Semiconductor Photodiode and Method of Making

Abstract

A semiconductor photodiode (18) is formed as a pn-junction between a region (2) of a first conductivity type and a region (6) of a second conductivity type. The region (6) of the second conductivity type is approximately hemispherical. A mini guard ring (8), i.e. a ring of the second conductivity type having a junction depth that is much smaller than the junction depth of the region (6) preferably surrounds the region (6) in order to prevent surface trapping. The photodiode (18) is operated with a high reverse bias so that light falling on the photodiode (18) produces the avalanche effect.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a semiconductor photodiode for the detection of photons or light and a process for making a semiconductor photodiode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A diode is formed between two areas of semiconductor material of different conductivity type, namely p-type material and n-type material. Besides many other applications, diodes can be used for the detection of photons or light and are widely used in electronic cameras, flame detectors, 3D time-of-flight sensors, single photon counters for spectroscopy, etc.

In order to achieve high gain and high sensitivity a photodiode is operated biased with a high reverse voltage. Such a photodiode is called an avalanche photodiode (APD). The avalanche photodiode can be operated with a bias voltage below breakdown or even with a bias voltage above breakdown, the latter operating mode is called Geiger mode.

For the fabrication of APDs, the so-called “reach-through” device architecture is presently dominant in the market. These devices have large depletion regions, deep junction formation, and require high bias voltages (in excess of 200V). The main drawback of these devices is their incompatibility with standard electronics which results in bulky and expensive products.

A further approach for developing avalanche photodiodes uses planar technologies. One of the latest examples is described in the article “Monolithically integrated avalanche photodiode and transimpedance amplifier in a hybrid bulk/SOI CMOS process”, Electronic Letters, Vol. 39, No. 4, Feb. 2003, pages 391-392. It presented an integrated photoreceiver having avalanche photodiodes. However, these photodiodes, although being compatible with the well-known and widespread CMOS technologies, require custom process stages and extra masks.

Another approach for integrating avalanche photodiodes into standard CMOS technology is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,321. An array of such photodiodes together with readout electronics is described in the article “First fully integrated 2-D array of single-photon detectors in standard CMOS technology”, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 15, No. 7, 2003, pp. 963-965. The drawback of this photodiode is its small fill factor as a result of the complex guard ring structure. In addition, the leakage current is too high, which limits the size of the photodiode to around 20 micrometer in diameter only.

Yet another innovation published recently (WO 03/003476) aims to improve the defect density and hence the dark count rate by constructing a large photodectector composed of an array of small photodiodes. However, the dark counts still increase linearly with the area of the device, which sets a limit on the size of the photodetector. Besides, the large capacitance associated with the large area makes the quenching and recharging more difficult and lengthens the dead time. More importantly, the spacing required between the small photodiodes deteriorates the efficiency of the photodectector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to develop an improved avalanche photodiode that is compatible with a CMOS process, preferably with a CMOS process with high voltage capability.

In the following the term “avalanche photodiode” means a diode formed as a pn-junction between n-type semiconductor material and p-type semiconductor material and operated biased with a reverse voltage for making use of the avalanche effect. The avalanche effect consists in that a single photon creates an electron hole pair in the pn-junction, that the electron or hole creates a further electron hole pair which also creates a further electron hole pair, etc. Thus each photon produces a lot of electrons and holes which results in a current that can be measured.

The avalanche photodiode of the present invention consists of an essentially hemispherical region of p-type material arranged at and made by diffusion from the surface of an n-type region, or vice versa, an essentially hemispherical region of n-type material arranged at and made by diffusion from the surface of a p-type region. As a result of this structure a uniform pn-junction is formed that has the advantage that it prevents premature breakdown without the need to add any special layer or complex diffusion guard ring structures. A further advantage is its high efficiency because no or only a minimum part of the available area gets lost for measures taken for increasing the breakdown voltage.

The three-dimensional form of the diffused region is not exactly but approximately hemispherical because the lateral diffusion rate is slightly smaller than the diffusion rate into the depth of the material. Generally the lateral diffusion width is about 80% of the diffusion depth.

For the production of a hemispherical region of a second conductivity type embedded into a region of a first conductivity type by the well-known processes of implantation and diffusion, the lateral dimensions of the window in the implantation mask are selected much smaller, preferably five to eight times smaller, than the junction depth of the resulting region. The diffusion process is then nearly isotropic and fed from a point source. To achieve this goal, the window in the implantation mask shall be sized not larger than the diffusion length of the ions. This is in contrast to the state of the art, where the implantation window always has a size that is larger and even often much larger than the diffusion length of the ions, so that a conventional planar junction results.

In a first embodiment of the invention the region of the first conductivity type has a uniform conductivity, e.g. if the region of the first conductivity type is an epitaxially grown layer. In a second embodiment of the invention the region of the first conductivity type has also a hemispherical structure resulting from an implantation and diffusion process like the hemispherical structure of the region of the second conductivity type. Here the conductivity within the diffused region is not uniform but the doping concentration has (radially seen) the same gradient. So in both cases the radial variation of the doping concentration is approximately the same at the whole area of the pn-junction formed between the regions of the first and second conductivity type. This means that the pn-junction has everywhere the same doping profile and is therefore uniform: For this reason breakdown may occur anywhere in the pn-junction with the same probability.

However, a mini guard ring can be added to reduce the trapping effects in the surface states which contribute to afterpulses. Afterpulses are fault counts generated by electrons or holes trapped during an avalanche process. The Si/SiO₂ interface is particularly prone to trap carriers due to the surface states present there. These trapped electrons and holes may be released after a trapping time, and these released electrons and holes may initiate a new avalanche process as far as the photodiode has been properly recharged. This pulse is therefore a fault as it is not a response from the actual illumination, but rather remains of the previous avalanche effect, therefore it is called “afterpulse”. The mini guard ring is a very small and shallow diffusion ring of the same conductivity type as the hemispherical region and serves to exclude the very near surface region from the avalanche process. The mini guard ring has a junction depth that is at least two times smaller than the junction depth of the photodiode so the area occupied by the mini guard ring is rather small and the photodiode structure remains compact and area efficient. However, if the number of implanted ions for producing the mini guard ring is too small, the resulting mini guard ring is an area still having the first conductivity type, but then of course the conductivity of this area is reduced.

Alternatively, a polysilicon or metal field plate surrounding the photodiode may be employed to avoid surface trapping during the avalanche process. Preferably, polysilicon is used and the polysilicon field plate is electrically connected in series to the pn-junction, thus also making use of the polysilicon field plate as an internal resistor that limits the maximum allowable current flowing through the photodiode when the avalanche effect occurs.

Preferably, a plurality of photodiodes are placed next to each other and electrically connected in parallel to form a single avalanche photodetector. The photodiodes thus form a one- or two-dimensional array. Thermal noise creates dark current peaks that are statistically uniformly distributed among different photodiodes whereas light shining uniformly on the avalanche photodetector creates a signal current peak in each photodiode that sum up to a global signal current peak. By using a comparator defining a threshold value the global signal current peaks can be discriminated from the weaker dark current peaks. Furthermore, the quenching and recharging of each single photodiode occurs individually. Therefore the time constant stays rather small even for an avalanche photodetector composed of many photodiodes.

In an array of photodiodes, one photodiode may use its neighboring photodiodes as guard ring for premature breakdown prevention. It is based on the principle that the lateral diffusion of the neighboring photodiode implantation helps to reduce the electrical field at the periphery near the surface. In addition, the distance between neighboring photodiodes can be optimized so that the depletion regions touch each other before breakdown happens. This prevents the avalanche effect at the periphery below the surface.

Photodiodes arranged in a two-dimensional array may also be used for 2D or 3D imaging applications. In this case each photodiode functions as a pixel and is combined with an in-pixel electronic circuit. As a result of the simple structure of the photodiode, the fill factor is primarily limited by the size of the electronic circuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the invention. The figures are not to scale.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1, 2 illustrate two examples for the manufacture of a photodiode with a hemispherical structure,

FIGS. 3, 4 illustrate two examples for the manufacture of a photodiode with a hemispherical structure and a mini guard ring,

FIG. 5 show a plan view of an implantation mask for producing the mini guard ring,

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 show a cross section and plan views of a photodiode having a polysilicon or metal field plate,

FIGS. 9, 10 show a photodetector composed of a plurality of individual photodiodes,

FIGS. 11, 12 illustrate the use of the photodiode for 2D or 3D imaging applications,

FIGS. 13, 14 show a circuit diagram and an implementation of the circuit diagram in CMOS technology, and

FIGS. 15-18 illustrate another concept for increasing the breakdown voltage of photodiodes arranged in a two-dimensional array.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The photodiode according to the invention has a unique structure designed with the intention to achieve the same electrical field throughout the whole pn-junction so that breakdown occurs with the same probability at any place of the pn-junction. This is achieved with a three dimensionally symmetrical structure, namely a hemispherical structure. The photodiode is preferably manufactured in a standard CMOS technology having high voltage capability. Such a CMOS technology comprises p-doped and/or n-doped regions with deep diffusion of e.g. 5 micrometers or a for example epitaxially grown layer of approximately uniform doping. FIG. 1 illustrates the process steps for making a pn-junction having approximately this structure.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a semiconductor wafer 1. The semiconductor wafer 1 or at least a region 2 or layer below the surface 3 of the wafer 1 consists of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type. Preferably, the doping and hence conductivity of the region 2 is uniform. The surface 3 of the wafer 1 is covered with an implantation mask 4 having openings or windows 5 for producing relatively deep regions of a second conductivity type by implanting ions of the required conductivity type and subsequent long and deep diffusion. After implantation and diffusion regions of a second conductivity type are formed below the windows 5. If the first conductivity type is n-type, then the second conductivity type is p-type. If the first conductivity type is p-type, then the second conductivity type is n-type.

A window 5 is designed for making a photodiode with a hemispherical structure if the conductivity of the region 2 is uniform. According to the invention the size D_w of the window 5, i.e. its lateral dimensions, is selected equal to or smaller than the diffusion length L_D of the ions. The diffusion length L_D depends mainly on the diffusion coefficient D and the diffusion time t and is given by the equation

L_D=√{square root over (D(T)*t)}  (1).

The diffusion coefficient D depends mainly on the temperature T but also on other parameters that characterize the used diffusion process. Further details concerning the diffusion length L_D can for example be taken from the book “Physics of Semiconductor Devices”, 2nd edition, 1981, John Wiley & Sons, Inc of S. M. Sze. Practically, the diffusion process can then be considered as a diffusion fed from a point source. The final junction depth D_d will be much larger, typically around five to eight times larger, than the size of the window 5. As a result of this the diffusion profile of a region 6 of the second conductivity type is hemispherical or, for the reasons explained above, at least approximately hemispherical. The form of the window 5 may be circular or square or of any other shape. As its size is much smaller than the junction depth its form has no or negligible influence on the form of the resulting three-dimensional diffusion profile.

If the doping of the region 2 of the first conductivity type is not uniform, e.g. if the region 2 is also a region formed by implantation and diffusion, the resulting geometrical form of the region 6 of the second conductivity type may deviate from the ideal hemispherical form.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 2, the region 2 of the first conductivity type is not a layer of uniform conductivity but a region formed by implantation through a window formed in a mask and subsequent diffusion and therefore having a non uniform conductivity. The dimensions of the window are also designed much smaller than the resulting junction depth, so that after implantation and diffusion of ions of the second conductivity type according to the process described with FIG. 1 for forming the region 6 a diode with a uniform pn-junction and therefore a uniform electrical field results. The diode is formed according to a process comprising the steps of

• • implanting and diffusing ions of a first conductivity type into semiconductor material of a second conductivity type through a first window in a first implantation mask for forming the region 2 of the first conductivity type wherein the lateral dimensions of the first window are equal to or smaller than the diffusion length of the ions of the first conductivity type, and
  • implanting and diffusing ions of the second conductivity type into the first region 2 through a second window in a second implantation mask for forming the region 6 of the second conductivity type wherein the lateral dimensions of the second window are equal to or smaller than the diffusion length of the ions of the second conductivity type.The first and second window are centered with respect to each other.

The boundary of the region 6 and the region 2 form a pn-junction and a depletion zone 7 builds up at the pn-junction. In operation the pn-junction is reverse biased. The size of the depletion zone 7 depends upon the reverse bias voltage. The reverse biased pn-junction serves as photon detecting zone. The reverse bias is selected so high that light shining on the photodiode initiates the avalanche effect.

The implantation mask 4 may be an oxide layer grown on the surface 3 of the wafer 1 or a layer of photoresist deposited on the surface 3 of the wafer 1. In most cases the implantation mask 4 is removed before or after the diffusion step. It is preferred to use a standard CMOS process technology without any modifications. However, if necessary, it is possible to precisely adjust the dose of the implanted ions. Techniques for doing this are well-known.

Generally, if no additional measures are taken, breakdown of the invented photodiode still occurs in the very near surface region because unavoidable surface states exist. In order to eliminate this surface breakdown the invention proposes to surround the photodiode with a guard ring. The guard ring may be a conventional diffusion guard ring. However, such a conventional guard ring has the drawback that it occupies a big area and thus reduces the efficiency of the photodiode. The invention therefore proposes to produce a mini guard ring that surrounds the region 6 along its periphery below the surface 3. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate two examples for the manufacture of the mini guard ring for the diode shown in FIG. 1. However, the mini guard ring 8 can also be implemented with the diode shown in FIG. 2.

According to a first embodiment, the mini guard ring 8 is made simultaneously with the manufacture of the region 6, i.e. by using the same process steps. The implantation mask 4 has the window 5 and a second, annular window 9. The first window 5 is the same as in the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. The second window 9 is a ring shaped stripe 10 centered at the center 11 of the first window 5 as shown in plan view in FIG. 5. The width D_G of the ring-shaped stripe 10 is selected at least two times smaller than the maximum lateral dimension D_W of the first window 5 and at least two times smaller than the diffusion length L_D of the ions of the second conductivity type so that the resulting junction depth D_S of the mini guard ring 8 is smaller than the junction depth D_d of the region 6 by typically a factor of four.

According to a second embodiment, the mini guard ring 8 is made with additional implantation and diffusion process steps allowing further optimization of its geometrical and/or electrical properties. As an example, first the region 6 is formed with an implantation and diffusion step as described above with reference to FIG. 1. Afterwards the surface 3 of the wafer I is prepared for receiving a second implantation mask having the second window 9. The dose of the implantation can now be selected independently of the dose of the ions implanted in the first window 5. The parameters of the subsequent diffusion step like temperature, atmosphere, diffusion time, etc. can be selected to achieve the optimum geometrical and/or electrical properties of the resulting mini guard ring 8.

The radius r of the ring-shaped stripe 10 is selected so that (1) the mini diffusion guard ring 8 and the region 6 combine during the diffusion process into one single region of the second conductivity type as shown in FIG. 3, or that (2) the region 6 and the mini guard ring 8 are separated regions of the second conductivity type that do not overlap but that the depletion zone 7′ formed between the mini diffusion guard ring 8 and the region 2 of the first conductivity type and the depletion zone 7 formed between the region 6 and the region 2 of the first conductivity type touch each other. The radius r of the ring-shaped stripe 10 is preferably selected so that the depletion zones touch each other when a reverse bias voltage of typically half the breakdown voltage is applied across the pn-junction of the photodiode. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates with dotted line 7a the border of the depletion zone 7 when no reverse voltage is applied to the photodiode: the depletion zones 7 and 7′ do not yet touch each other, as well as with dotted line 7b the border of the depletion zone 7 when a reverse voltage of sufficient strength is applied to the photodiode causing the depletion zone 7 to increase so that the depletion zone 7 touches the depletion zone 7′. Typically the reverse voltage needed for the touch lies between the breakdown voltage of the photodiode and half the breakdown voltage.

In all cases, the mini guard ring 8 reduces the electrical field in the depletion zone 7 near the surface 3. The design of the second window 9 as a point source for the diffusion results in a low doped small region at the periphery of the region 6 below and near the surface 3. This increases the breakdown voltage locally below the surface 3 and therefore excludes this area from the avalanche process. Negative effects due to trapping in surface states are greatly reduced and the reliability of the photodiode is increased.

Depending on the parameters, mainly the dose of the implanted ions and the diffusion temperature and diffusion time, the mini guard ring 8 is a region having the same conductivity type as the region 6 of the photodiode or it can be a region having the same conductivity type as the region 2. In the latter case it reduces locally the conductivity of the region 2 and thus the strength of the electrical field in the pn-junction below the surface 3.

As already stated above, a conventional floating diffusion guard ring may be used as well instead of the mini guard ring 8. The conventional floating diffusion guard ring is a ring of the second conductivity type which surrounds the region 6 without overlapping with the region 6. But the depletion zone of the conventional floating guard ring overlaps with the depletion zone 7. The drawback of this solution is that the conventional floating diffusion guard ring requires much more space than the mini guard ring 8 of the invention resulting in a photodiode with much less area efficiency.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show a cross section and plan views onto the surface 3 of the wafer 1 to illustrate another possibility to avoid surface trapping, namely the use of a polysilicon or metal field plate 12 instead of the mini guard ring or the conventional floating diffusion guard ring. The field plate 12 is separated from the region 6 by an insulating layer 13, generally by a layer of SiO₂. In operation the field plate 12 is biased with a voltage which in case that the hemispherical diffusion region 6 is of n-type is not lower than the voltage at the n-type region 6 and which in case that the hemispherical diffusion region 6 is of p-type is not higher than the voltage at the p-type region 6. The position and width of the field plate 12 are selected so, that in operation the field plate 12 covers at least the area of that part above the depletion zone 7 that extends into the region 2 of the first conductivity type. With the example shown in FIG. 7 the polysilicon or metal field plate 12 is a ring 14 that is electrically connected via a metal line 15 with the region 6 of the photodiode. It therefore has the same electrical potential as the region 6. With the example shown in FIG. 8 the field plate 12 is still ring shaped, but made of polysilicon and it has two ends separated by the minimal distance allowed by the design rules of the CMOS process. One end is electrically connected via the metal line 15 with the region 6, the other end is connected via a further metal line 16 to an external voltage source. The polysilicon field plate 12 has an internal resistance depending on the width and length of the ring shaped field plate 12 and it is electrically connected in series to the photodiode. This resistance limits the current that can flow when avalanche breakdown occurs.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show in plan view and in cross-section a photodetector 17 composed of individual photodiodes 18 that are electrically connected in parallel. Each of the photodiodes 18 has the hemispherical structure and a polysilicon field plate 12 having the first end connected in series to the corresponding photodiode 18 as described above and shown in FIG. 8. The second ends of the polysilicon field plates 12 are electrically connected by metal lines 19. The photodetector 17 further comprises an ohmic contact region 20 that surrounds the array of the photodiodes 18 and contacts the region 2 of the first conductivity type (FIG. 6). In operation the metal lines 19 and the ohmic contact region 20 form the two terminals of the photodetector 17 which are connected to a voltage source for biasing the photodetector 17 with a reverse bias voltage. The photodetector 17 is preferably operated in the Geiger mode, the reverse voltage being for example 5 V higher than the breakdown voltage. Whenever a photon initiates the avalanche effect in one of the individual photodiodes 18, the resistance of its polysilicon field plate 12 limits the maximal current that can flow so that the voltage lying at this photodiode decreases very rapidly to a level slightly below the breakdown voltage where the avalanche effect stops from itself. After the avalanche effect has stopped, the voltage at this photodiode increases again to the reverse voltage supplied by the voltage source. As this quenching and recharging concerns only one photodiode, the time constant for returning to the normal state of operation is rather small and nearly independent on the number of individual photodiodes 18 that form the photodetector 17.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate examples for the use of the invented photodiode in 2D or 3D imaging applications where the photodiodes 18 are arranged in a two-dimensional array and where each photodiode 18 is connected to a respective in-pixel electronic circuit 21. The photodiodes 18 each have the hemispherical structure and a polysilicon field plate 12 having the first end connected in series to the corresponding photodiode as described above. The second end of the polysilicon field plate 12 is electrically connected to its in-pixel electronic circuit 21. The structure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is compact and dense and due to the simple structure of the photodiode, the fill factor is primarily limited by the area the in-pixel electronic circuit 21 needs. In the example shown in FIG. 12 four photodiodes 18 are assigned to one in-pixel electronic circuit 21.

The in-pixel electronic circuit 21 should be simple and occupy as little area as possible. Furthermore, as the photodiodes 18 have to be biased with a voltage in the order of a few ten volts special attention should be drawn to the compatibility with standard 5V or 3.3V electronics. An example of a circuit diagram and its implementation in CMOS technology is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, respectively. The region 2 of FIGS. 1 and 3 is an n-well 22 and the photodiode 18 is formed as a p-diffused region 6 formed in the n-well 22. The conductivity type is denoted as usual with letters n−, p−, n+and p+where the signs − and + denote the relative concentration of the doped ions. The n-well 22 is for example tied to VDD=3.3V. The p-diffused region 6 is biased to V_op≈30V through a resistor R. The value of the resistor R amounts to typically a few hundred kilo ohms which is high enough for reliable quenching. The photodiode 18 is produced with a polysilicon field plate 12 as shown in FIG. 8, wherein a first end of the polysilicon field plate 12 is connected to V_op and wherein a second end of the polysilicon field plate 12 is connected by a first metal line 23 to the p-diffused region 6. The metal line 23 may contact the p-diffused region 6 directly (as shown) or via a p+ doped area. The ohmic resistance of the polysilicon field plate 12 forms the resistor R. The n-well 22 is connected in a standard way via an n+ doped area and a second metal line 24 to the voltage V_DD.

The p-diffusion region 6 and hence also the second end of the polysilicon field plate 12 is coupled by a capacitor C to an input of a driver 25. The capacitor C is implemented as a metal-to-metal element using the top metal layers: In FIG. 14 the capacitor C is formed between a metal layer 26 connected to the first metal line 23 and a metal layer 27 connected to a gate of a PMOS transistor 28 that represents the input of the driver 25. The capacitor C has to withstand a few tens of volts. The driver 25 can be implemented in various ways depending on the system architecture. It can be an inverter, or a common source amplifier or a source follower with one-type transistors (NMOS or PMOS) to save space. The driver 25 is supplied with power V_DD relative to GND (ground).

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate a further concept for increasing the breakdown voltage of photodiodes 18 arranged in a two-dimensional array. FIG. 15 shows a cross-section and FIG. 16 shows a plan view of such an array. Each photodiode 18 consists of a region 6 of the second conductivity type embedded in a region of the first conductivity type that is for example a region 2 in the substrate or the substrate itself. The distance L between the boundary of the windows 5 in the implantation mask 4 is selected so that after diffusion and when the whole manufacturing process is completed the depletion zones 7 built up at the pn-junctions touch each other before breakdown occurs, i.e. the depletion zones 7 touch each other at the latest when that reverse bias voltage is applied to the photodiodes 18 at which breakdown occurs. With this concept each photodiode 18, except the photodiodes at the boundary of the array, uses its neighboring photodiodes as guard ring. The photodiodes at the boundary of the array may be guarded in different ways, e.g. as shown for the left outermost photodiode 18 by a mini guard ring 8, a conventional floating diffusion guard ring, a polysilicon or metal field plate or by dummy photodiodes, i.e. photodiodes of the same type but that are not used.

If the photodiodes 18 have a hemispherical structure, as shown in FIG. 15, then it is not possible to realize this concept without additional measures because gaps exist between the hemispherical regions. These regions are therefore best filled with additional regions of the second conductivity type that are realized like a mini guard ring in order that their junction depth is the same as the junction depth of a mini guard ring and thus much smaller than the junction depth of the regions 6 of the photodiodes 18. FIG. 16 shows in plan view the implantation mask 4 that has first openings 5 for forming the hemispherical regions 6 and second openings 9 placed in the gaps for forming mini guard stripes. (For the sake of clarity the openings 5 and 9 in the implantation mask 4 are drawn hashed, so that the depletion zone 7 that builds up can be recognized). After the implantation and diffusion step the area below the very near surface is a combined area of the second conductivity type: The doped zones within the second windows 9 that were still separated after the implantation have been combined to a single zone of the second conductivity type during the diffusion process. The junction depth of these zones is the junction depth of a mini guard ring.

The concept illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 can be extended as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 wherein a photodiode 18 uses neighboring photodiodes 18 and/or neighboring electronic circuits 29, e.g. in-pixel electronic circuits, as guard ring. Of course, each electronic circuit 29 is bordered by a depletion zone that isolates the electronic circuit 29 from the substrate. The concept is also applicable if the photodiodes 18 do not have the hemispherical structure of the invention but are conventional photodiodes realized as conventional n-type or p-type well embedded into p-type or n-type material, respectively.

The invention is not limited to CMOS technologies. It may be applied to any other semiconductor technology like e.g. SiGe or GaAs technologies.

While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Semiconductor photodiode, formed as a pn-junction between a region (2) of a first conductivity type and a region (6) of a second conductivity type, characterized in that the region (6) of the second conductivity type is approximately hemispherical.

2. Semiconductor photodiode according to claim 1, characterized in that the region (2) of the first conductivity type is approximately hemispherical.

3. Semiconductor photodiode according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a mini guard ring (8) surrounds the region (6) of the second conductivity type, wherein (1) the mini guard ring (8) is a ring of the second conductivity type that has a junction depth that is at least two times smaller than a junction depth of said pn-junction, or wherein(2) the mini guard ring (8) is a ring of the first conductivity type that reduces locally the conductivity of the region (2) of the first conductivity type.

4. Semiconductor photodiode according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a polysilicon plate (12) is placed above and along the periphery of the region (6) of the second conductivity type wherein the polysilicon plate (12) has a first end electrically connected to the region (6) of the second conductivity type.

5. Photodetector comprising at least one semiconductor photodiode (18) according to claim 4 and an electronic circuit (29), the electronic circuit (29) comprising a driver (25), characterized in that in operation a second end of the polysilicon plate (12) is biased with a supply voltage that is greater than the breakdown voltage of the semiconductor photodiode (18) and that the first end of the polysilicon plate (12) is coupled to an input of the driver (25) via a capacitor (C).

6. Photodetector (17) comprising a plurality of semiconductor photodiodes (18) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the semiconductor photodiodes (18) are connected in parallel.

7. Array of semiconductor photodiodes (18) formed as pn-junctions between a first region of a first conductivity type and a second region (6) of a second conductivity type wherein each pn-junction has a depletion zone (7), characterized in that the depletion zones (7) of neighboring photodiodes (18) touch each other before breakdown occurs.

8. Array of semiconductor photodiodes (18) according to claim 7 and further comprising electronic circuits (29) bordered by a depletion zone, characterized in that the depletion zones (7) of the photodiodes (18) touch the depletion zones of neighboring photodiodes (18) and/or neighboring electronic circuits (29) before breakdown occurs.

9. Array of semiconductor photodiodes (18) according to claim 7, characterized in that the second regions (6) are approximately hemispherical and that mini guard regions of the second conductivity type are placed in areas existing between neighboring photodiodes.

10. Array of semiconductor photodiodes (18) according to claim 8, characterized in that the second regions (6) are approximately hemispherical and that mini guard regions of the second conductivity type are placed in areas existing between neighboring photodiodes or electronic circuits (29), respectively.

11. A process for making a semiconductor photodiode (18), wherein ions of a second conductivity type are implanted through a window (5) in an implantation mask (4) and then diffused into semiconductor material of a first conductivity type for forming a first region (6) of the second conductivity type, characterized in that the lateral dimensions of the window (5) are equal to or smaller than a diffusion length of the ions of the second conductivity type.

12. A process according to claim 11, characterized in that ions of the second conductivity type are implanted through a second, ring-shaped window (9) in said implantation mask (4) or another implantation mask that surrounds the first window (5) and then diffused into the semiconductor material of the first conductivity type for forming a second region of the second conductivity type or for reducing locally the conductivity of the region (2) of the first conductivity type, wherein a width of the ring-shaped window (9) is smaller than a maximum lateral dimension of the first window (5) and at least two times smaller than the diffusion length of the ions of the second conductivity type.

13. A process for making a semiconductor photodiode (18), comprising the steps of implanting and diffusing ions of a first conductivity type into semiconductor material of a second conductivity type through a first window in a first implantation mask for forming a first region (2) of the first conductivity type wherein the lateral dimensions of the first window are equal to or smaller than a diffusion length of the ions of the first conductivity type, andimplanting and diffusing ions of the second conductivity type into the first region (2) through a second window in a second implantation mask (4) for forming a second region (6) of the second conductivity type wherein the lateral dimensions of the second window are equal to or smaller than a diffusion length of the ions of the second conductivity type,

14. A process according to claim 13, characterized in that ions of the second conductivity type are implanted through a third, ring-shaped window (9) in the second implantation mask (4) or another implantation mask that surrounds the second window and then diffused into the first region (2) of the first conductivity type for forming a further region of the second conductivity type or for reducing the conductivity of the first region (2) of the first conductivity type below a surface (3), wherein a width of the third, ring-shaped window (9) is smaller than a maximum lateral dimension of the first window and at least two times smaller than the diffusion length of the ions of the second conductivity type.