JPH0653481A - Semiconductor element and semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide a semiconductor device having means for transmitting a signal of an integrated circuit formed using a silicon substrate in a chip or between chips as a medium. [Structure] The semiconductor element of the present invention comprises a crystalline silicon substrate 1.
3, a light emitting element 11 which is formed directly or via an insulating thin film 12 and at least the light emitting layer of which is made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, and the light emission which is formed on the same substrate as the light emitting element 11. A circuit for driving the element 11 to emit light is included at least as a component. [Effect] By forming the light emitting element 11 made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms on a silicon integrated circuit, it becomes possible to obtain an optical signal modulated by using the signal in the circuit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor element and a semiconductor device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a semiconductor light emitting device, a wide range of researches have been made using a single crystal of III-V group such as GaAs, II-VI group such as ZnSe or IV-IV group such as SiC. It has been. Among them, a III-V group single crystal device can be used as a light emitting diode (LED) or a semiconductor laser (LD), because a light emitting element having a relatively high efficiency can be produced by current injection. on the other hand,
Attempts have been made to integrate a light emitting device with an integrated circuit on a silicon substrate. For example, GaAs on Si for forming a GaAs light emitting element on a silicon substrate is one of them.

[0003]

With the miniaturization and speeding up of silicon semiconductor devices, there is an increasing demand for wide band and low interference of signal transmission means within or between chips. From such a viewpoint, signal transmission using light has begun to attract attention. That is, light is essentially broadband,
In addition, since it is non-inductive, it can transmit high-speed and high-density signals unlike the conventional signal transmission using electricity, and is considered to be a very promising transmission medium.

However, at present, only optical communication using an optical fiber is put into practical use as signal transmission using light, and it is used between two semiconductor chips or between two adjacent points such as inside a chip. Signal transmission is not realized. This is because it is difficult to form a light receiving / light emitting element on a silicon semiconductor chip with good process matching. For example, a so-called GaAs on S, in which a III-V group light emitting element widely used as a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode or a laser diode is formed on a silicon substrate.
With the technique i, it is not easy to form a III-V group semiconductor having good crystallinity on a silicon substrate, and practical application is difficult. Therefore, what is currently considered is an attempt to externally add a laser diode chip to perform signal transmission, but this requires that the area required to send several signals in parallel becomes large. However, there were problems such as limited signal transmission between chips.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is provided with means for transmitting a signal of an integrated circuit formed by using a silicon substrate as light inside a chip or between chips as a medium. An object is to provide a semiconductor element and a semiconductor device.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in a semiconductor device of the present invention, at least the light emitting layer formed directly on a crystalline silicon substrate or via an insulating thin film has a non-hydrogen-containing layer. At least one of a light emitting element made of monocrystalline silicon and a circuit formed on the same substrate as the light emitting element for driving the light emitting element to emit light is defined as a constituent element (claim 1). Alternatively, the semiconductor element of the present invention is a light-emitting element, at least the light-emitting layer of which is formed on a crystalline silicon substrate directly or via an insulating thin film, is made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms, and the light-emitting element It is characterized in that at least a circuit for driving and emitting the light emitting element formed on the same substrate and a light receiving element formed on the same substrate as the light emitting element are included as constituent elements (claim 2).

Further, the semiconductor device of the present invention includes a light emitting element, which is formed on a crystalline silicon substrate directly or through an insulating thin film, at least the light emitting layer of which is non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, and the light emitting element. A semiconductor element including, as at least one element, a circuit for driving and emitting the light emitting element formed on the same substrate as the element, and at least a light receiving element for receiving light emitted from the light emitting element and converting the light into an electric signal. And at least a semiconductor element including the above (Claim 3).

Here, in the semiconductor element or the semiconductor device, the light emitting element is a stack of a p-type layer and an n-type layer of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms (claim 4), or a hydrogen atom. P of non-single crystal silicon containing
This is a laminate of a type layer, a layer in which p-type and n-type impurities are not intentionally introduced, and an n-type layer (claim 5).

In the semiconductor element or the semiconductor device, the light receiving element is made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms (claim 6), and the light-receiving element is made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms. Or a p-type layer of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms and a layer in which p-type and n-type impurities are not intentionally introduced. And an n-type layer are laminated (claim 8).

[0010]

In the semiconductor device of the present invention, a light emitting device made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms is formed on a silicon integrated circuit, and an optical signal modulated using the signal in the circuit is obtained. Is possible. In addition, by forming a light-emitting element made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms and a light-receiving element for receiving light emitted from this light-emitting element in one silicon chip, light transmission for signal transmission in the chip is performed. It becomes possible to use it.

In the semiconductor device of the present invention, a light emitting element made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms is formed in one silicon chip (semiconductor element), and a light receiving element is formed in another chip (semiconductor element). By arranging each chip so that the light emitted from the light emitting element can be received by the light receiving element, it becomes possible to perform signal transmission between the chips using light.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure and operation of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a semiconductor device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 in the drawing
Reference numeral 1 is a light emitting element made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, 12 is an insulating thin film, 13 is a silicon single crystal substrate, 1
Reference numeral 4 denotes a diffusion layer formed on the silicon substrate, which is a signal electrode for driving the light emitting element 11 by a signal from an integrated circuit portion (not shown) formed on the silicon substrate 13. Further, 15 is the other electrode connected to the light emitting element 11. Here, the light emitting element 11 is made of amorphous silicon formed by using, for example, a parallel plate type plasma CVD apparatus as shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 4
1 is a vacuum chamber, 42 is a high frequency discharge electrode, 43 is a high frequency power supply, 44 is a flow rate controller, and 45 is a vacuum pump.

In the method of forming the semiconductor element shown in FIG. 1, first, after forming a necessary circuit on the silicon substrate 13, a silicon oxide film (insulating thin film) is formed by LPCVD.
12 is formed, and then a part of the silicon oxide film 12 is removed by opening. The removed portion is the light emitting element 11 and
It becomes a contact hole for making electrical contact with the signal electrode 14 for driving this. Then, as described above, a-Si: H to be a light emitting layer is deposited by the plasma CVD apparatus as shown in FIG. Then, the light emitting layer is patterned to form the light emitting element 11, and then the Al electrode is formed.

Here, FIG. 2 shows light emitting characteristics when a current is passed through the light emitting element 11. In addition, the emission wavelength spectrum was broad with a peak at about 900 nm. Amorphous silicon formed by plasma CVD has a feature that a base substrate is less affected and a relatively good quality light emitting element can be easily formed. Therefore, with such an element structure, an optical pulse modulated by the signal of the integrated circuit can be easily obtained.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing another embodiment of a semiconductor device according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 is a light emitting element made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, 22 is an insulating thin film, 23 is a silicon single crystal substrate, and 24 is a diffusion layer formed on the silicon substrate. A signal electrode for driving the light emitting element 21 by a signal of an integrated circuit portion (not shown) formed on 23, 25 is the other electrode connected to the light emitting element 21, and each of 11 to 11 in FIG. Corresponding to No. 15, the forming method is also the same. Further, reference numeral 26 is a waveguide for guiding the light emitted from the light emitting element 21, 27 is a diffusion layer formed in the silicon substrate 23, and a pn junction or a pin junction is formed with the substrate 23 to form a waveguide 26. It is a light receiving element that receives the light guided in the inside. The waveguide 26 is a plasma CV
The film thickness of a-SiON: H deposited by using the D device needs to be sufficient to guide the broad light emitted from the light emitting layer 21, and is set to about 10 μm. The refractive index of the waveguide layer is set to 1.52 because the silicon oxide film 22 serving as the buffer layer has a refractive index of about 1.46.
With the semiconductor device of the present invention, the device structure as shown in FIG. 3 enables signal transmission in the device by light.

[Embodiment 3] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the essential portion of a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, reference numerals 32 and 35 denote silicon substrates (semiconductor elements) on which integrated circuits are formed, and 31 denotes one substrate 32.
The light emitting device formed above has a detailed structure similar to that of the light emitting device shown in FIG. Further, 33 is a light receiving element formed on the other substrate 35, and 34 is a condenser lens for condensing the light emitted from the light emitting element 31 on the light receiving element 33. If the substrate 32 and the substrate 35 are formed sufficiently close to each other and the divergence of the light emitted from the light emitting element 31 does not pose a problem, the condenser lens 34 can be omitted. In the semiconductor device of the present invention, at least the configuration shown in FIG. 4 enables signal transmission between chips using light.

[Embodiment 4] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing another embodiment of a semiconductor device according to the present invention. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 51 is a light emitting element made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, 52 is an insulating thin film, 53 is a silicon single crystal substrate, and 54 is a diffusion layer formed on the silicon substrate. A signal electrode for driving the light emitting element 51 by a signal of an integrated circuit portion (not shown) formed on 53, 55 is the other electrode connected to the light emitting element 21, and 56 is emitted from the light emitting element 51. Waveguides for guiding light, which correspond to 21 to 26 in FIG. 2, respectively, and the formation method is the same. Further, reference numeral 57 is a light receiving element made of amorphous silicon, and 58 and 59 are electrodes connected to the light receiving element 57, and the output of the light receiving element is taken out from these electrodes. This embodiment is an improved version of the second embodiment and is characterized in that the light receiving element 57 is independent of the substrate 53, so that it is not necessary to form a bond in the substrate and the restriction on the substrate is relaxed.

In Examples 1 to 4 described above, the light emitting element preferably has a pn junction capable of injecting a current, and particularly in the case of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, a pin structure is advantageous in terms of luminous efficiency. . Further, as a material, in addition to hydrogenated amorphous silicon, amorphous or polycrystalline silicon formed by a thermal CVD method is subjected to a hydrogenation treatment, which is an indirect transition type of single crystal silicon. Any silicon material may be used as long as it has no defect as an element. Further, the light receiving element made of non-single crystalline silicon is also improved in light receiving sensitivity and speed by using a pn junction as compared with an element using a photocon. Further, the improvement effect becomes more remarkable by adopting the pin structure. As for the material, as in the case of the light-emitting element, amorphous or polycrystalline silicon formed by a thermal CVD method, which is hydrogenated, or the like can be used.

[0019]

As described above, in the semiconductor device according to the first aspect, since the light emitting device made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms is formed on the silicon integrated circuit, the signal in the circuit is used. It is possible to obtain a modulated optical signal. In the semiconductor element according to claim 2, the light emitting element made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms and the light receiving element for receiving the light emitted from the light emitting element are formed in one silicon chip. , It becomes possible to carry out signal transmission in the chip by using light.

According to another aspect of the semiconductor device of the present invention, a light emitting element made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms is formed in one silicon chip (semiconductor element) and a light receiving element is formed in another chip (semiconductor element). By arranging the chips so that the light emitted from the light emitting element can be received by the light receiving element, it becomes possible to perform signal transmission between the chips using light.

Further, as in the invention of claim 4, in the semiconductor element of claims 1 and 2 or the semiconductor device of claim 3, by making the light emitting element a pn junction type, current injection light emission becomes possible and light emission occurs. The amount of light can be increased.
Further, as in the invention of claim 5, in the semiconductor element of claims 1 and 2 or the semiconductor device of claim 3, by making the light emitting element a pin junction type, the light emission efficiency can be further improved.

Further, as in the invention of claim 6, in the semiconductor element of claim 2 or the semiconductor device of claim 3, the light receiving element is formed of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms. Since it is not necessary to form the light receiving element in the substrate, the restriction on the structure of the substrate can be relaxed. Further, as in the invention of claim 7, in the semiconductor element of claim 2 or the semiconductor device of claim 3, the light receiving element is a pn junction made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms. The speed can be improved. Further, as in the invention of claim 8, in the semiconductor element of claim 2 or the semiconductor device of claim 3, the light-receiving element is a pin junction made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms. The speed can be further increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a semiconductor device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing light emission characteristics when a current is applied to the light emitting element shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an essential part showing another embodiment of the semiconductor device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an essential part showing an embodiment of a semiconductor device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a plasma CVD apparatus showing an example of a thin film forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing another embodiment of the semiconductor device according to the present invention.

[Description of Reference Signs] 11, 21, 31, 51 ... Light-Emitting Element 12, 22, 52 ... Insulating Thin Film 13, 23, 53 ... Silicon Single Crystal Substrate 14, 24, 54, 59 ... Signal electrodes 15, 25, 55, 58 ... Electrodes 26, 56 ... Waveguide layers 27, 33, 57 ... Light receiving elements 32, 35 ... Semiconductor elements (formed of integrated circuits) Silicon substrate) 34 ... Condensing lens 41 ... Vacuum chamber 42 ... Electrode for high frequency discharge 43 ... High frequency power supply 44 ... Flow rate regulator 45 ... Vacuum pump

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A light emitting element, at least the light emitting layer of which is formed directly or through an insulating thin film on a crystalline silicon substrate, and which is made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, and on the same substrate as the light emitting element. A semiconductor element comprising at least a component for driving the formed light emitting element to emit light. 2. A light emitting element, at least the light emitting layer of which is formed directly or through an insulating thin film on a crystalline silicon substrate, and which is made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, and on the same substrate as the light emitting element. A semiconductor element comprising a circuit for driving the formed light emitting element to emit light, and a light receiving element formed on the same substrate as the light emitting element, as at least constituent elements. 3. A light emitting element, at least the light emitting layer of which is formed directly or through an insulating thin film on a crystalline silicon substrate, and which is made of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms, and formed on the same substrate as the light emitting element. At least a semiconductor element including at least a circuit for driving and emitting the light emitting element as a component, and a semiconductor element including at least a light receiving element for receiving light emitted from the light emitting element and converting the light into an electric signal as a component. A semiconductor device comprising: 4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is a stack of a p-type layer and an n-type layer of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms. 3. The semiconductor device according to item 3. 5. The light emitting device is a stack of a p-type layer of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms, a layer in which p-type and n-type impurities are not intentionally introduced, and an n-type layer. The semiconductor element according to claim 1 or the semiconductor device according to claim 3. 6. The semiconductor device according to claim 2 or the semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the light receiving element is made of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms. 7. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the light-receiving element is a stack of a p-type layer and an n-type layer of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms. Semiconductor device. 8. The light-receiving element is a stack of a p-type layer of non-single-crystal silicon containing hydrogen atoms, a layer in which p-type and n-type impurities are not intentionally introduced, and an n-type layer. The semiconductor element according to claim 2 or the semiconductor device according to claim 3.