Optoelectronic integrated system, electronic device and optoelectronic detection method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-11
AI Technical Summary
然而,传统CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor,互补金属氧化物半导体)图像传感器仅能感知可见光谱范围内的光强度信息,大量光学信息未被利用
[0008] Furthermore, CMOS process lines are mature, have high throughput, low cost, and thorough process verification, making them suitable for large-scale manufacturing and offering significant cost advantages. The photodetectors in the optoelectronic integrated system, while meeting process requirements and adhering to fabrication constraints, further explore the possibilities of mature processes in device fabrication. This aims to fully leverage the existing capacity resources of silicon-based CMOS technology, providing new ideas for device manufacturing in integrated circuits, optics, applied physics, and interdisciplinary fields. The optoelectronic integrated system in this application can directly utilize existing metal layers to construct microstructures, enabling the integrated manufacturing of optical metasurfaces and electrical intelligent sensing functions. This avoids experimental errors introduced by manual alignment of optical and circuit structures and facilitates fully customized production of advanced precision devices.
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Figure CN122555259A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor optoelectronic integration technology, and in particular to an optoelectronic integrated system, electronic device and optoelectronic detection method. Background Technology
[0002] Light, as an information carrier, contains rich multidimensional information, including intensity, color, phase, polarization, and angular momentum. However, traditional CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensors can only sense light intensity information within the visible spectrum, leaving a large amount of optical information unutilized. With the development of machine vision, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and autonomous systems, the demand for intelligent optical sensors capable of extracting multidimensional optical information such as polarization is becoming increasingly urgent.
[0003] Therefore, how to improve the ability of optoelectronic integrated systems to sense multiple optical parameters of incident light and increase the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information by utilizing standard CMOS technology without adding additional process steps has become a problem to be solved in the field. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This application proposes an optoelectronic integrated system, electronic device, and optoelectronic detection method, aiming to improve the optoelectronic integrated system's ability to sense multiple optical parameters of incident light and increase the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information by utilizing standard CMOS technology without adding additional process steps.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides an optoelectronic integrated system, which can be formed using standard CMOS processes. The optoelectronic integrated system includes a photodetector. The photodetector includes a silicon substrate, a pixel circuit, and a metal interconnect layer. The pixel circuit is located inside the silicon substrate and is used to convert optical signals into digital electrical signals. The pixel circuit includes multiple circuit units and a photosensitive layer. The metal interconnect layer is disposed on the silicon substrate and includes multiple alternately stacked metal wiring layers and multiple dielectric layers, as well as vias penetrating the dielectric layers. The metal wiring layers are used to electrically connect the pixel circuit. At least one of the multiple metal wiring layers is a patterned metal wiring layer, which includes an optical modulation microstructure array. The optical modulation microstructure array, vias, and dielectric layers are all used to modulate incident light onto the photosensitive layer.
[0006] The photodetector of the aforementioned optoelectronic integrated system includes a silicon substrate, pixel circuits located inside the silicon substrate, and a metal interconnect layer disposed on the silicon substrate. The pixel circuits can convert optical signals into digital electrical signals. The metal interconnect layer includes multiple alternately stacked metal wiring layers and multiple dielectric layers, as well as vias penetrating the dielectric layers. The metal wiring layers are used for electrical connection of the pixel circuits. At least one of the multiple metal wiring layers is a patterned metal wiring layer, which includes an optical modulation microstructure array. The optical modulation microstructure array, vias, and dielectric layers are all used to modulate incident light onto the photosensitive layer and can all serve as multi-dimensional optical functional structures of the photodetector.
[0007] Understandably, a photodetector can be formed on a silicon substrate using a multilayer stacked structure in standard CMOS processes, with alternating stacked metal wiring layers and dielectric layers, without the need for special introduction processes. After the incident light is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array, vias, and dielectric layers, it illuminates the photosensitive layer. The pixel circuit converts the optical signal carrying the optical information of the incident light into a digital electrical signal, thereby improving the photodetector's ability to sense multiple optical parameters of the incident light and thus increasing the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0008] Furthermore, CMOS process lines are mature, have high throughput, low cost, and thorough process verification, making them suitable for large-scale manufacturing and offering significant cost advantages. The photodetectors in the optoelectronic integrated system, while meeting process requirements and adhering to fabrication constraints, further explore the possibilities of mature processes in device fabrication. This aims to fully leverage the existing capacity resources of silicon-based CMOS technology, providing new ideas for device manufacturing in integrated circuits, optics, applied physics, and interdisciplinary fields. The optoelectronic integrated system in this application can directly utilize existing metal layers to construct microstructures, enabling the integrated manufacturing of optical metasurfaces and electrical intelligent sensing functions. This avoids experimental errors introduced by manual alignment of optical and circuit structures and facilitates fully customized production of advanced precision devices.
[0009] In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of metal wiring layers are patterned metal wiring layers, and the patterns of the two patterned metal wiring layers are different.
[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of metal wiring layers are patterned metal wiring layers, and the plurality of metal wiring layers include an array of optical modulation microstructures.
[0011] In some embodiments, the dielectric layer includes a plurality of through-holes. In at least two of the dielectric layers, the arrangement of the through-holes differs.
[0012] In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of dielectric layers have different thicknesses, and / or at least two dielectric layers have different refractive indices.
[0013] In some embodiments, the pixel circuit includes a CMOS image sensor pixel circuit or an avalanche photodetector circuit. The circuit unit includes multiple photodiodes and a readout circuit for the photodiodes. The photosensitive layer converts the light signal into a charge signal, the photodiodes generate an analog electrical signal based on the accumulated charge signal, and transmit the analog electrical signal to the readout circuit, which converts the analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal.
[0014] In some embodiments, the optoelectronic integrated system further includes a computing module electrically connected to the photodetector. The photodetector is configured to transmit digital electrical signals to the computing module. The computing module calculates the optical parameters of the incident light based on the digital electrical signals.
[0015] On the other hand, this application also provides an electronic device that includes the optoelectronic integrated system in any of the above embodiments, wherein the optoelectronic integrated system is integrated into the electronic device as a camera module or an optical sensor.
[0016] The above-described electronic device has the same structure and beneficial technical effects as the optoelectronic integrated system provided in some of the above embodiments, and will not be described again here.
[0017] On the other hand, this application also provides a photoelectric detection method, which operates based on the photoelectric integrated system in any of the above embodiments. The photoelectric detection method includes: incident light is modulated by an optical modulation microstructure array, vias, and a dielectric layer, and then irradiates the photosensitive layer of a pixel circuit, generating an optical signal. The pixel circuit converts the optical signal into a digital electrical signal. The optical parameters of the incident light are calculated using the digital electrical signal.
[0018] In the aforementioned photoelectric detection method, the incident light incident on the photosensitive layer is modulated by an optical modulation microstructure array, through-holes, and a dielectric layer; all three can serve as multi-dimensional optical functional structures for the photodetector. The pixel circuit converts the optical signal carrying the optical information of the incident light into a digital electrical signal, and the optical parameters of the incident light can be calculated using the digital electrical signal.
[0019] Understandably, a photodetector can be formed on a silicon substrate using a multilayer stacked structure in standard CMOS processes, with alternating stacked metal wiring layers and dielectric layers, without the need for special introduction processes. After the incident light is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array, vias, and dielectric layers, it illuminates the photosensitive layer of the pixel circuit. The pixel circuit converts the optical signal carrying the optical information of the incident light into a digital electrical signal, thereby improving the photodetector's ability to sense multiple optical parameters of the incident light and thus increasing the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0020] In some embodiments, before the incident light irradiates the photosensitive layer, the above photoelectric detection method further includes: adjusting at least one of the shape, size, and spatial arrangement of the optical modulation microstructure array according to a preset detection standard, and / or adjusting at least one of the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer. Attached Figure Description
[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application, the accompanying drawings used in some embodiments of this application will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only drawings of some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings. In addition, the drawings described below can be regarded as schematic diagrams and are not actual dimensions of the products or actual processes of the methods involved in the embodiments of this application.
[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the optoelectronic integrated system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a photodetector provided for an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another photodetector provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the photoelectric detection method provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The technical solutions in some embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments provided in this application are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0024] Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprising" is interpreted as open and encompassing, that is, "including, but not limited to".
[0025] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.
[0026] In describing some embodiments, the term "connection" and its derivative expressions may be used. The term "connection" should be interpreted broadly; for example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For example, in describing some embodiments, the term "connection" may be used to indicate that two or more components have direct physical or electrical contact with each other.
[0027] In addition, the use of "based on" implies openness and inclusivity, because processes, steps, calculations or other actions "based on" one or more conditions or values can in practice be based on additional conditions or values beyond those conditions.
[0028] It should be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being on another layer or substrate, it can mean that the layer or element is directly on the other layer or substrate, or that there is an intermediate layer between the layer or element and the other layer or substrate.
[0029] Light, as an information carrier, contains a wealth of multidimensional information, including intensity, color, phase, polarization, and angular momentum. This information is crucial for both humans and machines to understand the world. However, traditional vision systems can only perceive the intensity and color of light within the visible spectrum, leaving a vast amount of optical information untapped. With the development of machine vision, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and autonomous systems, the demand for intelligent optical devices capable of extracting this untapped optical information is becoming increasingly urgent.
[0030] With the development of the Internet of Things, smart sensing, and mobile devices, higher demands are being placed on the miniaturization, integration, and low-cost manufacturing of optoelectronic systems. Traditional optical systems typically require discrete optical components, such as lenses, filters, and gratings. These components are large, complex to assemble, and expensive, making it difficult to meet the demands of modern electronic devices for thinner and more integrated designs.
[0031] To overcome the above challenges, related technologies attempt to integrate optical functions onto semiconductor chips, mainly including: adding optical structures through additional process steps after the standard CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) process is completed; and using hybrid integration methods to bond pre-prepared optical elements to CMOS chips.
[0032] However, this approach has significant drawbacks, increasing the overall system size, weight, and assembly complexity, and potentially introducing additional alignment errors and optical losses, which is detrimental to mass production and cost control. Furthermore, this approach cannot achieve true on-chip optical functionality because the optical components and electronic circuitry remain physically separate.
[0033] On the one hand, this application provides an optoelectronic integrated system, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the optoelectronic integrated system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a photodetector provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0034] See Figure 1 The optoelectronic integrated system 10 can be formed using standard CMOS processes, and includes a photodetector 1. The optoelectronic integrated system 10 of this application is applied to multiple interdisciplinary fields such as micro-nano optics, semiconductor device manufacturing, image sensing, and integrated silicon photonics.
[0035] The photodetector 1 includes a silicon substrate 2, a pixel circuit 3, and a metal interconnect layer 4.
[0036] For example, a plurality of chips are disposed within the silicon substrate 2. In CMOS chip technology, a metal interconnect layer 4 can be directly formed on the silicon substrate 2 to achieve a tight physical connection and electrical connection between the two.
[0037] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The pixel circuit 3 is located inside the silicon substrate 2 and is used to convert optical signals into digital electrical signals. The pixel circuit 3 includes multiple circuit units 31 and a photosensitive layer 32. It can be understood that incident light can pass through the metal interconnect layer 4 and enter the photosensitive layer 32, thereby being captured by the photosensitive layer 32.
[0038] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 The pixel circuit 3 includes a CMOS image sensor pixel circuit or an avalanche photodetector circuit. The circuit unit 31 includes multiple photodiodes 33 and a readout circuit 34 for the photodiodes 33. The photosensitive layer 32 converts the light signal into a charge signal. The photodiodes 33 generate an analog electrical signal based on the accumulated charge signal and transmit the analog electrical signal to the readout circuit 34. The readout circuit 34 converts the analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal.
[0039] It is understandable that after the incident light is captured by the photosensitive layer 32, the photosensitive layer 32 generates a charge signal carrying the optical information of the incident light. This charge signal is converted into an analog electrical signal by the photodiode 33, and the readout circuit 34 can convert the analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal, thereby realizing the conversion of optical signal to digital electrical signal.
[0040] For example, pixel circuit 3 also includes CDS circuit (Correlated Double Sampling) 35. The first sampling of CDS circuit 35 can acquire the reset level and noise before incident light illumination, and the second sampling can acquire the reset level containing the image signal and noise after incident light illumination. By calculating the difference between the two sampled values, common noise components can be eliminated, and only the effective voltage related to the light signal can be retained, thereby significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and improving the accuracy of optical measurement results.
[0041] See also Figure 1 A metal interconnect layer 4 is disposed on a silicon substrate 2. The metal interconnect layer 4 includes multiple alternately stacked metal wiring layers M and multiple dielectric layers 5, as well as vias 6 penetrating the dielectric layers 5. The metal wiring layers M are used for electrical connection to pixel circuits 3.
[0042] It is understood that the dielectric layer 5 is located between two adjacent metal wiring layers M, and the two adjacent metal wiring layers M can be electrically connected through vias 6, and the metal wiring layers M can be electrically connected to the pixel circuit 3 through vias 6.
[0043] For example, the material of the metal wiring layer M is a conductive material compatible with standard CMOS processes, including but not limited to conductive materials such as aluminum, copper, or tungsten. The material of the dielectric layer 5 is an insulating material. The via 6 is also made of a conductive material; for example, the material of the via 6 can be the same as the material of the metal wiring layer M.
[0044] For example, the metal interconnect layer 4 may include a first metal wiring layer M1, a second metal wiring layer M2, a third metal wiring layer M3, a fourth metal wiring layer M4, and a fifth metal wiring layer M5 sequentially stacked on the silicon substrate 2. The materials of the first metal wiring layer M1, the second metal wiring layer M2, the third metal wiring layer M3, the fourth metal wiring layer M4, and the fifth metal wiring layer M5 may be the same or different.
[0045] See also Figure 2 At least one of the multiple metal wiring layers M is a patterned metal wiring layer M, and the patterned metal wiring layer M includes an optical modulation microstructure array 7.
[0046] For example, in Figure 2 In the illustrated optoelectronic integrated system 10, the first metal wiring layer M1 and the fifth metal wiring layer M5 are patterned metal wiring layers M. Both include an optical modulation microstructure array 7.
[0047] For example, the first metal wiring layer M1 and the fifth metal wiring layer M5 can be precisely patterned using standard photolithography and etching processes to form an optical modulation microstructure array 7 with a specific geometry, size and spatial arrangement. The optical modulation microstructure array 7 can achieve a polarization-sensitive optical response to the amplitude, phase and polarization state of the incident light.
[0048] For example, the optical modulation microstructure array 7 can be made of metallic material or other optical materials. Among them, the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the through hole 6, and the dielectric layer 5 are all used to modulate the incident light incident on the photosensitive layer 32.
[0049] It is understandable that both the optical modulation microstructure array 7 and the via 6 have certain spatial arrangement characteristics. When incident light irradiates the metal interconnect layer 4, characteristic light modulation or special response of the incident light can be achieved through the optical modulation microstructure array 7 and the via 6. Furthermore, the stacking and thickness of the dielectric layer 5, as well as the interlayer interface, can also achieve modulation of the incident light.
[0050] For example, optical resonance and phase modulation can be achieved by adjusting the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer 5.
[0051] The photodetector 1 of the aforementioned optoelectronic integrated system 10 includes a silicon substrate 2, a pixel circuit 3 located inside the silicon substrate 2, and a metal interconnect layer 4 disposed on the silicon substrate 2. The pixel circuit 3 can convert optical signals into digital electrical signals. The metal interconnect layer 4 includes multiple alternately stacked metal wiring layers M and multiple dielectric layers 5, as well as vias 6 penetrating the dielectric layers 5. The metal wiring layers M are used to electrically connect the pixel circuit 3. At least one of the multiple metal wiring layers M is a patterned metal wiring layer M, and the patterned metal wiring layer M includes an optical modulation microstructure array 7. The optical modulation microstructure array 7, the vias 6, and the dielectric layers 5 are all used to modulate the incident light incident on the photosensitive layer 32, and can all serve as multi-dimensional optical functional structures of the photodetector 1.
[0052] Understandably, multiple alternating metal wiring layers M and multiple dielectric layers 5 can be formed on a silicon substrate 2 using a multilayer stacked structure in standard CMOS processes, without the need for special introduction processes, thus forming the photodetector 1. After the incident light is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the via 6, and the dielectric layer 5, it illuminates the photosensitive layer 32. The pixel circuit 3 converts the optical signal carrying the optical information of the incident light into a digital electrical signal, thereby improving the photodetector 1 of the optoelectronic integrated system 10's ability to sense multiple optical parameters of the incident light, and thus improving the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0053] Furthermore, CMOS process lines are mature, have high throughput, low cost, and thorough process verification, making them suitable for large-scale manufacturing and offering significant cost advantages. The photodetector 1 in the optoelectronic integrated system 10, while meeting process requirements and without violating processing constraints, further explores the possibilities of mature processes in device fabrication. This aims to fully leverage the existing capacity resources of silicon-based CMOS technology, providing new ideas for device manufacturing in integrated circuits, optics, applied physics, and interdisciplinary fields. The optoelectronic integrated system 10 in this application can directly utilize existing metal layers to construct microstructures, enabling integrated manufacturing of optical metasurfaces and electrical intelligent sensing functions. This avoids experimental errors introduced by manual alignment of optical and circuit structures and facilitates fully customized production of advanced precision devices.
[0054] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The optoelectronic integrated system 10 also includes a computing module 8, which is electrically connected to the photodetector 1. The photodetector 1 is configured to transmit digital electrical signals to the computing module 8. The computing module 8 calculates the optical parameters of the incident light based on the digital electrical signals.
[0055] It is understandable that the calculation module 8 is used to calculate the digital electrical signal carrying the optical parameters of the incident light obtained by the photodetector 1, thereby obtaining the optical parameters of the incident light.
[0056] For example, the optical parameters of the incident light include optical parameters such as phase, amplitude, light intensity, and polarization state.
[0057] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 At least two of the multiple metal wiring layers M are patterned metal wiring layers M, and the patterns of the two patterned metal wiring layers M are different.
[0058] For example, the first metal wiring layer M1 and the fifth metal wiring layer M5 are patterned metal wiring layers M. Both include an optical modulation microstructure array 7, but their patterns are different, that is, the shapes of their optical modulation microstructure arrays 7 are arranged differently.
[0059] It is understandable that a single patterned metal wiring layer M can achieve the adjustment of incident light. Among multiple metal wiring layers M, at least two metal wiring layers M are set with different patterns, that is, at least two metal wiring layers M have different optical modulation microstructure arrays 7. This can make the incident light undergo at least two different modulations in the metal wiring layer M, thereby further increasing the dimension of optical information carried in the digital electrical signal generated by the pixel circuit 3, and thus further improving the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0060] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another photodetector provided in the embodiment.
[0061] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 The multiple metal wiring layers M are all patterned metal wiring layers M, and each of the multiple metal wiring layers M includes an optical modulation microstructure array 7.
[0062] For example, the metal interconnect layer 4 may include a first metal wiring layer M1, a second metal wiring layer M2, a third metal wiring layer M3, a fourth metal wiring layer M4, a fifth metal wiring layer M5 and a sixth metal wiring layer M6 sequentially stacked on the silicon substrate 2, and all six metal wiring layers M are patterned metal wiring layers M.
[0063] For example, the patterned shapes of the six metal wiring layers M can all be the same, all be different, or partially the same.
[0064] It is understandable that the multi-layer metal wiring layer M is patterned, meaning that the multi-layer metal wiring layer M has an optical modulation microstructure array 7, which can modulate the incident light multiple times in the metal wiring layer M, thereby further increasing the dimension of optical information carried in the digital electrical signal generated by the pixel circuit 3, and thus further improving the utilization rate of multi-dimensional optical information.
[0065] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The dielectric layer 5 includes multiple through-holes 6. Among the multiple dielectric layers 5, at least two dielectric layers 5 have different arrangements of the multiple through-holes 6.
[0066] It is understandable that within each dielectric layer 5, multiple vias 6 are arranged in a certain spatial order to form a certain vertical dimming array. By setting different arrangements of multiple vias 6 in at least two dielectric layers 5, the vertical dimming arrays of the vias 6 in at least two dielectric layers 5 can be made different, thereby enabling the vias 6 to produce different optical spectrum responses to incident light, thus further improving the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0067] In some embodiments, among the plurality of dielectric layers 5, at least two dielectric layers 5 have different thicknesses, or at least two dielectric layers 5 have different refractive indices, or both the thickness and the refractive index of the materials of the two dielectric layers 5 are different.
[0068] It is understandable that the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer 5 can both affect the modulation function of the metal interconnect layer 4 on the incident light. By adjusting the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer 5, optical resonance and phase modulation can be achieved. Therefore, through the above settings, the incident light can be modulated at least twice in the dielectric layer 5, thereby further increasing the dimension of optical information carried in the digital electrical signal generated by the pixel circuit 3, and thus further improving the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0069] On the other hand, this application also provides an electronic device, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0070] See Figure 4 The electronic device 100 includes the optoelectronic integrated system 10 in any of the above embodiments, and the optoelectronic integrated system 10 is integrated into the electronic device 100 as a camera module or optical sensor.
[0071] For example, electronic device 100 may be an optical sensing chip including optoelectronic integrated system 10, polarization imaging chip, or terminal device integrating such chip (such as mobile phone camera module, AR / VR device, biometric sensor, etc.).
[0072] The electronic device 100 described above has the same structure and beneficial technical effects as the optoelectronic integrated system 10 provided in some of the above embodiments, and will not be described again here.
[0073] On the other hand, this application also provides a photoelectric detection method. Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the photoelectric detection method provided in an embodiment of this application. This photoelectric detection method operates based on the photoelectric integrated system 10 in any of the above embodiments, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 The above photoelectric detection method includes the following steps S1 to S3: Step S1: See Figure 1 and Figure 2 After the incident light is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the through hole 6 and the dielectric layer 5, it illuminates the photosensitive layer 32 of the pixel circuit 3 and generates an optical signal.
[0074] It is understood that the aforementioned optical signal carries the optical parameters of the incident light. For example, the optical parameters of the incident light include optical parameters such as phase, amplitude, light intensity, and polarization state.
[0075] Step S2: See Figure 2 The pixel circuit 3 converts the optical signal into a digital electrical signal.
[0076] For example, after the light signal is acquired by the photosensitive layer 32, the photosensitive layer 32 generates a charge signal carrying the optical information of the incident light. This charge signal is converted into an analog electrical signal by the photodiode 33. The readout circuit 34 can convert the analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal, thereby realizing the conversion of the light signal into a digital electrical signal.
[0077] Step S3: See Figure 1 The optical parameters of the incident light are calculated using digital electrical signals.
[0078] For example, the optical parameters of the incident light can be obtained by calculating the digital electrical signal carrying the optical parameters of the incident light obtained by the photodetector 1 through the calculation module 8.
[0079] In the aforementioned photoelectric detection method, the incident light incident on the photosensitive layer 32 is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the through-hole 6, and the dielectric layer 5. All three can serve as multi-dimensional optical functional structures for the photodetector 1. The pixel circuit 3 converts the optical signal carrying the optical information of the incident light into a digital electrical signal. The optical parameters of the incident light can be calculated using the digital electrical signal.
[0080] Understandably, multiple alternating metal wiring layers M and multiple dielectric layers 5 can be formed on a silicon substrate 2 using a multilayer stacked structure in standard CMOS processes, without the need for special introduction processes, thus forming the photodetector 1. After the incident light is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the via 6, and the dielectric layer 5, it illuminates the photosensitive layer 32. The pixel circuit 3 converts the optical signal carrying the optical information of the incident light into a digital electrical signal, thereby improving the photodetector 1 of the optoelectronic integrated system 10's ability to sense multiple optical parameters of the incident light, and thus improving the utilization rate of multidimensional optical information.
[0081] In some embodiments, before the incident light in step S1 irradiates the photosensitive layer 32, the photoelectric detection method further includes: adjusting at least one of the shape, size, and spatial arrangement of the optical modulation microstructure array 7 according to a preset detection standard, and / or adjusting at least one of the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer 5.
[0082] For example, the design of the back-end process layers can be intentionally adjusted and combined, such as the pattern of multiple metal wiring layers M, the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer 5, and the spatial arrangement array of multiple vias 6, so that the desired optical modulation function can be naturally derived while performing the electrical interconnection function.
[0083] Furthermore, optical modulation structures can be directly formed in the CMOS chip process, thereby enabling precise modulation of the amplitude, phase, polarization, and other characteristics of incident light, and tightly integrating with the CMOS image sensor to achieve an on-chip optical solution.
[0084] It is understandable that the modulation or special response of incident light can be achieved by adjusting the patterning of the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the stacking and thickness of the dielectric layer 5, and the characteristics of the interlayer interfaces. The optical functions of the optical modulation microstructure array 7, the via 6, and the dielectric layer 5 are entirely generated by the material and geometric properties inherent in the standard CMOS process steps, without the need to introduce any additional materials or process steps.
[0085] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An optoelectronic integrated system, characterized in that, The optoelectronic integrated system can be formed using standard CMOS technology, and the optoelectronic integrated system includes a photodetector; The photodetector includes: silicon substrate; A pixel circuit, located inside the silicon substrate, is used to convert optical signals into digital electrical signals; the pixel circuit includes multiple circuit units and a photosensitive layer; A metal interconnect layer is disposed on the silicon substrate. The metal interconnect layer includes a plurality of alternately stacked metal wiring layers and a plurality of dielectric layers, as well as vias penetrating the dielectric layers. The metal wiring layers are used to electrically connect the pixel circuit. At least one of the plurality of metal wiring layers is a patterned metal wiring layer, and the patterned metal wiring layer includes an optical modulation microstructure array. The optical modulation microstructure array, the through-hole, and the dielectric layer are all used to modulate the incident light incident on the photosensitive layer.
2. The optoelectronic integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least two of the plurality of metal wiring layers are patterned metal wiring layers, and the patterns of the two patterned metal wiring layers are different.
3. The optoelectronic integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of metal wiring layers are all patterned metal wiring layers, and the plurality of metal wiring layers all include the optical modulation microstructure array.
4. The optoelectronic integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dielectric layer includes a plurality of through-holes; In the plurality of dielectric layers, at least two dielectric layers have different arrangements of the vias.
5. The optoelectronic integrated system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Of the plurality of dielectric layers, at least two dielectric layers have different thicknesses, and / or at least two dielectric layers have different refractive indices.
6. The optoelectronic integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pixel circuit includes a CMOS image sensor pixel circuit or an avalanche photodetector circuit. The circuit unit includes multiple photodiodes and readout circuits for the photodiodes; The photosensitive layer converts the light signal into a charge signal, and the photodiode generates an analog electrical signal based on the accumulated charge signal and transmits the analog electrical signal to the readout circuit. The readout circuit converts analog electrical signals into digital electrical signals.
7. The optoelectronic integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optoelectronic integrated system also includes a computing module, which is electrically connected to the photodetector. The photodetector is configured to transmit the digital electrical signal to the computing module; The calculation module calculates the optical parameters of the incident light based on the digital electrical signal.
8. An electronic device, characterized in that, The system includes the optoelectronic integrated system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the optoelectronic integrated system is integrated into the electronic device as a camera module or an optical sensor.
9. A photoelectric detection method, said photoelectric detection method being based on the operation of the photoelectric integrated system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The photoelectric detection method includes: After the incident light is modulated by the optical modulation microstructure array, the via, and the dielectric layer, it illuminates the photosensitive layer of the pixel circuit and generates the optical signal. The pixel circuit converts the optical signal into a digital electrical signal; The optical parameters of the incident light are calculated using the digital electrical signal.
10. The photoelectric detection method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before the incident light illuminates the photosensitive layer, the photoelectric detection method further includes: According to the preset testing standards, at least one of the shape, size, and spatial arrangement of the optical modulation microstructure array is adjusted, and / or at least one of the thickness and refractive index of the dielectric layer is adjusted.