US Patent Application 18446572. IMAGE SENSOR WITH PASSIVATION LAYER FOR DARK CURRENT REDUCTION simplified abstract

IMAGE SENSOR WITH PASSIVATION LAYER FOR DARK CURRENT REDUCTION

Organization Name

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.==Inventor(s)==

[[Category:Hsiang-Lin Chen of Hsinchu County (TW)]]

[[Category:Yi-Shin Chu of Hsinchu City (TW)]]

[[Category:Yin-Kai Liao of Taipei City (TW)]]

[[Category:Sin-Yi Jiang of Hsinchu City (TW)]]

[[Category:Kuan-Chieh Huang of Hsinchu City (TW)]]

[[Category:Jhy-Jyi Sze of Hsin-Chu City (TW)]]

IMAGE SENSOR WITH PASSIVATION LAYER FOR DARK CURRENT REDUCTION - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18446572 titled 'IMAGE SENSOR WITH PASSIVATION LAYER FOR DARK CURRENT REDUCTION

Simplified Explanation

- The patent application is about an image sensor with a passivation layer for reducing dark current. - The image sensor includes a device layer, a cap layer, and a substrate, all made of semiconductor materials. - The device layer has a smaller bandgap than the cap layer and the substrate. - The cap layer and the substrate are made of silicon, while the device layer is made of or contains germanium. - The image sensor also includes a photodetector in the device and cap layers. - The passivation layer, which is made of a high k dielectric material, is placed on top of the cap layer. - The passivation layer induces the formation of a dipole moment along the top surface of the cap layer.

Original Abstract Submitted

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor with a passivation layer for dark current reduction. A device layer overlies a substrate. Further, a cap layer overlies the device layer. The cap and device layers and the substrate are semiconductor materials, and the device layer has a smaller bandgap than the cap layer and the substrate. For example, the cap layer and the substrate may be silicon, whereas the device layer may be or comprise germanium. A photodetector is in the device and cap layers, and the passivation layer overlies the cap layer. The passivation layer comprises a high k dielectric material and induces formation of a dipole moment along a top surface of the cap layer.