US 11,756,969 B2
Germanium-silicon light sensing apparatus
Yun-Chung Na, San Jose, CA (US); Szu-Lin Cheng, Zhubei (TW); Shu-Lu Chen, Zhubei (TW); Han-Din Liu, Zhubei (TW); Hui-Wen Chen, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Che-Fu Liang, Zhubei (TW)
Assigned to Artilux, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by Artilux, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/929,861.
Application 15/712,852 is a division of application No. 15/228,282, filed on Aug. 4, 2016, granted, now 9,954,016, issued on Apr. 24, 2018.
Application 16/929,861 is a continuation of application No. 15/712,852, filed on Sep. 22, 2017, granted, now 10,756,127.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/271,386, filed on Dec. 28, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/251,691, filed on Nov. 6, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/217,031, filed on Sep. 11, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/211,004, filed on Aug. 28, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/210,991, filed on Aug. 28, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/210,946, filed on Aug. 27, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/209,349, filed on Aug. 25, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/200,652, filed on Aug. 4, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0350347 A1, Nov. 5, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H01L 31/0312 (2006.01); H01L 31/09 (2006.01); H01L 31/18 (2006.01); H01L 31/0232 (2014.01); H01L 31/105 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 27/14605 (2013.01) [H01L 27/1463 (2013.01); H01L 27/1465 (2013.01); H01L 27/1469 (2013.01); H01L 27/14621 (2013.01); H01L 27/14627 (2013.01); H01L 27/14632 (2013.01); H01L 27/14634 (2013.01); H01L 27/14636 (2013.01); H01L 27/14645 (2013.01); H01L 27/14649 (2013.01); H01L 27/14685 (2013.01); H01L 27/14687 (2013.01); H01L 27/14689 (2013.01); H01L 27/14698 (2013.01); H01L 31/02327 (2013.01); H01L 31/0312 (2013.01); H01L 31/09 (2013.01); H01L 31/105 (2013.01); H01L 31/1812 (2013.01); H01L 31/1876 (2013.01); H01L 31/1892 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor comprising:
an absorption region configured to absorb photons having a wavelength within an infrared wavelength range or a near-infrared wavelength range, and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons within the infrared or near-infrared wavelength ranges;
a first n-doped silicon region in contact with the absorption region;
a first p-doped silicon region in contact with the first n-doped silicon region;
a second n-doped silicon region in contact with the first p-doped silicon region and electrically coupled to a readout circuitry; and
a second p-doped silicon region, wherein a surface of the second p-doped silicon region is coplanar with a surface of the first n-doped silicon region, and wherein the second p-doped silicon region is more heavily doped than the first p-doped silicon region,
wherein the absorption region comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is in contact with the first n-doped silicon region, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and
wherein the absorption region comprises a p-doped absorption region adjacent to the second surface, the p-doped absorption region comprising germanium.