Title of Invention

A MONOLITHIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

Abstract

Abstract A monolithic Optoelectronic Integrated Circuit including a photodiode and a CMOS readout circuit is described in which the diode is formed by compositionally graded layers of I^Gax-xAs selectively epitaxially grown between a substrate of Si and an absorption layer of InxGax.xAs, the areas of said layers being less than 500 /um2 and wherein a readout circuit on said substrate is coupled to said diode.

Full Text

k020597/9492001.IND METHOD AND APPARATUS, FOR,. MONOLITHIC, OPTOELECTRONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT USING SELECTIVE EPITAXY Field of, the Invention The field of the present invention relates generally to photodetectors, and more particularly to photodetector diodes included in integrated circuit form. Background of the Invention Photodetectors are comprised of a diode that permits an amount of current to flow through it that is proportional to the intensity of light with which it is illuminated and a readout circuit for producing a voltage corresponding to the current flowing through the diode and hence also corresponding to the intensity of the light. Diodes using InGaAs are superior to those using Gi, HgCdTe,PtSi or InSb for certain applications because of their higher sensitivity, faster operation and the fact that they function well at room temperature. If an InGaAs diode were epitaxially grown on the Si substrate on which the readout circuitry is preferably formed, the lattice mismatch would have so many dislocations as to cause sufficient leakage current to seriously degrade diode performance. For this reason a hybrid structure has been used for several years wherein the diode is separate from the substrate and coupled to its readout circuit thereon by wire or Indium bump bonds. Unfortunately, however, such connections are susceptible to vibration failure in a space launch and are plagued by parasitic capacitance and inductance that lower their reliability and decrease their bandwidth. Furthermore, extensive packaging efforts are required in order to form an array of such detectors. As reported in Journal Applied Physics (Vol. 65(6), pg.2220-2237, 1989), E. A. Fitzgerald et al have selectively grown Ino.05Gao.95As on GaAs substrates with very few dislocations KW020597/8492001.IND by confining the epitaxial growth to a location that is square . pr circular having an area of (lOOxlOO)jum2 or less. It is algo known that if a desired epitaxial layer has a lattice that is severely mismatched with the lattice of i substrate on which it is epitaxially grown as tp severely limit the operation of a device of which it is a part. In such a case, the desired epitaxial layer can be compositionally graded to the substrate via successive epitaxial layers in which the ratio of the elements respectively changes from that of the desired composition to a composition having far less lattice mismatch with the substrate. Summary of the Invention I In accordance with this invention, a photodiode using InGaAs is selectively epit|axially grown on an area of a Si substrate that is less than 500/im2. The desired ratio of In to Ga for the purpose of forming a light absorption layer of a p-n InGaAs diode junction has a lattice constant so high as to form a significant lattice mismatch with Si. Therefore, even if it were grown directly onto a Si substrate within the limited area referred to above, the performance of the diode would be severely impaired by the resulting leakage current. By making the absorption layer having the desired ratio of In to Ga the last of a stack of epitaxially grown InGaAs layers in which the ratio of In to Ga decreases as the substrate is approached, the lattice mismatch with the substrate is reduced so that the amount of leakage current is further reduced to a highly acceptable low value. In forming the p-n junction, of course, the InGaAs material on one side of the junction is doped so as to be of one conductivity type, and the InGaAs material on the other side of the junction is doped to be of the opposite conductivity type. The material on the same side of the junction as the substrate has the same type of conductivity as the substrate. KW020597/8492001.IND Although the stack of epitaxial layers could be grown on the surface of the substrate, still further reduction in leakage current is achieved by growing at least a portion of it in a "well" or "trough" that has been etched in the substrate and its covering layer of Si02. Although the entire stack could be grown in the substrate, it is preferable that the p-n junction formed in the stack be at the surface of the Si substrate in which event InGaAs material having one conductivity type would be above the surface and in contact with the Si02 and the InGaAs material of the other conductivity type would be in contact with the Si of the substrate. Readout circuit elements for the photodetector just described are formed by CMOS processing in the surface of the substrate, and the insulating layer of Si02 is formed on the surface surrounding the well. Connections between the photodiode and the readout circuit elements are readily formed on the Si02 layer and make contact with appropriate elements by extending through the Si02 layer. In a preferred monolithic structure, the photodiode is formed in the well in one surface of the substrate as described, a conductive layer is formed on the other surface, and diode current flows vertically between the surfaces. In a less preferred structure, the photodiode is on top of a mesa and ohmic contacts at different points on the p-n junction are such as to form a "lateral" p-i-n diode between them so that the current flow is parallel to the surfaces of the substrate. Furthermore, the photodetector of this invention is so structured as to make it a simple matter to incorporate a filter for selection of the bandwidth of light whose intensity is to be measured. In particular, it is easy to combine the photodetector with a resonant optical filter by providing layers on top of the photodetector serving as a partial mirror, a fully reflecting layer on the opposite side of the substrate and making the thickness of the substrate such that the distance between the two mirrors is one half the wavelength of the light of interest. Manufacturer of a monolithic photodetector such as described above in accordance with another aspect of the invention involves more steps than can be identified in this summary but in general the readout circuit elements are formed in the substrate, the well is etched and the layers of the stack are epitaxially grown in the well before metallizing to form the circuit interconnections. Accordingly, the present invention provides a monolithic integrated circuit including an InGaAs photodetector diode and silicon readout circuitry comprising: a substrate of silicon(Si) having planar top and bottom surfaces;a PN junction forming a photodetector including a plurality of selectively grown epitaxial layers generally parallel to said top surface of said substrate, a plurality of said layers being InGaAs, said layers having an area less than (500x500) um2 for minimizing leakage current, and one of said layers being a topmost layer of InGaAs of opposite conductivity than underlying layers; circuit elements for a readout circuit wholly formed in said substrate near said PN junction of said photodetector; a layer of Si02 on the top surface of said substrate surrounding the area occupied by said PN junction of said photodetector; metallization on said layer of Si02 for providing electrical connections between said topmost InGaAs layer and said circuit elements; and metallization on the bottom surface of said substrate for providing a common electrical connection. Various embodiments of the present invention are shown and described herein with reference to the drawings, in which like items are identified by the same reference designation, wherein: Fig. 1A is a schematic of a circuit of a monolithic photodetector; Fig. IB is a timing diagram for the circuit of Fig. 1A; Fig. 2A is an isometric view of the locations of readout circuits and photodiodes of an array in which current flows parallel to the substrate; Fig. 2B is an isometric view of the locations of readout circuits and photodiodes in which current flows through to the substrate; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a monolithic photodetector of this invention in whiqh a mesa structure is used and an optical resonant filter is provided; Fig. 4 is a plot of lattice constant, energy band gap and wavelength for different materials. Fig. 5A is a cross sectional view of the preferred photodiode structure showing its coupling to elements of a readout circuit; Fig. 5B is a cross sectional view of a slightly different construction of the photodiode of Fig. 5A; Figs. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E are cross sectional views illustrating successive steps in the fabrication of a. preferred specie of a photodiode of this invention; and e KW020S97/849200J.IND Fig. 7 shows a curve for the forward-reverse I-V Characteristic of a 500Mm diameter InGaAs detector selectively grown over silicon, in accordance with one aspect of the invention (the x-axis is in Volts and the y-axis is in mA). Detailed Description of the invention In the schematic diagram of a photodetector shown in Fig. 1A light indicated at 2 illuminates a photodiode 4 so as to change its conductivity and thus alter the voltage supplied to a readout circuit 6 at the inverting input of an operational amplifier 8f This invention does not involve the readout circuit per se but merely requires that some readout circuit be incorporated in the monolithic structure. The particular readout circuit shown by way of example is comprised of the operational amplifier 8 connected as an integrator with a capacitor 10 connected between its output and its inverting input and a capacitor 12 connected between its output and a noninverting input of an operational amplifier 14. The output of the amplifier 14 is directly connected to its inverting input so that it operates as a buffer. A switch Sx is connected in parallel with the capacitor 10, a switch S2 is connected between the noninverting input of the amplifier 14 and ground and a switch S3 is connected to the output of the amplifier 14. The switches Slt S2 and S3 operate in the sequence illustrated in Fig IB so that the current supplied by the photodiode 4 is integrated over a given period, thereby providing a voltage indicating the intensity of the light 2. In accordance with this invention, the photodiode 4 is formed by selective epitaxial layers of InGaAs that are grown on the same substrate in which the circuit elements of a readout circuit are formed. Fig. 2A is an isometric view of an array of photodetectors in which the photodiodes are located at the circles 4' and the readout circuits are located at the rectangles 61 on a silicon substrate 16. In order to conserve KW020597/8492001.IND space, the readout circuits 61 could be formed around the photodiodes 41. Fig. 2B is the same as Fig. 2A except for the addition of a conductive layer 18 on the surface of the substrate 16 that is opposite to the surface bearing the photodiodes 41 and the readout circuits 61. As will be explained, the purpose of the conductive layer 18 may be to act as a reflector of a resonant optical filter and/or as an electrode of a photodiode 41 in which current flows vertically from one surface of the substrate 16 to the other. Fig, 3 is a cross sectional view 3,3 of Fig. 2B in which the photodiode 41 is formed on a mesa structure that is selectively epitaxially grown onto a surface 20 of the substrate 16. Only the connection of the photodiode 4a to the input of the readout circuit 61 is shown, but it is understood that the elements of the readout circuit would be formed in the surface 20 by CMOS techniques. In 'particular, the photodiode 41 is comprised of an absorption layer 22 of In0.53Ga0.,nAs that provides more carriers as the intensity of the light with which it is illuminated increases. An ohmic electrode 24 made of AuGe(n) is in electrical contact with one point on the layer 22, and an ohmic electrode 26 made of AuZn(p+) is in electrical contact with the layer 22 so as to form a p-i-n diode between them. Thus as the intensity of the illumination of the layer 22 increases, the current flowing between the electrodes 26 and 24 increases. If, however, the layer 22 were grown directly on the surface 20 of the substrate 16, which, in this example, is made of n-Si, the difference in the lattice constants would be about 10% so as to produce a large number of dislocations and hence a large leakage current. Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of this invention, the layer 22 is selectively epitaxially grown on a stack 28 of selectively epitaxially grown layers of n InxGaj^As in which the value of x increases for subsequently higher layers in the stack. A selectively grown buffer layer 30 of GaAs is between the stack 28 and the surface KW020597/8492001.T„„ 20 of the substrate 16. The difference in the lattice constants between adjacent ones of the layer 30, the layers of the stack 28 and the layer 22 is much smaller than 10% so as to reduce the number of dislocations and the leakage current. An important aspect of this invention is the still further reduction in leakage current by making the cross sectional area of the layer 30, the stack 28 and the layer 22 less than 500 jim2. In this example, all layers have the same area. Also, as indicated the ratio of In to Ga is varied to change the lattice, while the relative amount of As is constant. In this particular embodiment of the invention, a cap layer 32 of p Al0.48ln0.52As is selectively epitaxially grown on top of the diode layer 22, that has a higher band gap than the layer 22 so as to limit the surface leakage currents. Lower band gap surfaces produce higher leakage currents which are not desirable. Although an optical filter per se is not part of this invention, the photodiode of the invention is adapted for use with any kind of filter and especially adapted for combination with a resonant optical filter. A partially reflective mirror 34 is comprised of alternate layers of Si3N4 and Si02 that are formed on the layer 32, and a fully reflective mirror is comprised of the coating 18 on the bottom surface of the substrate 16 by, for example, making it of Au. The operation of an optical resonant filter is well known so suffice it to say that if the distance between the partially reflective mirror 34 and the fully reflective mirror 18 is one half the wavelength of the light whose intensity is being measured, the light reflected by the mirror 18 will arrive at the mirror 34 in phase with light from the source being measured so as to increase the amount of light passing through the photodiode absorption layer 22. This permits the thickness of the layer 22 to be reduced thereby further decreasing leakage current. Connection of the electrodes 24 and 26 of the photodiode 41 to the readout circuitry 61 is via metallized paths 36 and 38 respectively. An insulating layer 40 of Si02 that may be formed KW020597/8492001.IND by exposure of the surface 20 to air or by processing or both lies on top of the surface 20 of the substrate 16. The metallization process also forms a lead 42 on the layer 4 0 as well as a through connector 44 to the input 46 of the readout circuit 61, which, if the circuit of Fig.lA is used, would be the inverting input of the operational amplifier 8. The amplifiers 8 and 14 are not shown but will be formed by CMOS techniques in the surface 20. Additional metallized leads indicated generally at 48 would 'make the other connections shown in Fig. 1. Although not shown, the lead 38 would be similarly connected to an appropriate point. The graphs of Fig. 4 show the lattice constant, the band gap and the wavelength corresponding to major III-V compound semiconductors. Elementary semiconductors such as Si and Ge and binary compounds such as AlAs and GaAs are indicated as data points having a fixed bandgap and a fixed lattice constant* The tripart alloy InxGa!_xAs is represented by a line 50 joining GaAs and InAs. With increasing In content, the bandgap energy decreases, the cutoff wavelength increases and the lattice constant increases. Thus by lowering the percentage of In in an InGaAs mixture, as noted in Table 1 below, the lattice constant becomes about 5.63 so as, to be much closer to the lattice constant of Si, which is about 5.43. KW020597/8492001.IND The thicknesses of the sum of all the graded layers 28 and the layers of the optical resonant filter 34 of Fig. 3 are set forth in Table 2 below. Reference is made to Fig. 5A for a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. A substrate 52 of Si has a layer 54 of Si02 on top of it, and a well 56 is formed having a lower portion 58 within the substrate 52 and an upper portion 60 within the Si02 layer 54. A GaAs layer 62 is selectively epitaxially grown on the Si at the bottom of the well 56, and the remainder of the lower portion 58 is filled with selectively epitaxially grown graded layers 64 of InxGa!-x. An absorption layer 66 of InxGai_xAs and a cap layer 68 of AlInAs are selectively epitaxially grown so as to fill the upper portion 60 of the well 52. A metallized conductor 70 formed on the layer 54 of Si02 makes contact between the absorption layer 66 and an input 72 of a readout circuit, not shown in detail but KW020597/8492001.IND generally indicated at 74. An insulating layer 76 of siN is formed over the entire top of the structure, and a cgnductive layer 78 is formed on the bottom. The various layers are as set forth by way o,f example in Table 1. No light filter is shown, but one could be positioned over the top of the well 56. The material within the upper portion §0 of the well 56 is of one conductivity type and the material in the lower portion 58 of the well 56 is of the opposite conductivity type. The substrate 52 is of the same conductivity type as the latter material. Fig. 5B is the same as Fig. 5A except that the well 56 is deeper so that all of the layers from the GaAs layer 62 to and including the cap layer 68 are within the lower portion 58 of the well 56. Fabrication Method The following steps are typically performed on a Si substrate for the formation of the monolithic InGaAs detectors integrated with the CMOS readout circuitry. KW020597/8492001.IND The elements of the readout circuit and the wells have been formed. The following procedure explains in detail the selective epitaxial growth of InGaAs photodiode structure in the well, as developed by the present inventor. Substrate Preparation For InGaAs/GaAs on silicon, a clean substrate is important as even minute amount of contaminants may harm the quality of crystal growth. The III-V compound atoms like Ga or As do not exhibit any first-order preferential nucleation sites on the silicon surface and the contaminants may alter this non-preference leading to a pile up of Ga or As around the contaminant. The contaminants may also act like steps on the silicon surface and form structural and antiphase domains (APDs). Packaging, transportation, exposure to ambient KW020597/8492001.IND atmosphere lead to an oxide build-up and contamination of the silicon surface. These external contaminants have to be removed from the surface before the crystal growth. Fig. 6A through 6E illustrate the basic steps in the process. Fig, 6A corresponds to the cleaning of the substrate 52 with its naturally formed 54 on it. (Ap3 of Report on Selective Epitaxy of InxGax-xAs oh Silicon. Fig. 6B shows the formation of the well 56 by etching. Fig. 6C shows the selective epitaxial growth of the GaAs and InxGa^xAs layers of one conductivity type that is the same as the conductivity type of the substrate 52 in the lower portion 58 of the well 56. Fig. 6D shows the selective epitaxial growth in the step 35 of Table 3 of the light absorption layer 66 and the cap layer 68 on the upper portion 60 of the well 56. Fig. 6E shows the formation of the circuit connections 70 by metallization as in steps 3 6 and 40 of Table 3 and the formation of an SiN insulation layer 76. As explained in the preceding crystal growth section, the present inventor was successful to selectively grow device grade InGaAs-on-silicon. Fig. 7 shows the forward-reverse I-V characteristics of a 500 jum diameter In0.sGa0.sAs photodetector selectively grown on an n-type silicon substrate, in accordance with the invention. The forward turn-on bias is 0.75 V and the reverse breakdown voltage is about 2.5V. The room temperature leakage current for a 50 fim diameter detector is 35 nA for a reverse bias of 10 mV. Being the initial research phase, this KW020597/8492001.IND is expected as the mismatch between the InGaAs and silicon is 8%. With improved selective epitaxial techniques and more practice of growing these materials, it is believed that the room temperature leakage current density can be reduced to below 1 /iA/cm2. Although various embodiments of the invention are described herein for purposes of illustration, they are not meant to be limiting. Those of skill in the art may recognize modifications that can be made in the illustrated embodiments. Such modifications are meant to be covered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, in Fig. 3, layer 22 of InGaAs can have a composition of Indium and Gallium that can vary from the ratios shown over a wide range. Layer 32 of AjInAs can easily be replaced with InAsP. Also, layers 28 shown as InxGa1.xAs can also be InAsP. WE CLAIM : 1. A monolithic integrated circuit including an InGaAs photodetector diode and silicon readout circuitry comprising: a substrate of silicon(Si) having planar top and bottom surfaces; a PN junction forming a photodetector including a plurality of selectively grown epitaxial layers generally parallel to said top surface of said substrate, a plurality of said layers being InGaAs, said layers having an area less than (500x500) urn2 for minimizing leakage current, and one of said layers being a topmost layer of InGaAs of opposite conductivity than underlying layers; circuit elements for a readout circuit wholly formed in said substrate near said PN junction of said photodetector; a layer of SiC>2 on the top surface of said substrate surrounding the area occupied by said PN junction of said photodetector; metallization on said layer of Si02 for providing electrical connections between said topmost InGaAs layer and said circuit elements; and metallization on the bottom surface of said substrate for providing a common electrical connection. 2. The monolithic integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said PN junction of said photodetector is formed above said top surface of said substrate. 3. The monolithic integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said PN junction of said photodetector is formed in a well having a portion of said epitaxial layers in said layer of Si02, and a portion in said substrate. 4. The monolithic integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said PN junction of said photodetector is wholly formed in a well in said substrate. 5. The monolithic integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio between the In and Ga decreases in successive compositionally graded epitaxial layers starting with the one nearest the bottom of said substrate. 6. The monolithic integrated circuit comprising a silicon(Si) substrate of a first conductivity type having top and bottom surfaces; a layer of Si02 on said top surface; a well etched into said substrate through said layer of Si02, having a cross sectional area less than (500x500) urn , a portion of said well being in said substrate, and a remaining portion of said well being in said layer of Si02 ; a plurality of first conductivity type selectively grown epitaxial layers of InGaAs in said portion of said well that is in said substrate; a second conductivity type selectively grown epitaxial layer of InGaAs in said portion of said well that is in said layer of Si02, said second conductivity type being opposite in polarity to that of said first conductivity type to form a PN junction with said plurality of first conductivity type selectively grown epitaxial layers; active devices of a readout circuit formed by CMOS processing wholly in said top surface of said substrate; means for selective electrically connecting a top portion of said second conductivity type epitaxial layer to said active devices of said readout circuit; and an electrically conductive coating on the bottom surface of said substrate. 7. A monolithic integrated circuit including a photodetector diode and readout circuitry therefore, comprising a silicon substrate having top and bottom surfaces; means for selectively epitaxially forming a mesa including a plurality of InGaAs layers of first conductivity on an area of said top surface that is less than (500x500) urn2 for reducing leakage current in photodetectors; a selectively grown epitaxial AlInAs layer of second conductivity type formed on the top of said plurality of layers of InGaAs, said second conductivity type being opposite in conductivity to said first conductivity type; a pair of spaced apart ohmic contacts each extending through said AlInAs layer to the topmost InGaAs layer; said ohmic contacts being of respective materials such as to form a p-i-n diode with said AlInAs and InGaAs layers; elements of a readout circuit formed wholly within said top surface of said substrate; a coating of Si02 on said top surface of said substrate surrounding said mesa; and metallization means for individually electrically connecting said ohmic contacts through said Si02 layer to elements of said readout circuit. 8. The monolithic integrated circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein alternate thin film layers of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride are provided on top of said layer of AlInAs for providing a partially light reflective mirror; and fully light reflective material is provided on said second surface of said substrate. 9. A monolithic integrated circuit including a photodetector diode and readout circuitry therefore, comprising: a silicon substrate having top and bottom surfaces; means for selectively epitaxially forming a mesa including a plurality of InGaAs layers of first conductivity on an area of said top surface that is less than (500x500) urn2 for reducing leakage current in photodetectors; a selectively grown epitaxial InAsP layer of second conductivity type formed on the top of said plurality of layers of InGaAs, said second conductivity type being opposite in conductivity to said first conductivity type; a pair of spaced apart ohmic contacts each extending through said InAsP layer to the topmost InGaAs layer; said ohmic contacts being of respective materials such as to form a p-i-n diode with said AlInAs and InGaAs layers; elements of a readout circuit formed in said top surface of said substrate; a coating of Si02 on said top surface of said substrate surrounding said mesa; and metallization means for individually electrically connecting said ohmic contacts through said Si02 layer to elements of said readout circuit. 10. The monolithic integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein alternate thin film layers of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride are provided on top of said layer of InAsP for providing a partially light reflective mirror; and fully light reflective material is provided on said second surface of said substrate. 11. A monolithic integrated circuit substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

285-mas-1997 abstract.pdf

285-mas-1997 claims.pdf

285-mas-1997 correspondence others.pdf

285-mas-1997 correspondence po.pdf

285-mas-1997 description (complete).pdf

285-mas-1997 drawings.pdf

285-mas-1997 form-1.pdf

285-mas-1997 form-26.pdf

285-mas-1997 form-4.pdf

285-mas-1997 others.pdf