY colors. For example, when the green sensor 200b is between the color filter layer <NUM> and the blue and red sensors 200a and 200c, the blue filter 70a, which overlaps the blue sensor 200a in the depth direction, may be replaced with a cyan filter and the red filter 70c, which overlaps the red sensor 200c in the depth direction, is replaced with a yellow filter. The color filter layer <NUM>, alone or together with the intermediate insulation layer <NUM>, may be between the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the photoelectric conversion device (e.g., green sensor 200b) in the depth direction (e.g., in place of the insulation layer <NUM>). The color filter layer <NUM>, alone or together with the intermediate insulation layer <NUM>, may be between the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the optical filter <NUM> in the depth direction.

The sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments is a composite sensor equipped with the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the visible light sensor <NUM> stacked on each other, and the visible light sensor <NUM> also has a structure of stacking the photodiode and the photoelectric conversion device and thus may further reduce an area of the sensor and thus down-sized the sensor.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes an infrared light sensor <NUM>, a visible light sensor <NUM>, and an optical filter <NUM>, like some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in any of <FIG>.

The infrared light sensor <NUM> includes a first electrode <NUM>, a second electrode <NUM>, and an infrared photoelectric conversion layer <NUM> disposed between the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM>, and specific details thereof are the same as described above.

The visible light sensor <NUM> includes a blue sensor 200a and a red sensor 200c integrated in a semiconductor substrate <NUM> and a green sensor 200b disposed on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The blue sensor 200a and red sensor 200c may be photodiodes and the green sensor 200b may be a photoelectric conversion device. The green sensor 200b includes a lower electrode 210b, a green photoelectric conversion layer 230b, and an upper electrode 220b.

However, in the sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments, the blue sensor 200a and the red sensor 200c integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM> in a vertical direction are stacked. The blue sensor 200a and the red sensor 200c may selectively absorb and sense light of each wavelength spectrum depending on a stacking depth. In other words, the red sensor 200c absorbing red light of a long wavelength spectrum and the blue sensor 200a absorbing blue light of a short wavelength spectrum are disposed deep from the surface of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. In this way, the color filter layer <NUM> may be omitted by separating absorption wavelengths depending on a stacking depth.

Herein, an example structure in which the blue sensor 200a and the red sensor 200c are photodiodes and the green sensor 200b is a photoelectric conversion device is described, but is not limited thereto. The blue sensor 200a and the green sensor 200b may be photodiodes and the red sensor 200c may be a photoelectric conversion device or the green sensor 200b and the red sensor 200c may be photodiodes and the blue sensor 200a may be a photoelectric conversion device.

The sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments is a composite sensor equipped with the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the visible light sensor <NUM> stacked each other, and herein, since the visible light sensor <NUM> also may be equipped with the photodiode and the photoelectric conversion device stacked each other, and the photodiode also has a stacking structure, an area of the sensor may be further reduced, and accordingly, the sensor may be down-sized. In addition, the sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments may not include a separate color filter layer and thus simplify a structure and a process.

The visible light sensor <NUM> includes a blue sensor 200a, a green sensor 200b, and a red sensor 200c integrated in a semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c are stacked in a vertical direction in the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c may separate an absorption wavelength according to a stacking depth, and thus the color filter layer <NUM> may be omitted. An insulation layer <NUM> is formed between the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the insulation layer <NUM> has a trench <NUM>. The semiconductor substrate <NUM> includes a charge storage <NUM> that is connected to the infrared light sensor <NUM>.

<FIG> is a perspective view showing an example of a sensor according to some example embodiments, and <FIG> is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the sensor shown in <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes a semiconductor substrate <NUM>; an infrared light sensor <NUM>; a visible light sensor <NUM>; an insulation layer <NUM>; and an optical filter <NUM>. The visible light sensor <NUM> includes a blue sensor 200a, a green sensor 200b, and a red sensor 200c.

The infrared light sensor <NUM>, the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c may be stacked in a horizontal direction on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, and may be each connected, via respective trenches <NUM>, to the charge storages <NUM>, 240a, 240b, and 240c integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM>.

The infrared light sensor <NUM>, the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c are each photoelectric conversion device.

The blue sensor 200a includes a lower electrode 210a, a blue photoelectric conversion layer 230a, and an upper electrode 220a. The green sensor 200b includes a lower electrode 210b, a green photoelectric conversion layer 230b, and an upper electrode 220b. The red sensor 200c includes a lower electrode 210c, a red photoelectric conversion layer 230c, and an upper electrode 220c. The blue photoelectric conversion layer 230a may selectively absorb light in a blue wavelength spectrum to perform photoelectric conversion, the green photoelectric conversion layer 230b may selectively absorb light in a green wavelength spectrum to perform photoelectric conversion, and the red photoelectric conversion layer 230c may selectively absorb light in a red wavelength spectrum to perform photoelectric conversion.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a sensor <NUM> according to some example embodiments includes a semiconductor substrate <NUM>; an infrared light sensor <NUM>; a visible light sensor <NUM>; and an optical filter <NUM>. The visible light sensor <NUM> includes a blue sensor 200a, a green sensor 200b, and a red sensor 200c.

The infrared light sensor <NUM>, the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c may be stacked in a vertical direction on the semiconductor substrate <NUM>, and may be each connected, via respective trenches <NUM>, to charge storages <NUM>, 240a, 240b, and 240c integrated in the semiconductor substrate <NUM>.

The blue sensor 200a includes a lower electrode 210a, a blue photoelectric conversion layer 230a, and an upper electrode 220a. The green sensor 200b includes a lower electrode 210b, a green photoelectric conversion layer 230b, and an upper electrode 220b. The red sensor 200c includes a lower electrode 210c, a red photoelectric conversion layer 230c, and an upper electrode 220c.

Insulation layers 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d are respectively disposed between the semiconductor substrate <NUM> and the blue sensor 200a, between the blue sensor 200a and the green sensor 200b, between the green sensor 200b and the red sensor 200c, and between the red sensor 200c and the infrared light sensor <NUM>.

In some example embodiments, a structure of sequentially stacking the infrared light sensor <NUM>, the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c are illustrated but the present inventive concepts are not limited thereto, and the present inventive concepts may have unlimitedly various stacking orders. Accordingly, each of the blue sensor 200a, the green sensor 200b, and the red sensor 200c may be a visible light photoelectric conversion device that is stacked with the infrared light sensor <NUM> in a depth direction that is perpendicular to an in-plane direction of the infrared light sensor <NUM> (e.g., both the x and y directions) and/or is perpendicular to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate <NUM> (e.g., the z direction).

Referring generally to <FIG>, a sensor may include an infrared light sensor <NUM>, a visible light sensor <NUM>, and a semiconductor substrate <NUM>. As shown in at least <FIG>, the infrared light sensor <NUM> may be arranged in parallel with the visible light sensor <NUM> along an in-plane direction (e.g., the xy plane) in which both the infrared light sensor <NUM> and the visible light sensor <NUM> extend. As shown in at least <FIG> and <FIG>, the infrared light sensor <NUM> may be stacked with the visible light sensor <NUM> along a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The depth direction may be understood to be perpendicular to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate <NUM>. The depth direction may be understood to be perpendicular to the in-plane direction(s) in which the infrared light sensor <NUM> extends, for example the x and y directions.

The aforementioned sensor may be applied to (e.g., included in) various electronic devices, for example mobile phones, digital cameras, computers, tablet PC, biometric devices, and/or automotive electronic components, but the present inventive concepts are not limited thereto.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to some example embodiments.

Referring to <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, and a display device <NUM> (e.g., an OLED display screen device) electrically connected through a bus <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> may be any of the aforementioned various sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may perform a memory program and thus at least one function. The processor <NUM> may additionally perform a memory program and thus display an image on the display device <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may generate an output.

One or more of the processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, sensor <NUM>, or display device <NUM> may be included in, include, and/or implement one or more instances of processing circuitry such as hardware including logic circuits, a hardware/software combination such as a processor executing software; or a combination thereof. In some example embodiments, said one or more instances of processing circuitry may include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a System-on-Chip (SoC) a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. In some example embodiments, any of the memories, memory units, or the like as described herein may include a non-transitory computer readable storage device, for example a solid state drive (SSD), storing a program of instructions, and the one or more instances of processing circuitry may be configured to execute the program of instructions to implement the functionality of some or all of any of the electronic device <NUM>, processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, sensor <NUM>, display device <NUM>, or the like according to any of the example embodiments as described herein.

Hereinafter, some example embodiments are illustrated in more detail with reference to examples. However, the following examples are for illustrative purposes and do not limit the scope of the rights.

A compound represented by Chemical Formula C-<NUM> (HOMO: <NUM> eV, LUMO: <NUM> eV) is deposited on an Ag reflector (Work function: <NUM> eV) to form a <NUM>-thick lower auxiliary layer. Subsequently, on the lower auxiliary layer, Sn-naphthalocyanine dichloride represented by Chemical Formula A (first material, p-type semiconductor, λmax,A: <NUM>, HOMO: <NUM> eV, LUMO: <NUM> eV), C60 represented by Chemical Formula B (second material, n-type semiconductor, λmax,A: <NUM>, HOMO: <NUM> eV, LUMO: <NUM> eV), and a compound represented by Chemical Formula C-<NUM> (third material, HOMO: <NUM> eV, LUMO: <NUM> eV) are co-deposited in a thickness ratio (a volume ratio) of <NUM>:<NUM>:<NUM> to form a <NUM>-thick infrared photoelectric conversion layer. On the infrared photoelectric conversion layer, C60 is deposited to form a <NUM>-thick upper auxiliary layer, and silver (Ag) is deposited on the upper auxiliary layer to form a <NUM>-thick upper electrode, manufacturing an infrared sensor. <CHM>
<CHM>.

An infrared sensor is manufactured according to the same method as Example <NUM>-<NUM> except that the first material, the second material, and the third material are co-deposited in a thickness ratio (volume ratio) of <NUM>:<NUM>:<NUM> to form a <NUM>-thick infrared photoelectric conversion layer.

An infrared sensor is manufactured according to the same method as Example <NUM>-<NUM> except that a compound represented by Chemical Formula C-<NUM> (HOMO: <NUM> eV, LUMO: <NUM> eV) instead of the compound represented by Chemical Formula C-<NUM> is used as the third material, and the first material, the second material, and the third material are co-deposited in a thickness ratio (a volume ratio) of <NUM>:<NUM>:<NUM> to form a <NUM>-thick infrared photoelectric conversion layer.

An infrared sensor is manufactured according to the same method as Example <NUM>-<NUM> except that the first material and the second material are co-deposited in a thickness ratio (volume ratio) of <NUM>:<NUM> without the third material to form a <NUM>-thick infrared photoelectric conversion layer.

Absorption spectra and EQE spectra of the infrared sensors according to Examples and Comparative Example <NUM> are evaluated.

The absorption spectra and EQE spectra of the infrared sensors, which may be the absorption spectra and EQE spectra of the respective infrared photoelectric conversion layers contained therein, are respectively evaluated by using an UV-Visible spectrophotometer and an Incident Photon to Current Conversion Efficiency (IPCE) equipment. The results are shown in Table <NUM>.

Referring to Table <NUM>, the absorption spectra (maximum absorption wavelength) and EQE spectra (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared sensors according to Examples are shifted toward a long wavelength spectrum, compared with the infrared sensors according to Comparative Example. In addition, as the content of the third material in the infrared photoelectric conversion layer increases, the absorption spectrum (maximum absorption wavelength) and the EQE spectrum (maximum EQE wavelength) of the infrared sensors of the Examples are further shifted toward the longer wavelength spectrum in relation to that of the Comparative Example <NUM>.

In the infrared sensors according to the Examples and Comparative Example <NUM>, a change of the number of charge trap sites and a dark current under a reverse bias voltage depending on a content of the third material are examined.

The number of charge trap sites is converted from Capacitance-Voltage characteristics measured by using an Impedance analyzer.

The dark current is evaluated by using dark current density, which is obtained by measuring the dark current with a current-voltage evaluation equipment (Keithley K4200 parameter analyzer, Keithley Instrument, LLC) and dividing it with a unit pixel area (<NUM><NUM>). The dark current density is evaluated from a current flowing when - <NUM> V reverse bias is applied. The results are shown in Table <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), comprising a first electrode (<NUM>) and a second electrode (<NUM>); and
an infrared photoelectric conversion layer (<NUM>) between the first electrode and the second electrode, the infrared photoelectric conversion layer being configured to absorb light in at least a portion of an infrared wavelength spectrum and convert the absorbed light into an electrical signal,
wherein the infrared photoelectric conversion layer includes
a first material (130a) having a maximum absorption wavelength in the infrared wavelength spectrum,
a second material (130b) forming a pn junction with the first material, and
a third material (130c) being an organic material and having an energy band gap greater than an energy band gap of the first material by greater than or equal to <NUM> eV,
wherein the first material, the second material, and the third material are different from each other,
wherein each of the first material, the second material, and the third material is a non-polymeric material, and
characterized in that the infrared photoelectric conversion layer comprises a mixture of the first material, the second material, and the third material.