Optical sensor device with deep and shallow control electrodes

US10545225B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE
• PMD TECHNOLOGIES AG · DE

Inventors

• Stefano Parascandola · Dresden, DE
• Henning Feick · Dresden, DE
• Matthias Franke · Haiger, DE
• Dirk Offenberg · Dresden, DE
• Jens Prima · Gehrde, DE
• Robert Joseph Roessler · Rowlett, US
• Michael Sommer · Raubling, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 13, 2017
• Grant date: Jan 28, 2020
• Expiry date: Apr 5, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F39/802
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An optical sensor device configured to detect a time of flight of an electromagnetic signal includes a semiconductor substrate with a conversion region configured to convert at least a portion of the electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers. A deep control electrode is formed in a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate. The deep control electrode extends deeper into the semiconductor substrate than a shallow control electrode. A control circuit is configured to apply to the deep control electrode and to the shallow control electrode varying potentials having a fixed phase relationship to each other, to generate electric potential distributions in the conversion region, by which the photo-generated charge carriers in the conversion region are directed. The directed photo-generated charge carriers are detected at at least one readout node.